IUE-CWA Activists Protest GE Retiree Cuts

IUE-CWA retirees leafleted shareholders outside the General Electric Co. annual meeting in Jacksonville, Fla., and IUE-CWA locals in other locations held solidarity demonstrations outside GE facilities.

In Jacksonville, Bill Freeda, president of the Media Sector of the CWA Retired Members Council and a former NBCU/GE employee, said that the company's action ending medical coverage for retirees as of January 2016 made a sham of GE Chairman Immelt's message to retirees that, "we honor your service."

A coalition of labor unions led by IUE-CWA has filed a lawsuit against GE, charging that the company's action violated federal labor law and the Employer Retirement Income Security Act.