Xerox cutting retirement benefits

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Xerox is eliminating health benefits to thousands of retirees who worked in Rochester.

Some of the retirees losing the insurance the company promised them are in their 80s and 90s.

It was a late Christmas present from Xerox. Some of the letters saying the benefits are gone arrived on Dec. 27.

One of them was addressed to Ed Laughlin.

"Who would do this during the COVID?" Laughlin said. "We’ve gone through COVID. We’ve gone through delta. We’ve gone through the omicron. This is worse."

The Laughlin got told him his health insurance reimbursement is ending March 1.

Laughlin worked for xerox for 35 years. The reimbursement was a benefit he agreed to when he retired eight years ago.

"I’ve read the news for the last two years," Laughlin said. "There’s no one in the country doing this right now. Why?

In an email, Xerox told News10NBC Chief Investigative Reporter Berkeley Brean it’s "following a thorough review of our union retiree benefit plans, we made adjustments to align with current industry practices."

It said the cuts will "allow Xerox to remain competitive as we return the company to growth."

Gary Bonadonna, Workers United Rochester Regional Joint Board: "There’s older folks in their 80s and 90s who were promised, they have a very good wrap-around plan with Medicare. That’s being eliminated."

Brean: "Totally gone."

Bonadonna: "Totally gone."

Gary Bonadonna is the head of the union that represents the retirees. The union is in contract negotiations with Xerox.

Brean: "Is this a done deal or can something change before March 1?"

Bonadonna: "We have lawyers working on this around the clock. I don’t know if we come up with a solution before March 1."

There are retirees who are under 65.

They’re not going to have any insurance after March 1.