SRHS Proposed Settlement
Singing River Health System proposed a settlement with the retirees in the year-long battle of their failed pension plans. Even though this is a step to reaching an agreement, one of the attorney’s representing the retirees says it is not enough to cover all of the retirees’ expenses for the rest of their lives.
A group of Singing River Health System attorneys are presenting a proposed settlement mapping out an agreement with the retirees and their pension plans. News 25 received a copy of the settlement which states the hospital will pay $142.8 million over the next 36 years. Jackson County would dish out $13.6 million within the decade. Six and a half million in attorney fees would be paid in increments up until September 2018.
Attorney Earl Denham says this still isn’t good enough. “The retirees worked hard for this. They are old and a lot of them are sick and totally dependent on this income. The very first thing that has to happen is they’ve got to be paid back, not a lot of double talk, not a plan that can just evaporate under them in an instant with no repercussion against anything. That’s got to be it, that’s got to be the goal for everybody.”
Denham, who represents the retirees, says the proposed settlement does not fully fund what he says the retirees were promised with their pension plans. He says if the health system does not come up with a fair amount, he is ready for war. “If this is the last line for them, if they’re going to insist on this, we’re going to have a war.”
Retiree Kitty Aguilar said, “We worked hard for our money. We took no short cuts. We put aside the money for our future.”
Denham says he will not stop until the retirees get what they were guaranteed while working at the hospital.
News 25 reached out to Jim Reeves, the lead attorney in the federal case in the U.S. District Court, but he did not respond for comment.
The proposed settlement will be presented at the Jackson County Chancery Court tomorrow at 9 a.m.
A group of Singing River Health System attorneys are presenting a proposed settlement mapping out an agreement with the retirees and their pension plans. News 25 received a copy of the settlement which states the hospital will pay $142.8 million over the next 36 years. Jackson County would dish out $13.6 million within the decade. Six and a half million in attorney fees would be paid in increments up until September 2018.
Attorney Earl Denham says this still isn’t good enough. “The retirees worked hard for this. They are old and a lot of them are sick and totally dependent on this income. The very first thing that has to happen is they’ve got to be paid back, not a lot of double talk, not a plan that can just evaporate under them in an instant with no repercussion against anything. That’s got to be it, that’s got to be the goal for everybody.”
Denham, who represents the retirees, says the proposed settlement does not fully fund what he says the retirees were promised with their pension plans. He says if the health system does not come up with a fair amount, he is ready for war. “If this is the last line for them, if they’re going to insist on this, we’re going to have a war.”
Retiree Kitty Aguilar said, “We worked hard for our money. We took no short cuts. We put aside the money for our future.”
Denham says he will not stop until the retirees get what they were guaranteed while working at the hospital.
News 25 reached out to Jim Reeves, the lead attorney in the federal case in the U.S. District Court, but he did not respond for comment.
The proposed settlement will be presented at the Jackson County Chancery Court tomorrow at 9 a.m.
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