The new health care committee convened by the UFT spent its first two meetings on April 3 and 30 delving into the intricacies of health care coverage for New York City workers and retirees. The approximately 50 in-service and retired members on the committee were hungry for information and eager to contribute their own perspectives to the discussion facilitated by UFT President Michael Mulgrew and UFT Welfare Fund Executive Director Geof Sorkin. “When you have people of all walks of life, with different medical issues, bring their experiences to the table and have an open discussion, we feel heard and learn what others are going through,” said Debra Elhadri, the chapter leader at PS 75 in Brooklyn. One of the committee’s upcoming tasks will be to review the final proposed health care plan for in-service workers and pre-Medicare retirees to emerge from the negotiated acquisition process and make a recommendation to the UFT Delegate Assembly, which will then vote. “I want us making these decisions together,” Mulgrew told the committee members. “I believe we can continue to have premium-free, high-quality health care, but it’s going to take work.”