Schenectady County legislators back St. Clare's pensioners

PHOTOGRAPHER: Marc Schultz

The Ellis Medicine McClellan Street Health Center is the former St. Clare's Hospital.

SCHENECTADY COUNTY — The Schenectady County Legislature on Tuesday adopted a resolution stating its continued support for former employees of St. Clare’s Hospital affected by its retirement pension shortfall.

The funding shortfall that developed over a number of years has resulted in a reduction in pension payments for those already receiving payments, and no pension payments for other former employees.

About two dozen St. Clare’s pensioners attended the meeting to express their frustration.

“St. Clare’s was not your run-of-the-mill hospital. Community means community,” said Mary Hartshorn, co-leader of the St. Clare’s Pension Recovery Alliance. “We didn’t deserve this. We worked hard and we took care of the people in Schenectady County, we don’t deserve to lose our pensions.”

The County Legislature adopted a similar resolution last year, but since then the pensioners have seen little concrete progress in their efforts to get the state or the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany to address the situation, though there have been investigations launched and lawsuits filed.

“The Schenectady County Legislature renews its commitment to standing in solidarity with the former employees of St. Clare’s Hospital who will no longer receive their pension benefits, and supports the lawsuit put forth by the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, the AARP and the St. Clare’s pensioners, as well as New York State Attorney General James’ efforts to ensure that those who lost their pensions have a seat at the table and are able to recoup what is rightfully theirs,” the resolution states.