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A MILESTONE IN ITS FIVE-YEAR HISTORY was passed in February when Issue #16 of The Newsletter appeared on line on the Internet.
THE CURRENT ISSUE, #17, also appears on "the web", as will all subsequent issues. Our internet address is as follows:
http://www.uwindsor.ca/newsstnd/uwflra/news.htm
The Faculty and Librarian Retirees' Association now also has its own home page on the Web. The address of the home page is:
http://www.uwindsor.ca/newsstnd/uwfla/index.html
THESE DEVELOPMENTS followed basically from the initiative of one of our members, Bob Chandler, recently retired from the School of Social Work. Bob enjoyed full cooperation and encouragement from the Computer Center of the University. He himself carried out the necessary "tagging" and other arcane procedures required in preparing material for going on line.
JAMES SKINNER, of the University's Department of Human Resources, announced at the Association's Spring Meeting, that, as of December, 1995, the Pension Fund was earning 16 per cent.
ANY SUCH NEWS IS GOOD NEWS to all retirees under the Pension Plan, though more immediately it affects those who are on the Money Purchase.
(CLEARLY IT IS VERY EASY for someone who is personally involved, to become confused on the matter of Money Purchase and Minimum Guarantee under the Plan. This is why most of us are looking forward to the ABC GUIDE TO THE PENSION PLAN announced earlier and already under preparation under the direction of Norman Shklov).
On a less buoyant note, Skinner announced that increases are likely in medical premiums. MEDEX rates will approximately double. Members with coverage including drugs may expect increases of 6.5 to 7 per cent. Those not carrying drug coverage could expect increases of about 3%; those without dental coverage, about 1%.
Skinner encouraged members to view the increases in a reasonable light. In the case of MEDEX (our out-of-country travel insurance) we are fortunate to be part of a pool of 500,000 people, and the rates are the best available. The other rates, he noted, had decreased last year. Currently, every effort is being made between the University and Green Shield to keep increases down. Skinner felt that what he had presented to the meeting was a "worst case scenario".