February 3, 2009. As the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) holds four days of hearings in Washington regarding helicopter safety this week, the Professional Helicopter Pilots Association International (PHPA) is expressing its enthusiasm in having the opportunity to participate. The PHPA International represents more than 4,000 helicopter pilots that perform duties ranging from transporting ill or injured people to hospitals to supplying the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. “Safety is a primary issue for our members,” says PHPA President Butch Grafton. “We think this hearing will have an extremely important impact on safety.” PHPA International is one of seven organizations represented on the NTSB panel that is seeking information this week on HEMS (helicopter emergency medical services) safety issues. PHPA sent four pilots to the hearing, which will address traditional helicopter HEMS issues such as pilot training, VFR weather minimums, safety equipment, and others. The four pilots are Al Duquette, who is the PHPA’s Safety Chairman, Jeff Stackpole, President of PHPA Local 109, and EMS Pilots Dan McDade and Troy Montanez, the latter of whom is the Editor of Autorotate Magazine, the publication of the PHPA. This week’s hearing is exploring additional topics including HEMS operating models (traditional, “hospital based,” “community based” and public use), reimbursement practices and its association with the dramatic increase in HEMS services, and competition between companies and its effect on flight safety. PHPA International has sent these very experienced pilots to attend this hearing in its ongoing effort to represent helicopter pilots in every aspect of their profession. “We are proud of these members of the PHPA International and we think they can make strong contributions to this process,” Grafton says. “We appreciate the fact that the NTSB is working to address the issue of safety in the helicopter industry and want to do everything possible to help in this effort. For further information: Butch Grafton 334-790-4417 Butch@autorotate.org
The Oct. 31 deadline is fast approaching for public sector employees to apply for student loan relief through the U.S. Department of Education's Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.
Many OPEIU members work for "public service employers," which includes many nonprofits, and are thus eligible to take advantage of temporary changes that make it easier to qualify for loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
More specifically, under the temporary waiver:
Be sure to check your eligibility for the PSLF waiver before the changes expire on Oct. 31, 2022.
Unfortunately, union staff are not eligible for this program. Be sure to visit the OPEIU Membership Benefits page to learn about the OPEIU Student Debt Reduction Program and the educational scholarships available for OPEIU members and their families.
OPEIU Local 32, in collaboration with the other unions which comprise the Judiciary Council of Affiliated Unions, has reached a tentative agreement with the State of New Jersey for our court employees. Links here are for the summary of all the changes and the actual Memorandum of Agreement reached at the bargaining table. The 3-page summary is included for your convenience, but members will actually vote to accept or reject the complete MOA.
State Health Benefits Program School Employees' Health Benefits Program
PERCENTAGE OF PREMIUM CALCULATORS FOR PLAN YEAR 2013 Health Benefit Contribution Requirements under Chapter 78, P.L. 2011
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