AFSCME Council 31
08/19/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/20/2024 12:08
Effort to Fix Tier 2 pensions continues before fall legislative session
August 19, 2024
With some 5,000 phone calls made and more than 56,000 email messages sent to legislators this spring demanding an equitable and adequate retirement for all public employees across the state, the We Are One Illinois coalition succeeded in getting our campaign to fix Tier 2 pensions on the General Assembly's radar.
This effort was just the start, as fixing Tier 2 and ending the unfair divide in pension benefits will be a road with many challenges, chief among them the need to raise additional revenue to avoid jeopardizing the stability of the pension funds.
The inadequate Tier 2 pension level affects all public employees who started employment on or after January 1, 2011. If you are on Tier 2, you contribute the same amount towards retirement as those hired in 2010 or earlier, but you receive a lesser benefit when you retire and over the course of your retirement years.
While comprehensive legislation to fix Tier 2 across all public pension systems was not considered in the spring legislative session, we gained multiple assurances from lawmakers that they want to work to address this injustice. Fixing Tier 2 will only succeed with continued grassroots pressure to make sure these lawmakers keep their promises, and we gain enough support to pass pension fairness in the House and Senate.
"If we're to succeed, we have to stand together-both Tier 1 and Tier 2 employees, and active and retired members-to fight for basic fairness in retirement," said Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch. "Be prepared to step up and make your voice heard as this effort ramps up and stay tuned for more ways you can get involved."
This summer, the We Are one Illinois coalition of public employee unions, of which AFSCME Council 31 is a member, is holding a series of town halls across the state where public service workers, labor leaders, pension experts and state lawmakers will come together to discuss the urgent need to fix the Tier 2 pension system.
It's time for all of us to step up, make our voices heard, and let lawmakers know: The time to Fix Tier 2 is now!
More resources:
Monday, September 16
5:00 p.m.
Plainfield HQ Fire Station
23748 W 135th St
Plainfield, IL 60544
Tuesday, September 17
5:00 p.m.
IBEW Local 364 Banquet Hall
6820 Mill Rd
Rockford, IL 61108
Tuesday, September 17
6:00 p.m.
Cutting Hall Theater
150 E. Wood St
Palatine, IL 60067
Thursday, September 19
6:00 p.m.
Local 150 Hall
3511 78th Ave W
Rock Island, IL 61201
Tuesday, September 24
6:00 p.m.
Teamster City
300 S. Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60607
Wednesday, September 25
5:00 p.m.
Teamsters Local 916
3361 Teamster Way
Springfield, IL 62707
Wednesday, September 25
6:00 p.m.
Illinois Federation of Teachers
4 Executive Drive #8
Fairview Heights, IL 62208
Thursday, September 26
5:30 p.m.
Illinois Laborers' & Contractors Training Center
5104 Ed Smith Way
Marion, IL 62959