WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Pictured above, Health Care Consultant/Taft-Hartley Specialist Joe Wild (Pictured Above and Below/WNYLaborToday.com Photos) talks about his career helping Labor Unions and Union Leadership better understand an array of health care plan options and what he hopes to accomplish here in Western New York now that he is working with Buffalo-headquartered Walsh Duffield Companies & Strategic Retirement Partners.

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – While it’s one’s job to tell people what great work they do, it matters more when those whom you help tell all what a great job you’ve done for them.  In the end, it carries more weight and when you have a multitude of those in the Labor Movement spouting comments like “he’s our go-to guy” to “he cares about us,” “he’s an advocate for Labor,” “he steered me in the right direction” and “he’s truly one of those guys who’s there to help” - it’s a positive impression that money just can’t buy. 

With that said, you can truly say there are a number of Labor Leaders who are just wild about Joe - Labor Health Care Consultant/Taft-Hartley Specialist Joe Wild that is.

After years of helping Labor Unions, their Leadership and Bargaining Teams in several regions across the State of New York, Wild is now concentrating on Western New York, where he hopes to continue to educate Labor on the state of health care and help those involved make the right decision when it comes to their Membership’s health care needs and pension futures.

“He’s ‘truly one of those guys who are truly here to help,’” Rochester & Genesee Valley AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation President Dan Maloney told WNYLaborToday.com about Wild.  “‘You don’t know what you don’t know’ and (Wild) has (helped) educate (our) Labor Council.  ‘If needed, he comes in and will walk you through’ (health care plans).  ‘He’s very accessible - and in the end, makes the lives of our Members better.’”

Troy Milne, who serves as the Business Manager/Financial Secretary of Rochester’s Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) Local 46, says of Wild: “I’ve known him for seven years.  ‘He’s a man who gives you solutions.’  ‘You find out he’s the guy you can trust because he has the facts.’  ‘He’s not trying to sell me something.’  I ‘trust’ Joe ‘because he steers me in the right direction.’  When I tell people he’s offering another educational session, they ask: ‘What’s he coming to teach you this time?”

And from Mike Brady, who serves as Benefits Administrator at Albany’s Laborers Local 157: “He ‘understands’ (Labor).  ‘And he’s honest - if he can’t help you, he’ll tell you that.’”

Wild, whose Father was a United Auto Workers (UAW) Member and whose Grandfather was a Union Carpenter, has more than 30 years of direct experience in the Health Care Industry. 

During that time, he’s built a solid track record, helping develop three Labor Divisions and Labor Advisory Boards for three different health care plans. 

He also partnered with Cornell University’s School of Industrial Labor Relations to create on-site and WebEx Educational Labor Seminars that have addressed - for example, Affordable Care Act directives, the impact of COVID on health care coverage, general health care issues and pensions. 

And he’s even assisted Labor - and management for that matter, in the development of the NY 44 School Consortium to purchase health care.

“I’ve ‘spent most of my career helping educate Unions and their Leadership in all those areas,’” Wild tells WNYLaborToday.com.  “We start all of our educational sessions with: ‘You don’t know what you don’t know.’  These Men and Women - who ‘one day, can be thrown into a leadership role’ as a Union President, Business Manager ‘or placed on the Union’s Health Care Committee - in effect are responsible for health care choices for hundreds or thousands of their Members and their families - and they might not have been involved in health care decisions in the past.’  That’s ‘not their normal’ job.”

Wild’s consulting business recently partnered with Walsh Duffield - a Buffalo-headquartered Walsh Duffield Companies & Strategic Retirement Partners. 

Walsh Duffield Companies’ Chris Kempton, who serves as the company’s Executive Vice President/Director of Business Development, has known Wild since their days as college students at St. Bonaventure University, where Kempton worked for Wild, who oversaw the students who helped run the dining hall on campus.

“We want Joe ‘to help us develop relationships’ in the area’s school systems and with municipalities, ‘but right now he’s even coaching some of our Employees and Associates with the more than thirty years of experience he brings working in the health care field,’” said Kempton, who grew up in a Republican Family but learned a valuable Labor lesson himself working with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 106 in Jamestown (Go To:  ‘Learning A Labor Lesson’ - Walsh Duffield Companies & Strategic Retirement Partners’ Chris Kempton, Who Grew Up In A Republican/Anti-Union Family, ‘Knows Now What Unions Deliver, Not Only To Their Members - But To Their Communities Too’ - WNY Labor Today: Your On-Line Labor Newspaper, Bringing You Labor News From Across The Nation, New York State & Western New York).

“Joe’s ‘worked with’ national companies, ‘so his experience helps’ (Buffalo) Labor.  ‘He’s seen so much happen that he’s a benefit to our community.’  He’s a ‘great’ coach ‘who’s helped Labor.’  ‘To him, this is not a business - it’s in his DNA,’” Kempton told WNYLaborToday.com.

Wild, who admits he’s become “a friend of Labor” over the course of time, said he’s always wanted to navigate Unions and their Leadership “through their situations.”

“I saw Unions (were) ‘not educated’ (on health care issues) and Unions ‘never got fair information (from management) while they were sitting at the negotiating table.’  ‘I think I’ve filled that void.’  ‘At the end of the day, you have to build that relationship of trust.’  ‘You have to give (Labor) the best answers to the best of your knowledge.’  ‘Sometimes’ Unions ‘don’t understand that a high deductible could be an overall good decision’ (in terms of what else comes with a specific health care coverage plan for their Members).  ‘And, I’ve been honored to be asked to sit at the table with them’ (during contract negotiations).  ‘What I’m ultimately trying to do is be their’ Health Care Consultant.  ‘What I want to do now is educate local’ Union Leaders about health care, ‘including the many opportunities in the marketplace.’  ‘In the past, I’ve helped Unions, including the UAW, save money while providing them a better (health care) option,’” he said.

While Wild could go on and on detailing what he’s done to help Organized Labor over his career, WNYLaborToday.com thought a better path was to interview number of Union Leaders whom he has helped in order to hear what they had to say:

Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1170 President John Pusloskie, whose Rochester Union represents 600 Active Members and 750 Retirees: “Joe’s ‘strength is that he brings people together’ to educate them.  And for those ‘who don’t know, what the best strategies are best for their Members, including ours.’  There are ‘gains to be made’ at the (bargaining) table, ‘so you need to know what questions to ask to get the best’ benefit packages.  ‘Joe makes me credible’ at the bargaining table.  ‘He’s an advocate for Labor Unions, a communicator.’  ‘And it’s important to have people out there like him.’”

Laborers Local 157 Benefits Funds Administrator Brady: “Joe ‘knows’ Labor.  He ‘understands’ Labor.  ‘If he could serve you, he’ll tell you.’  ‘If he couldn’t, he’ll tell you.’  ‘He’s honest and not just out there to get contracts.’  ‘He’s reputable and very credible.’”

SMART Local 46’s Milne, whose Rochester Building Trades Union represents 425 Active and 200 Retired Members: “Laws ‘change and when I need help, I call Joe.’  He’ll sit with me to discuss what the options are.  ‘He gives you solutions.’  ‘I knew I could trust him because he came with the facts.’  He’s ‘very’ honest.  ‘He doesn’t try to sell me something that I don’t need and that’s earned my respect.’  I ‘trust’ Joe ‘because he steers me in the right direction and that’s the value of’ Joe Wild.  The Webinars he held during COVID, ‘he was there to help.’  It’s gotten to the point that when I tell someone I’m meeting with Joe, they’ll ask: ‘What’s he coming to teach you this time?”

Kathy Brzyski, who serves as Treasurer of the Cheektowaga Employees Association, told WNYLaborToday.com of Wild’s involvement in assisting five Town Unions negotiate a health benefit package that would encompass all five: “It was ‘monumental - a big deal.’  The Town had come to us and said ‘no matter what, we only want one’ (plan) for Active Members.  One of the brokers we brought in was Joe’ and in the end he helped us do that.’  It was Joe’s ‘wealth of knowledge that was the key to have.’  He was ‘incredibly honest.’  ‘In fact, I have never met anyone like him.’  ‘It was the trust we had for him to work with both sides of the table - it was unheard of.’  And ‘it all got settled within six months.’  ‘It was unbelievable.’  ‘Everyone was satisfied’ with the plan.  ‘Would I recommend him?’  ‘Absolutely.’”

Rochester & Genesee Valley Labor Federation President Maloney, who also serves as President of UAW Local 1097 in Rochester: “As a Union Representative, ‘you need all kinds of information on health care and how it affects our Members.’  Joe ‘was always there to provide that information.’  After I got to know him, ‘I thought he was a great guy, a good solid guy and he is truly one of those guys trying to help’ (Organized Labor).  ‘If you don’t know (something) or need to know, he’ll come in and educate you.’  He’s ‘very accessible and he makes life better.’”

Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Deputy Director Scott Futia, who helps oversee CSEA’s Health Benefits Department that oversees plans for the Statewide Public Employees Union of 300,000 Members, said: “Joe’s ‘always willing to help and he is so dedicated to Labor.’  He’s a ‘trusted resource.’  ‘He’s our go-to expert’ when it comes to cost design, cost savings, accounting and analysis.  ‘If I don’t know, he’s going to get me an answer.’  ‘And that’s a lot of responsibility, not counting him being a Taft-Hartly Consultant too.’  He’s a ‘hard Worker who keeps Labor in the forefront.’  And while he’s ‘not’ a Union Member ‘himself, he understands the needs of Labor at the negotiating table.’”   

Retired Cornell School of Industrial Labor Relations Representative Linda Donahue: “I ‘credit Joe for the number of different’ workshops and educational sessions he’s provided Labor since the Affordable Care Act was passed.  He ‘brought together experts in the field and he did a hell of a job.’  He looks at health insurance ‘from a perspective of those in Labor who are responsible for their Funds Department and he understands the implications.’  Anytime we helped put on one of these sessions we did an evaluation ‘and what came back was very high praise.’  He’s ‘very attentive to the details that Unions look for - and that’s a trust builder.’”

United Auto Workers (UAW) International Representative Mark Barbee: “I’ve known Joe for twelve years now.  ‘At least two times over that period he exposed how we were losing money by not understanding’ health care plans.  In one situation, he was ‘able to utilize information that helped bring down our Members’ rates.’  While Joe ‘didn’t get’ our business, we were able to go into a consortium (that saved money).  ‘That was huge.’  Joe ‘keeps you plugged-in so you know where the opportunities are.’  He ‘taught me how to bargain health care and I’ve learned that a high deductible is not necessarily a bad thing.’  He’s ‘my friend and we will be friends until one of us is no longer here.’”

UAW Local 2367 President Tom Steadman, whose Union represents 268 Employees at Revere Copper Products in Rome, New York: “When the Affordable Health Care Act took effect, ‘we didn’t know much about it.’  We met with Joe, ‘who dropped what he was doing and met with us for eight hours.’  ‘It was an incredible thing.’  ‘He was reciting things that Human Resources (HR) was going to tell us’ (at the bargaining table).  ‘It was insane.’  When HR ‘asked if we had any questions, we unloaded on them.’  ‘They took it for thirty minutes and didn’t know what to say.’  ‘Obviously, we got the education we needed, with Joe’s help.’  (In the end), ‘we were able to save our Members ($80) a week on their insurance coverage.’  With ‘all the information Joe provided us, we were able to beat back’ HR ‘when they tried to pull something.’  ‘In the end, we were better off than they were.’  And when I went to UAW Leadership Conference with forty different UAW Locals, I told them about Joe, who’d be willing to come to see every one of them.”