If You Choose Not to Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice

deadline: april 25, 2016

You have until the deadline to file your objection with the US District Court to the proposed settlement with Singing River Health System.

Imagine an election where your ballot is already cast for a candidate.  The name of the candidate will not be revealed until after the election is over, but your vote will count even if you don’t show up to the polls.  Your vote will still count even if you never registered to vote.

You would never vote for someone without even knowing his name, much less his character.  This is the situation with the Singing River pension settlement.  Even though the numbers are available to the attorneys, accountants, and other experts, not one person has told you what kind of reduction your pension benefits will take.  Remember those old TV commercials “Put it in writing AT&T!”?  If you demanded your long distance service to put the details in writing, why should you accept less from your pension plan, employer, and attorneys?

Will it be an 88% benefit or a 75% benefit?  Will anyone put it in writing?

Even though you never signed up with an attorney, and even though you haven’t made a decision, the courts will cast your ballot in favor of a plan, unless you take action to stop it.

The truth about this situation is you will take a side whether you like it or not.  You will either stand with truth, justice, and honor, or you will stand with slick attorneys and allow Singing River to never tell the truth about what really happened.

We leave you with the words of one wise contributor to this publication:

I believe a settlement is badly needed. Retirees/employees will get less than they deserve. That is true of all settlements. But if benefits are to be cut in the future, or greater risk placed upon retirees for market changes, then those actions and approval of a settlement have to be done in the most open manner possible. We are adults. We know life is not fair. We have all been disappointed by employers, friends, family, governments, etc. But if I am going to be screwed, I want to at least know why, how and when. So do the SRHS retirees/employees.

This struggle began over a lack of transparency in the operations and management of Singing River Health System. Despite all the litigation and media coverage, a select few are still bent on deciding the financial fate of thousands in back room, secret meetings. Let us pray they fail.