Retirement Security Is Matter of Dignity
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For more than 70 years, the three-legged stool of Social Security, pensions and personal savings have guaranteed retirement security for millions of retirees. It ensured that the promise of America—-if you work hard and play by the rules you will live in a comfortable and secure retirement—is fulfilled.
But now that stool is broken and many retirees are suffering from the fall. Once guaranteed pensions are being tossed aside for insecure 401(k) plans or junked altogether.
Today, the AFL-CIO Convention adopted a resolution reaffirming the federation’s commitment to strengthen and improve existing public and private defined-benefit pension plans and 401(k)s.
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Bill George summed up the issue this way:
We need to develop a bold new initiative for those without pensions, based upon the principle of mutual responsibility—with government, employers and individuals all contributing. This, together with Social Security, must provide a universal, secure and adequate income for retirees in the 21st century.
Obama to Address AFL-CIO Convention
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President Barack Obama will address our AFL-CIO Convention in Pittsburgh on Sept. 15, marking a major shift in the relationship between the union movement and the White House. For the past eight years, the Bush administration waged war on America’s workers, and union members took a big step toward taking back America by playing a major role in electing Obama and a Democrat-controlled Congress.
Obama will address a convention that will make history by electing a new leadership team. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney is retiring after 14 years at the helm.
Along with Obama, the Sept. 13-17 convention will hear from many prominent political and union leaders, including Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Caroline Kennedy and NAACP President Benjamin Jealous.
Hundreds in Florida, 1,000 in D.C. Rally for Health Care Reform
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| Members of dozens of unions rallied in Washington, D.C., today in a show of support for President Obama as he held a health care forum. |
With nearly 700 Alliance for Retired Americans members filling the Civic Center in Delray Beach, Fla., and another 700 Alliance and union members outside—far outnumbering protesters—health care reform backers sent “a powerful signal” this afternoon, said Alliance President Barbara Easterling.
“We will not be stopped in our fight to reform health care.”
Meanwhile, this afternoon in Washington, D.C., about 1,000 people, including members of more than a dozen unions, lined streets near Capitol Hill to show support for health care reform legislation. They answered a call sent yesterday to counter what had been expected to be a large turnout of reform opponents who were going to protest during President Obama’s health care reform teleconference and webcast. Only a handful of reform opponents showed up.
Pro-Health Care Reform Voices Getting Stronger in Town Hall Meetings
Progressives are taking back the momentum in town hall meetings across the country by organizing and coming out to tell the truth about the need for health care reform. While the media focuses on the hysterics of angry mobs that demonize President Obama and health care reform supporters, the real story is that the voice of progressives is getting louder and stronger at the town hall meetings.
Working In These Times blog reports that Democrats and progressives are pushing back on several fronts against the campaign of misinformation being waged by extremist groups, some with corporate donors and right-wing Republicans.
According to the website, the counter-punching by progressives
includes everything from massive ad buys to pro-reform viral e-mails to aggressive PR about productive congressional town hall meetings that featured strong liberal turnouts.
What Is at Stake for Retirees in Health Care Debate?
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Alliance for Retired Americans President Barbara Easterling lays out the case for reform of Medicare, which turned 44 this week, in this cross-post from the Huffiington Post.
As we honor Medicare’s success—it has reduced senior poverty by two-thirds—it is also an opportunity for retirees to become more aware of what is at stake for them in health care reform.
The Alliance for Retired Americans, a progressive grassroots advocacy organization, held 30 events around the country to mark Medicare’s birthday and advance a pro-retiree agenda for this year’s health care debate.
What can the health care bill do to help current and future retirees? Here are a few ideas:
- Help Early Retirees. More than 5 million Americans ages 55-64 do not have health insurance. People in this age group should be able to buy in to Medicare so they can see a doctor more often, especially for preventive care.
- Close the Donut Hole. The “donut hole” coverage gap in Medicare Part D means that each year about one in four seniors will spend several months paying full price for their prescriptions while still having to pay their premiums.
Seniors Honor Kourpias, Set to Carry on Fight for Health Care
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Even though his title may have changed, George Kourpias is still as active as ever in the fight for the rights of America’s workers. Kourpias, who retired as president of the Alliance for Retired Americans in February, was honored last night at the organization’s national legislative conference.
Kourpias, the former president of the Machinists (IAM), was the first president of the Alliance. During his tenure, the Alliance grew to 3.5 million members and built a strong grassroots political force that played a key role in the 2006 and 2008 elections. This week, the retirees displayed their political energy by lobbying on Capitol Hill for affordable health care for everyone.
AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka praised Kourpias as
a man who every day of his life…has been devoted to combating the forces of greed and privatization that threaten the dignity of those who work for their daily bread.
Believe me, anybody who has ever confronted him on an issue of principle—whether corporate executive, congressman or senator—has come away knowing that George Kourpias is a man of towering convictions.
Retirees Lobby Congress on Health Care Reform
For Betty Smith, today is the day she gets to teach a new group of students: lawmakers from her home state of Pennsylvania. A retired teacher and AFT member from Elkins Park, Pa., near Philadelphia, Smith is one of the nearly 550 retirees at the Alliance for Retired Americans‘ annual legislative conference, who traveled to Capitol Hill today to lobby their home state elected officials in advance of key votes on health care reform.
While she has retirement security because of her union contract, Smith says she knows there are millions of seniors who must choose between paying for prescription medications and buying food.
It’s not fair in this country, which is so rich, that something like this exists. It’s just wrong.
Retirees Set to Tell Lawmakers: Health Care Reform Now
For three hours before the formal opening of their annual legislative conference today, members of the Alliance for Retired Americans got down to business by taking part in workshops on health care reform and Social Security. They will be joined by speakers such as Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.).
Throughout the June 15-18 conference in Washington, D.C., delegates and many high-level officials and union leaders will discuss the best solutions to the nation’s health care crisis and develop strategies to protect and strengthen Social Security.
In her opening address, Alliance President Barbara Easterling said seniors are in a unique position to influence the debate on health care. It is important for seniors to define the health care issue for Congress and the American people, Easterling said.
Write Letter, Win Pen: A Retiree’s Prescription for Health Care Reform
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Alliance for Retired Americans President Barbara J. Easterling encourages union retirees to contact their local newspapers about health care—and get a free union-made Retirees with the Write Stuff pen.
As Congress begins to vote on health care reform, we must all make our voices heard. One of the most effective ways to do this is by writing a letter to the editor.
In many newspapers, the Letters to the Editor page is the most widely read section. Not only can you help educate others in your community, but you can get noticed by savvy elected officials who keep a close eye on these letters to gauge the mood of their constituents.
Retirees with the Write Stuff is simple: Write letter, win pen. If a newspaper runs your letter about health care or any other retiree topic, send us a copy and you will receive a free, union-made Retirees with the Write Stuff pen.
Last-Ditch Bush Rule Would Threaten Retirement Security
In a last-gasp effort to reward its corporate friends, the Bush administration—on the very day of Barack Obama’s inauguration—proposed a new regulation that could reduce Americans’ retirement security by allowing firms to give financial advice to workers who participate in their 401(k) plans on products where they have a financial interest.
Current laws prohibit such conflicts of interest and the Obama administration has put the regulation on hold.
At a congressional hearing last week, Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.), chairman of the House Education and Labor’s Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions, said:
If workers receive investment advice, it should be independent and free of conflicts of interest. During a time where American workers have already lost $2 trillion in assets due to last year’s market downturn, exposing their hard-earned retirement savings to greater risk by allowing advisers to offer them conflicted advice is irresponsible and imprudent.
