The Healthy,Wealthy and Wise Seminars Series Returns Wednesday July 9th

The Healthy,Wealthy and Wise seminar series returns Wednesday July 9th with both an A.M. and a P.M. session. The free workshops are designed specifically to help transit workers get their finances in order and to better prepare them for retirement. In these changing times of rising expenses, it is never to early to prepare for retirement. Thinking about buying a home, but think you cannot afford it? Don't know what type of life insurance is best for you and your family?Want to know about inside secrets on how to repair your credit? These are just some of the questions that you can have answered absolutely free of charge this summer on Wednesdays.

For those of you not familiar with this series, they are an ongoing series of workshops focusing on helping transit workers reach their individual health, finance and educational goals. The seminars were started by a small group of station members who were each experiencing their own financial challenges and hardships. We first approached the union with the idea of holding financial seminars at the union hall, and were told the union did not have the time or the resources to do these type of forums. We felt this information was so important and powerful we pooled what little resources we had and the Healthy, Wealthy and Wise seminar series was born.

Initially the main focus of these seminars had been finance; recently we have begun to hold seminars on health and wellness, including weight loss. We have also held joint educational forums with the UFT on the GHI/HIP merger, and will soon be covering our workers compensation and safety forums.

But don't take my word on the Healthy, Wealthy and Wise forums; listen to what your co-workers have to say about the workshops. Or better yet, take time out one Wednesday this summer to get your assets in order. These seminars will focus on the topic of finance every other Wednesday though out the summer, so don't be left out - come experience what every one in transit is talking about, and and get your assets in order. Transit workers have no excuse this summer not to get their financial house in order as Healthy Wealthy and Wise will be coming to all five boroughs, beginning Wednesday July 9th, at the Afrikan Poetry Theatre in Jamaica Queens, located at 176-03 Jamaica Avenue.

About The Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Seminar Series

My work around financial issues and pensions in particular came shortly about after our last contract as I took a course on pensions at Cornell. This was one of the two best classes of all the courses I have taken at Cornell (the other being Zita Allen’s media class.

Following the pension course I began holding financial workshops in an effort to help members better understand the power of our defined pension plan. Last year, a group of concerned workers in my department (Stations) asked me to join them in setting up some financial seminars.

So I am happy and thankful that after over two years of work that you the members are supporting my efforts. It is quite rewarding and humbling that so many of you from various departments have come out and spent over three hours discussing things that are important to you and your families. Also gratifying are the many positive comments and suggestions (like the ones below) that let us know this is something that was needed and desired. The topics discussed at the last seminar include credit repair, home buying, 401/457K plans, insurance, workers compensation, our defined pension plan from NYC and of course, the 20/50 bill (A05778).

Future workshops will include another Health Workshop seminar, similar to the last one which focused on diet, exercise, weight loss tips and techniques, strategies and nutrition.

What Members Have to Say:

• "This is a great thing, let's definitely keep this going and expanding."


• "Great - everything I wanted was covered.""Can't get enough information - thanks Marvin!"


• "Very informative. I appreciate the information and hope this continues. We need it."


• "Very good idea to inform members about the 20/50 bill."


• "Great workshop!!"


• "We really needed something like this; thank you so much for doing this."


• "Sign me up for the next one!"

Standing Room Only at December 6th Healthy, Wealthy & Wise (tm) Financial Seminar

It was standing room only as HomeStation and the Concerned Workers’ Group closed out its Lifestyle Seminars Series with its last financial workshop for 2007. Members from Stations, RTO, CED, MOW and TA bus joined in unity and solidarity to be educated on topics ranging from credit repair and home buying to banking options and pensions.

We expect our already impressive line up of guest speakers to continue to grow in 2008 as representatives from various companies such as CitiBank and New York Life contact us and ask if they can give presentations at upcoming financial seminars in 2008. These companies will look join our representatives from Merrill Lynch, Chase Bank and First Republic Bank.

We’re pleased that Norman Rosenfeld, retired Deputy Director of NYCERS, has agree to join us in up coming seminars in 2008 to answer all your NYCERS pension-related questions. We’re also pleased to welcome retired track worker Joel Fredericson on board. Mr. Fredericson was one of the architects of the TWU local 100 Workers compensation department, and he can answer all your workers comp questions. We expect Mr. Fredericson and Mr. Norman Rosenfeld to be regular contributors to the HomeStationOnline portal as well.

These seminars started out with a small group of concerned transit workers from Stations Department, and has grown to include members from a variety of departments and divisions. This is only the beginning; in early 2008 we will begin the Health series and in spring 2008 we will begin a new politics and labor series. Some of the most renowned guest lectures in their respective fields of health, politics and labor education have already given the Home Station commitments to speak at our workshops. All our guest speakers bring packages and materials for the members to take home and study, and there is always an ample question and answer period for your specific concerns.

Remember there is never a charge or fee at our seminars and workshops, nor are you obligated to buy anything or utilize the services. These events are solely for the information and education of members, so that transit workers in the can make the best decisions for themselves, both in the union and in the communities where we live. That’s why we hold these seminars all over the city: we want to take unionism back to the communities we live in while at the same time bring all Local 100 members together on an ongoing basis to build unity and solidarity inside Local 100.

So be on the lookout for details in the upcoming weeks on the next series, come out and find out what your co-workers are talking about, and begin to take the next steps to becoming healthier, wealthier and wiser.