We protect retirement security for all public employees!
- Our union has stopped repeated attacks on pensions and retirement security for public employees.
- Together, our members advocate for retirement security and a healthy pension system.
The ‘Freedom’ Foundation wants to get our union out of the way so they can privatize our pensions.
So what does the ‘Freedom’ Foundation think about our retirement security?
‘Freedom’ Foundation founder Bob Williams sponsored legislation to end pensions for state employees (2010): Defined Contribution Pension Reform Act at the ALEC States and Nation Policy Summit. This legislation is designed to end defined-benefit plans and replace them with defined-contribution (401(k)) plans. –ALEC_2010-Bob-Williams
“The ‘Freedom’ Foundation has long recommended a change in pension policy, starting with closing all defined-benefit plans to new employees…Among the biggest obstacles to pension reform are – you guessed it – unions. They are the primary impediment, even for modest pension reforms.”
–February 2015 Freedom Foundation Blog
The Freedom Foundation wants to turn our pensions into a 401k.
“Everything should be on the table, including changes in benefits and increasing employee contribution rates . . . as well as employer contribution rates . . Most importantly, states should consider replacing their defined-benefit plans with defined-contribution (401(k) style) plans.”
–recommends ‘Freedom’ Foundation founder Bob Williams, ALEC Budget Toolkit
Our Power matters in the Halls of Government
Our retirement security has increasingly become a target of legislators who support the ideals of the ‘Freedom’ Foundation. Each legislative session, we’ve seen more and more attempts to undermine our retirement security and dismantle our defined-benefit retirement system.
State law prohibits us from negotiating over our pension contribution rates. However, having a strong and vital union means that we get a seat on the board that oversees the pension trust and makes those recommendations so that the needs and concerns of state employees are part of the conversation
- The Proposal to Raise Retirement Age by 2 Years!!! (from 65 to 67) (SB 5982) DEFEATED
- A Proposal for 401K’s Only for New Hires, that would have HURT EVERYONE (ESSB 5851) DEFEATED This limitation would have harmed the financial viability of the entire pension system.
- The Proposal to Cut Contributions to the Pension System (SB 6005) DEFEATED.
- The “Pension Spiking” bill that would have attacked legitimate use of overtime (SSB 5916) DEFEATED