| For Immediate Release |
Contact:
Andrew Crook
607-280-6603
acrook@aft.org
www.aft.org
|
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
AFT’s Weingarten on Wright State University Faculty Strike
Contact:
Andrew Crook
607-280-6603
acrook@aft.org
www.aft.org
AFT President Randi Weingarten Reacts to Tentative Agreement for Los Angeles Teachers
For Immediate Release
January 22, 2019
Contact:
Oriana Korin
202-374-6103
okorin@aft.org
www.aft.org
LOS ANGELES—Members of United Teachers Los Angeles are voting tonight on an agreement with the Los Angeles Unified School District, following a historic six-day strike in the second-largest school district in the country. The LAUSD school board will do the same. Below is a statement from American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten:
“The agreement is a paradigm shift for the city and nation, as it makes a clear commitment to the resources and conditions necessary for teachers to teach and kids to learn in L.A.’s public schools. In addition to a 6 percent pay raise for the two-year agreement, it provides nurses in every school five days a week, lowers class size over the next several years, ensures school counselors for every 500 students, commits to new community schools and provides a process to cap charter schools. UTLA has endorsed the agreement, and if the response at today’s rally is a bellwether, the union’s more than 30,000 members will ratify it.
“This strike and the community support of the teacher strikers flipped the debate over public education in L.A. on its head. And the result is nothing short of a sea change for public schools and for educators in L.A. and in the country.
“With the support of parents, students, clergy and the entire union community, L.A.’s teachers helped inspire a reordering of the city’s priorities to finally put public schools first. And it took a strike to make the establishment see how much the public is really behind public schools and public school teachers.
“For the last 10 years, the political forces in Los Angeles haven’t valued public schools, nor respected the people who teach in them. But now, instead of fixating on testing, competition and accountability, these educators have focused a city—indeed an entire country—on the teaching and learning conditions our kids need.
“Every child has hopes, dreams and aspirations. But those aspirations don’t just happen simply
because you wish for them—you need the power to secure the investment to fulfill them. This was a
fight for the soul of public education. It was a fight to invest in public schools after decades of
neglect, and while one contract can’t fix everything, this is a starting point. Teachers want what kids
need, and today in Los Angeles, because of this struggle, teachers got a big step closer to securing
what our kids need.”
January 22, 2019
Contact:
Oriana Korin
202-374-6103
okorin@aft.org
www.aft.org
AFT President Randi Weingarten Reacts to Tentative Agreement for Los Angeles Teachers
LOS ANGELES—Members of United Teachers Los Angeles are voting tonight on an agreement with the Los Angeles Unified School District, following a historic six-day strike in the second-largest school district in the country. The LAUSD school board will do the same. Below is a statement from American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten:
“The agreement is a paradigm shift for the city and nation, as it makes a clear commitment to the resources and conditions necessary for teachers to teach and kids to learn in L.A.’s public schools. In addition to a 6 percent pay raise for the two-year agreement, it provides nurses in every school five days a week, lowers class size over the next several years, ensures school counselors for every 500 students, commits to new community schools and provides a process to cap charter schools. UTLA has endorsed the agreement, and if the response at today’s rally is a bellwether, the union’s more than 30,000 members will ratify it.
“This strike and the community support of the teacher strikers flipped the debate over public education in L.A. on its head. And the result is nothing short of a sea change for public schools and for educators in L.A. and in the country.
“With the support of parents, students, clergy and the entire union community, L.A.’s teachers helped inspire a reordering of the city’s priorities to finally put public schools first. And it took a strike to make the establishment see how much the public is really behind public schools and public school teachers.
“For the last 10 years, the political forces in Los Angeles haven’t valued public schools, nor respected the people who teach in them. But now, instead of fixating on testing, competition and accountability, these educators have focused a city—indeed an entire country—on the teaching and learning conditions our kids need.
“Every child has hopes, dreams and aspirations. But those aspirations don’t just happen simply
because you wish for them—you need the power to secure the investment to fulfill them. This was a
fight for the soul of public education. It was a fight to invest in public schools after decades of
neglect, and while one contract can’t fix everything, this is a starting point. Teachers want what kids
need, and today in Los Angeles, because of this struggle, teachers got a big step closer to securing
what our kids need.”
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
AFT’s Weingarten on Women’s March
For Immediate Release
January 17, 2019
Contact:
Oriana Korin
202-374-6103
okorin@aft.org
www.aft.org
WASHINGTON—Statement of American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on this weekend’s women’s marches:
“Two years ago, in a time of great uncertainty and concern for the future, millions of women and men came together around the nation, and the world, to make our presence felt and to show our unity and fidelity to the precepts of dignity, diversity and democracy for all. We confronted the fearmongering of the present administration, we leaned on one another, and we found power in our collective action. The energy of that day inspired legions of activists—young and not so young—who have since accomplished historic changes, including electing the most diverse Congress in history.
“These marches were never about particular individuals. They were, and they remain, about all of us. They are about caring, fighting and showing up for what’s right. And mostly, they are about the important work that happens in the days and weeks after to fight for a better country. That’s the work we focus on today, not a controversy meant to pit communities against each other.
“AFT members have marched every year, and we will continue to march and endorse the effort this year because we believe in journeying for justice together, even when the road is bumpy. We will not be on the stage, but rather on the streets with our sisters and brothers—black, white and brown; Muslim and Jewish; young and old. We will march in solidarity, seeking unity, and always searching for the path that brings us to a better place that all of us can call home.”
January 17, 2019
Contact:
Oriana Korin
202-374-6103
okorin@aft.org
www.aft.org
AFT’s Weingarten on Women’s March
WASHINGTON—Statement of American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on this weekend’s women’s marches:
“Two years ago, in a time of great uncertainty and concern for the future, millions of women and men came together around the nation, and the world, to make our presence felt and to show our unity and fidelity to the precepts of dignity, diversity and democracy for all. We confronted the fearmongering of the present administration, we leaned on one another, and we found power in our collective action. The energy of that day inspired legions of activists—young and not so young—who have since accomplished historic changes, including electing the most diverse Congress in history.
“These marches were never about particular individuals. They were, and they remain, about all of us. They are about caring, fighting and showing up for what’s right. And mostly, they are about the important work that happens in the days and weeks after to fight for a better country. That’s the work we focus on today, not a controversy meant to pit communities against each other.
“AFT members have marched every year, and we will continue to march and endorse the effort this year because we believe in journeying for justice together, even when the road is bumpy. We will not be on the stage, but rather on the streets with our sisters and brothers—black, white and brown; Muslim and Jewish; young and old. We will march in solidarity, seeking unity, and always searching for the path that brings us to a better place that all of us can call home.”
Friday, January 18, 2019
New Union Membership Data Reveal Anti-Worker Assault Is Failing
For Immediate Release
January 18, 2019
Contact: AFT
Andrew Crook
o: 202-393-8637 | c: 607-280-6603
acrook@aft.org
AFSCME
Omar Tewfik
o: 202-429-3147 | c: 347-248-2830
National Education Association
Miguel A. Gonzalez
O: 202-822-7823 I c: 202-491-9532
mgonzalez@nea.org
SEIU
Sara Lonardo
sara.lonardo@seiu.org
WASHINGTON—The vicious anti-worker assault on American public sector unions—epitomized by the Janus Supreme Court case—has failed to gain traction, new data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirm.
Despite a multimillion-dollar, decades-long war waged by special interests on public sector workers’ right to join together for a better life—culminating in Janus, which was meant to “defund and defang” unions—official statistics show 2018 public sector membership held strong at 7,167,000, a marginal 0.5 percent decline, with total U.S. union membership at 14,721,000 million. Public service unions have all seen more membership joins than drops since the decision.
Since Janus was decided in June, its funders have poured millions of dollars into deceptive campaigns encouraging public service workers to quit their unions, while continuing to manipulate the judicial system to attack the rights and freedoms of working people. But courts are increasingly siding with workers over special interests in the face of attempts to further disenfranchise working families by asking judges to reverse pre-existing and sound law.
The legal merits, the facts and public opinion have always been on the side of working people.
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees President Lee Saunders said:
“Momentum is on our side. Public support for unions is at its highest level in 15 years, and elected officials nationwide are embracing unionism as the key to unrigging an economy that overwhelmingly favors the privileged and powerful over working families. Our challenge now is to make it easier for working people to join unions—the one way for workers to get the dignity and respect they deserve.”
“After the Janus ruling I got a letter telling me that I didn’t have to pay fair share fees anymore unless I wanted to,” said Todd Bennington, principal planning analyst for Hennepin County Human Services in Minnesota and a member of AFSCME Council 5, Local 2864. “That’s when I became a member. Being a member is very important to me, particularly in the wake of that decision. It’s important because I believe in the power of collective action, that working together we have a lot more power to effect change in the world and in our own lives. A sense of community and connectedness is so much more appealing to me than the idea of every person for himself. Collectively, we’re going to get a lot better outcomes.”
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said: “It’s heartening that working people have seen straight through these right-wing groups’ brazen attempts to destroy our union and other democratically run, independent public sector unions. In fact, our union is growing, and winning. Since Janus, we have had 11 organizing wins, adding thousands of new members across higher education, healthcare and PSRP units.
“Union members have sent a clear message to the anti-labor right-wing ideologues: We are sticking with the union. While the right wing has many acts left in its playbook, Janus and the follow-up attacks have backfired. Educators, nurses, grad workers and so many others are joining unions because they see them as vehicles for a better life, a voice at work and a vibrant democracy. This week, the Los Angeles teachers are on strike to ensure students have the resources they need to succeed. The attacks will continue, but our members—and the American labor movement as a whole—are determined to stare them down and emerge stronger than ever.”
According to AFT member Holly Kimpon, a high school biology and anatomy teacher and president of the Genoa Area Education Association in Ohio, “It’s no different now than it was in June when the Janus ruling came out: The teachers in our district will stick together and stick with our union to
make sure we have a say in the future of our kids.” Kimpon continued, “I come from a rural and conservative part of Ohio, and all but one of our teachers are dues-paying members, and not one has left the union. In fact, all six new staff members hired this year joined the union. Why? Because we know that our ability to create a safe learning environment for our students and make teaching a viable profession comes directly from being part of a strong union.”
National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen García said: “Support for unions remains strong, even in the face of continual attacks on the rights of working people by corporate special interests, because unions represent the voice of working people in the fight against an economy rigged against the middle class. The NEA remains the nation’s largest labor union because educators—from West Virginia to California and in cities across America—know that together we have a powerful voice to make sure that our students have the public schools they deserve.”
“After the Janus decision, many people across the country wrote off labor unions,” said Jay V. Barbuto, a seventh- and eighth-grade language arts teacher from Phoenix. “You know what they didn't consider? Reality. The constant struggle our students face in their schools due to a lack of funding and resources. Educators and support professionals who live check to check because of their undervalued pay. Educators like me will continue to advocate for our students and colleagues as a collective power—as a union—regardless of any decision made by politicians or powerful special interests.”
Service Employees International Union President Mary Kay Henry said: “The numbers back up what we’ve seen all across the nation: Public service workers are sticking together in unions because they know they are stronger together. When workers are united, they have the power in numbers to have a strong voice for the good jobs and quality public services our communities need.”
“I’ve had several conversations with co-workers about how important it is we maintain a united front to continue winning higher wages and better working conditions,” said Adam Korst, a graphic designer for the city of Beaverton, Ore., and SEIU Local 503 member. “While extremist groups like the Freedom Foundation continue to attack our rights and encourage us to drop our membership, we must strengthen our resolve and fight harder than ever. The assault on working people is an assault on all of us who have come together and gained the right to voice what we want and need in the workplace.”
Background
Not only does the strategy to get members to quit their unions appear to be backfiring, but so does the anti-worker legal crusade in the wake of Janus. Recently, in Danielson v. AFSCME Council 28, a case out of Washington state, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington tossed out an attempt to force AFSCME to pay back lawfully collected fair share fees that public service
workers chipped in to help cover the cost of collective bargaining prior to the Janus decision. The court ruled that the fees were collected in good faith. In Fisk v. Inslee, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit also rejected an effort by such groups to cancel contracts made between public service workers and their unions.
January 18, 2019
Contact: AFT
Andrew Crook
o: 202-393-8637 | c: 607-280-6603
acrook@aft.org
AFSCME
Omar Tewfik
o: 202-429-3147 | c: 347-248-2830
National Education Association
Miguel A. Gonzalez
O: 202-822-7823 I c: 202-491-9532
mgonzalez@nea.org
SEIU
Sara Lonardo
sara.lonardo@seiu.org
New Union Membership Data Reveal Anti-Worker Assault Is Failing
Bureau of Labor Statistics Update Shows Public Sector Unions Holding Strong
Despite a multimillion-dollar, decades-long war waged by special interests on public sector workers’ right to join together for a better life—culminating in Janus, which was meant to “defund and defang” unions—official statistics show 2018 public sector membership held strong at 7,167,000, a marginal 0.5 percent decline, with total U.S. union membership at 14,721,000 million. Public service unions have all seen more membership joins than drops since the decision.
Since Janus was decided in June, its funders have poured millions of dollars into deceptive campaigns encouraging public service workers to quit their unions, while continuing to manipulate the judicial system to attack the rights and freedoms of working people. But courts are increasingly siding with workers over special interests in the face of attempts to further disenfranchise working families by asking judges to reverse pre-existing and sound law.
The legal merits, the facts and public opinion have always been on the side of working people.
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees President Lee Saunders said:
“Momentum is on our side. Public support for unions is at its highest level in 15 years, and elected officials nationwide are embracing unionism as the key to unrigging an economy that overwhelmingly favors the privileged and powerful over working families. Our challenge now is to make it easier for working people to join unions—the one way for workers to get the dignity and respect they deserve.”
“After the Janus ruling I got a letter telling me that I didn’t have to pay fair share fees anymore unless I wanted to,” said Todd Bennington, principal planning analyst for Hennepin County Human Services in Minnesota and a member of AFSCME Council 5, Local 2864. “That’s when I became a member. Being a member is very important to me, particularly in the wake of that decision. It’s important because I believe in the power of collective action, that working together we have a lot more power to effect change in the world and in our own lives. A sense of community and connectedness is so much more appealing to me than the idea of every person for himself. Collectively, we’re going to get a lot better outcomes.”
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said: “It’s heartening that working people have seen straight through these right-wing groups’ brazen attempts to destroy our union and other democratically run, independent public sector unions. In fact, our union is growing, and winning. Since Janus, we have had 11 organizing wins, adding thousands of new members across higher education, healthcare and PSRP units.
“Union members have sent a clear message to the anti-labor right-wing ideologues: We are sticking with the union. While the right wing has many acts left in its playbook, Janus and the follow-up attacks have backfired. Educators, nurses, grad workers and so many others are joining unions because they see them as vehicles for a better life, a voice at work and a vibrant democracy. This week, the Los Angeles teachers are on strike to ensure students have the resources they need to succeed. The attacks will continue, but our members—and the American labor movement as a whole—are determined to stare them down and emerge stronger than ever.”
According to AFT member Holly Kimpon, a high school biology and anatomy teacher and president of the Genoa Area Education Association in Ohio, “It’s no different now than it was in June when the Janus ruling came out: The teachers in our district will stick together and stick with our union to
make sure we have a say in the future of our kids.” Kimpon continued, “I come from a rural and conservative part of Ohio, and all but one of our teachers are dues-paying members, and not one has left the union. In fact, all six new staff members hired this year joined the union. Why? Because we know that our ability to create a safe learning environment for our students and make teaching a viable profession comes directly from being part of a strong union.”
National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen García said: “Support for unions remains strong, even in the face of continual attacks on the rights of working people by corporate special interests, because unions represent the voice of working people in the fight against an economy rigged against the middle class. The NEA remains the nation’s largest labor union because educators—from West Virginia to California and in cities across America—know that together we have a powerful voice to make sure that our students have the public schools they deserve.”
“After the Janus decision, many people across the country wrote off labor unions,” said Jay V. Barbuto, a seventh- and eighth-grade language arts teacher from Phoenix. “You know what they didn't consider? Reality. The constant struggle our students face in their schools due to a lack of funding and resources. Educators and support professionals who live check to check because of their undervalued pay. Educators like me will continue to advocate for our students and colleagues as a collective power—as a union—regardless of any decision made by politicians or powerful special interests.”
Service Employees International Union President Mary Kay Henry said: “The numbers back up what we’ve seen all across the nation: Public service workers are sticking together in unions because they know they are stronger together. When workers are united, they have the power in numbers to have a strong voice for the good jobs and quality public services our communities need.”
“I’ve had several conversations with co-workers about how important it is we maintain a united front to continue winning higher wages and better working conditions,” said Adam Korst, a graphic designer for the city of Beaverton, Ore., and SEIU Local 503 member. “While extremist groups like the Freedom Foundation continue to attack our rights and encourage us to drop our membership, we must strengthen our resolve and fight harder than ever. The assault on working people is an assault on all of us who have come together and gained the right to voice what we want and need in the workplace.”
Background
Not only does the strategy to get members to quit their unions appear to be backfiring, but so does the anti-worker legal crusade in the wake of Janus. Recently, in Danielson v. AFSCME Council 28, a case out of Washington state, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington tossed out an attempt to force AFSCME to pay back lawfully collected fair share fees that public service
workers chipped in to help cover the cost of collective bargaining prior to the Janus decision. The court ruled that the fees were collected in good faith. In Fisk v. Inslee, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit also rejected an effort by such groups to cancel contracts made between public service workers and their unions.
American Federation of Teachers Launches E-Learning Tool to Help Combat Opioid Crisis
For Immediate Release
January 18, 2019
Contact:
Oriana Korin
202-374-6103
okorin@aft.org
www.aft.org
WASHINGTON—In response to the continued and widespread opioid abuse crisis in communities throughout the United States, the AFT has launched a learning program on opioid use disorder for educators, nurses, social workers and school support personnel. The program, titled “Combatting the Opioid Crisis: AFT Responds,” is now available on the union’s e-learning platform, and can be accessed at https://aftelearning.org/group/61. The program aims to provide education and healthcare professionals with critical tools and resources to support patients, students and families affected by the opioid crisis, and will be distributed widely to AFT members and their networks. It launches as a new report from the National Safety Council out this week indicates that for the first time in history, Americans are more likely to die from opioid overdoses than car crashes.
The course includes video-based content created by faculty and staff experts at Harvard Medical School (HMS), and addresses widely recognized training and information gaps AFT members may encounter when dealing with the realities of treating and counseling people about the challenges of opioid use and addiction. It also aims to streamline and simplify the resources available to help these professionals navigate the complex world of providing information on treatment.
“Opioid addiction is a crisis of epidemic proportions. Amidst the horrible reality that Americans are more likely to die from opioid overdoses than car accidents, education is a key first step in making sure our communities have the information they need to treat and prevent addiction and overdose,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.7 million-member AFT. “What better than for the AFT, a union of educators and school staff, nurses, physicians and social service workers, to undertake this job to educate; to sound the alarm on this public health crisis and try to play a role in the solution? Our members witness the real costs of this epidemic to families, to our healthcare system, and to our community and educational institutions daily.
"We hope this platform will offer those on the front lines important resources to help fight back against the causes of opioid abuse, including tools to recognize chemical dependence, administer overdose response, and a guide to advocate for funding and treatment so that patients get the care they need."
This comprehensive offering also includes access to two additional e-learning courses developed by Harvard Medical School—OpioidX (HMS OpioidX), a seven-hour general-audience opioid education certificate course, and OUDEP (HMS OUD CME Course) a 24-hour, National Institute on Drug Abuse- funded opioid and substance abuse curriculum for health professionals, which is eligible for CME, or continuing medical education credit. The AFT also provides a set of resources for educators and health professionals, as well as information regarding in-person training sessions available to AFT members and community partners.
Catherine Finn, deputy editor at Harvard Health Publications, the media and publishing division of HMS, said, “As I’ve traveled the country attending conferences about opioid use and addiction, I have learned that the unifying mission among folks in medicine, government and grass-roots coalitions is to reduce the stigma of addiction and educate to prevent overdose. Harvard Medical School’s OpioidX course content will help the AFT provide actionable, easy-to-understand takeaways that can save lives.”
AFT members have been actively seeking and creating solutions to address this crisis for years, lobbying for state and national policies that would expand access and funding for effective treatment, and that would press for more accountability for pharmaceutical companies around their strong marketing practices of opioids. The AFT will continue to provide its support to members focused on these efforts wherever possible.
January 18, 2019
Contact:
Oriana Korin
202-374-6103
okorin@aft.org
www.aft.org
American Federation of Teachers Launches E-Learning Tool to Help Combat Opioid Crisis
Resources Offered to Health, Education Professionals
WASHINGTON—In response to the continued and widespread opioid abuse crisis in communities throughout the United States, the AFT has launched a learning program on opioid use disorder for educators, nurses, social workers and school support personnel. The program, titled “Combatting the Opioid Crisis: AFT Responds,” is now available on the union’s e-learning platform, and can be accessed at https://aftelearning.org/group/61. The program aims to provide education and healthcare professionals with critical tools and resources to support patients, students and families affected by the opioid crisis, and will be distributed widely to AFT members and their networks. It launches as a new report from the National Safety Council out this week indicates that for the first time in history, Americans are more likely to die from opioid overdoses than car crashes.
The course includes video-based content created by faculty and staff experts at Harvard Medical School (HMS), and addresses widely recognized training and information gaps AFT members may encounter when dealing with the realities of treating and counseling people about the challenges of opioid use and addiction. It also aims to streamline and simplify the resources available to help these professionals navigate the complex world of providing information on treatment.
“Opioid addiction is a crisis of epidemic proportions. Amidst the horrible reality that Americans are more likely to die from opioid overdoses than car accidents, education is a key first step in making sure our communities have the information they need to treat and prevent addiction and overdose,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.7 million-member AFT. “What better than for the AFT, a union of educators and school staff, nurses, physicians and social service workers, to undertake this job to educate; to sound the alarm on this public health crisis and try to play a role in the solution? Our members witness the real costs of this epidemic to families, to our healthcare system, and to our community and educational institutions daily.
"We hope this platform will offer those on the front lines important resources to help fight back against the causes of opioid abuse, including tools to recognize chemical dependence, administer overdose response, and a guide to advocate for funding and treatment so that patients get the care they need."
This comprehensive offering also includes access to two additional e-learning courses developed by Harvard Medical School—OpioidX (HMS OpioidX), a seven-hour general-audience opioid education certificate course, and OUDEP (HMS OUD CME Course) a 24-hour, National Institute on Drug Abuse- funded opioid and substance abuse curriculum for health professionals, which is eligible for CME, or continuing medical education credit. The AFT also provides a set of resources for educators and health professionals, as well as information regarding in-person training sessions available to AFT members and community partners.
Catherine Finn, deputy editor at Harvard Health Publications, the media and publishing division of HMS, said, “As I’ve traveled the country attending conferences about opioid use and addiction, I have learned that the unifying mission among folks in medicine, government and grass-roots coalitions is to reduce the stigma of addiction and educate to prevent overdose. Harvard Medical School’s OpioidX course content will help the AFT provide actionable, easy-to-understand takeaways that can save lives.”
AFT members have been actively seeking and creating solutions to address this crisis for years, lobbying for state and national policies that would expand access and funding for effective treatment, and that would press for more accountability for pharmaceutical companies around their strong marketing practices of opioids. The AFT will continue to provide its support to members focused on these efforts wherever possible.
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Jan. 17 edition, Pension Issues in the News
JANUARY 17, 2019
MINNESOTA NEWS + OPINION
Watchdog.org
Minnesota ranked No. 22 in an analysis of the state's ability to pay all of its
bills, including public
employers' pension benefits,
according to a new ...
TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press
During Frans' time
at Minnesota Management and Budget, the state has built a $2 billion rainy day
fund, reformed its public pensions and regained a ...
NATIONAL NEWS + OPINION
Pensions
& Investments
A
newly formed public pensions
working group met Tuesday to begin tackling the funding issues plaguing
Kentucky's pension system through a ...
Chief Investment Officer
An assembly of
California-based public pensions representing $635 billion in assets under
management have banded together to form Trustees ...
Crain's Chicago Business
Pritzker's failure
to talk about pensions indicates the state's most pressing ... and economic
uncertainty: massive unfunded public pension liabilities.
San Francisco Chronicle
Retired state
employees aged 65 and older get subsidies, even though their retirement income
is not included in their Medicare Part B premium ...
Ohio County Monitor
Citizens invited
to share comments with Public Pensions Working Group ... share their comments
about the state's public pension systems with state.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
In regard to the
Jan. 6 essay by Bernard Paolini, president of the Retired Public Employees of
Nevada (“Open records and government pensions”): I ...
KHQ Right Now
The LA district's
contributions to the state's two large pension plans — California State Teachers'
Retirement System and the California Public ...
Philly.com
In 2017,
Harrisburg politicians figured out a way to keep the public eye off their
historic mismanagement of the state's pension funds until after the ...
Bloomberg
California Governor
Gavin Newsom didn't campaign on bolstering public pensions, but they figure
prominently in his first budget. In the spending plan ...
The News Tribune
Mounting unfunded
pension obligations for teachers and public employees in New Mexico have led to
downgrades in the credit rating for the state and ...
PRNewswire (press release)
In 2018, corporate
pension funding ended higher for the year, with the funding ... These figures
represent the GAAP accounting information that public ...
OPB News
Oregon's Public
Employees Retirement System is in billions of dollars of trouble. But it's not
just an abstract number: this is a story about real people's ...
The 401(k) Specialist (blog)
“Thanks to this
study, we can put to rest false claims about the adequacy and fairness of
teacher pensions,” Diane Oakley, National Institute on ...
Chief Investment Officer
The $52 billion
Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois (TRS), ... The Public
Institution for Social Security wants the Man Group ($114.1 ...
PLANSPONSOR
The study, which
evaluated pensions against hypothetical 401(k) plans, ... Colorado Public
Employees' Retirement Association (PERA), which offers ...
UC Berkeley
The study looked
at the career patterns and pension benefits of public school teachers in six
states: Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, ...
Study and Understand the Markets
Watch the
five-part animated video series based on Josh Rauh's research on the vast
underestimation of public pension liability to gain insight into the ...
Truthout
While workers in
the public sector still often have defined benefit pensions, they are becoming
rare in the private sector, as employers replace them ...
Los Angeles Times
But like politics
and religion at some family holiday dinners, certain subjects are taboo among
most politicians — such as unfunded public pension ...
Pensions & Investments
Nevada Public
Employees' Retirement System, Carson City, has suffered a setback in its battle
with the Nevada Policy Research Institute over a public ...
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Since it's not yet
really a national conversation, and all the stories we have on retirement are
the beaming boomers clinking champagne glasses on a ...
Chief Investment Officer
The Public Pension
Management and Asset Investment Review ... management of the Public School
Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) and ...
The Laconia Daily Sun
... Volcker
Alliance also offers some pretty strong critiques of the Granite State when it
comes to budgeting transparency and funding public pensions.
Watchdog.org
The big numbers
related to Pennsylvania's public pension debt are somewhat mind-boggling.
According to a September report from Truth in ...
The Providence Journal
The administrators
of Rhode Island's $8.1-billion public employees pension fund see no reason at
this point to “react″ to the stomach-churning drops ...
ValueWalk
Equity investors
have spent the last couple of months dumping stocks across sectors; meanwhile,
public pension plans have been pouring money into ...
WHYY
The State
Employees Retirement System and Public School Employees Retirement System are —
thanks in large part to political decisions to boost ...
U.S News & World Report Money
However, that has
turned into a pricey promise with public pensions scrambling to find an
additional $4.4 trillion to fully fund their pension liabilities.
Lexington Herald Leader (blog)
Republicans have
failed twice, in spectacular fashion, to reshape Kentucky's public pension
system based on ideology rather than facts, while refusing ...
MarketWatch
Kentucky has one
of the worst public pension plans in the country, but it's just ... Kentucky
isn't the only state with pension woes. ... Minnesota — 53%.
Courier Journal
FRANKFORT – In
2000, Kentucky's public retirement plans were fully funded. Since then, they've
accumulated nearly $43 billion in debts – making ...
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
AFT Leaders on Reports that Trump Will Divert Funds from Disaster Relief to Pay for His Wall
For Immediate Release
January 11, 2019
Contact:
Marcus Mrowka
202-531-0689
mmrowka@aft.org
www.aft.org
AFT Leaders on Reports that Trump Will Divert Funds from Disaster Relief to Pay for His Wall
WASHINGTON—AFT leaders respond to reports that if President Trump declares a national emergency, he will use funding marked for disaster relief in Puerto Rico, Florida, California, the U.S. Virgin Islands and elsewhere to fund his border wall:
AFT President Randi Weingarten:
“Taking away money that is helping Americans recover from real emergencies in order to fund a political stunt is a new level of depravity from this president. Not only has Trump manufactured a border crisis, which has left millions of Americans without paychecks and critical services through his shutdown, but he now wants to inflict more pain and cruelty on Americans trying to piece their lives back together after disaster. A declaration of emergency will be an abuse of power and an attack on our democracy. What’s more, the funds Trump wants to redeploy would leave millions of people who are still suffering from this administration’s already-inadequate response to hurricanes Maria and Michael and the California wildfires with even less support.
“If President Trump is as concerned with humanitarian crises and our security as he says he is, he should abandon this reckless plan and allow the Army Corps of Engineers to continue its efforts in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Florida, California and elsewhere to help communities recover and to protect our citizens from future threats. We thank congressional Democrats who refuse to give in to the president’s unnecessary wall. Congress should do everything in its power to prevent the administration from diverting this much-needed funding from disaster relief.”
California Federation of Teachers President Joshua Pechthalt:
“It’s hard to be surprised anymore by the ideas put forth by this president. The problem he’s created at the border is now compounded by his ridiculous idea to take funds away from people and communities devastated by California’s wildfires and other disasters. These are real crises, not created. The crisis the president talks about is emanating from the White House, not the border. The American people deserve better.”
Asociación de Maestros de Puerto Rico President Aida Díaz:
“The news that the Trump administration wants to divert desperately needed money from
Puerto Rico to build a wall is deeply upsetting.
“Since Hurricane Maria devastated the island last year, our teachers have worked day and
night, often without the support we would expect from the federal government. They’ve
cleaned classrooms by hand, supported students who’ve been through trauma, and taught
without electricity and air conditioning.
“Today, more than a year after Hurricane Maria, makeshift classrooms that were supposed to
be temporary are still filled with kids. There is mold in schools that can’t be fixed because the
federal government hasn’t repaired the schools’ roofs yet. And we’ve yet to see new books,
technology or materials to replace those that were damaged or destroyed in Hurricane Maria.
“The federal government was never doing enough, but now it’s threatening to take what little
has already been allocated to help.”
January 11, 2019
Contact:
Marcus Mrowka
202-531-0689
mmrowka@aft.org
www.aft.org
AFT Leaders on Reports that Trump Will Divert Funds from Disaster Relief to Pay for His Wall
WASHINGTON—AFT leaders respond to reports that if President Trump declares a national emergency, he will use funding marked for disaster relief in Puerto Rico, Florida, California, the U.S. Virgin Islands and elsewhere to fund his border wall:
AFT President Randi Weingarten:
“Taking away money that is helping Americans recover from real emergencies in order to fund a political stunt is a new level of depravity from this president. Not only has Trump manufactured a border crisis, which has left millions of Americans without paychecks and critical services through his shutdown, but he now wants to inflict more pain and cruelty on Americans trying to piece their lives back together after disaster. A declaration of emergency will be an abuse of power and an attack on our democracy. What’s more, the funds Trump wants to redeploy would leave millions of people who are still suffering from this administration’s already-inadequate response to hurricanes Maria and Michael and the California wildfires with even less support.
“If President Trump is as concerned with humanitarian crises and our security as he says he is, he should abandon this reckless plan and allow the Army Corps of Engineers to continue its efforts in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Florida, California and elsewhere to help communities recover and to protect our citizens from future threats. We thank congressional Democrats who refuse to give in to the president’s unnecessary wall. Congress should do everything in its power to prevent the administration from diverting this much-needed funding from disaster relief.”
California Federation of Teachers President Joshua Pechthalt:
“It’s hard to be surprised anymore by the ideas put forth by this president. The problem he’s created at the border is now compounded by his ridiculous idea to take funds away from people and communities devastated by California’s wildfires and other disasters. These are real crises, not created. The crisis the president talks about is emanating from the White House, not the border. The American people deserve better.”
Asociación de Maestros de Puerto Rico President Aida Díaz:
“The news that the Trump administration wants to divert desperately needed money from
Puerto Rico to build a wall is deeply upsetting.
“Since Hurricane Maria devastated the island last year, our teachers have worked day and
night, often without the support we would expect from the federal government. They’ve
cleaned classrooms by hand, supported students who’ve been through trauma, and taught
without electricity and air conditioning.
“Today, more than a year after Hurricane Maria, makeshift classrooms that were supposed to
be temporary are still filled with kids. There is mold in schools that can’t be fixed because the
federal government hasn’t repaired the schools’ roofs yet. And we’ve yet to see new books,
technology or materials to replace those that were damaged or destroyed in Hurricane Maria.
“The federal government was never doing enough, but now it’s threatening to take what little
has already been allocated to help.”
AFT’s Weingarten on Betsy DeVos’ Sham Rulemaking Panel for Higher Ed Process Is Deliberately Set up to Fail Students, Help Predatory Schools
For Immediate Release
January 15, 2019
Contact:
Andrew Crook
607-280-6603
acrook@aft.org
www.aft.org
WASHINGTON—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement on a federal rulemaking panel’s meeting to discuss the Department of Education’s draft proposals to rewrite federal rules governing college accreditors and institutions:
“Today’s hearing is a shameful Potemkin process set up by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, seemingly to do the bidding of the predatory for-profit colleges whose profiteering interests she appears to serve. The secretary is sworn to represent students, yet she neglects them consistently; instead, she goes to bat, time and time again, for corporate cronies who want to siphon off hundreds of billions of dollars of public money for profit.
“This sham—which is taking place in the midst of a government shutdown, no less—is ultimately designed to fail. By limiting the time the panel can meet at the outset, it all but ensures that the group—which does include several distinguished participants—will not be able to reach consensus on 16 expansive topics. The secretary can then use that lack of consensus as cover to ram through an industry wish list of unprecedented scope and scale that will leave students and taxpayers with no backstop against the institutions determined to exploit them.
“The proposed regulations up for debate put students at risk. They make it easier for schools to provide unsuspecting students with an ‘education’ that barely meets academic standards. They gut already-weak oversight, making it easier for new accreditors and providers to charge money for a degree—even when they’re not offering real educational services. And they allow accreditors to protect educational institutions that flout equality standards mandated by Title IV by using a ‘religious’ defense.
“Ultimately, the regulations up for debate make it easier for unscrupulous educational institutions to proliferate in the higher education market and charge unsuspecting students to attend them, all while the Department of Education does nothing to protect them.
“The promise of higher education in this country must be protected, not sold to the highest bidder in a fake rulemaking process designed to protect corporations instead of students. Shame on Betsy DeVos for staging another stunt that puts profits over students—again.”
January 15, 2019
Contact:
Andrew Crook
607-280-6603
acrook@aft.org
www.aft.org
AFT’s Weingarten on Betsy DeVos’ Sham Rulemaking Panel for Higher Ed
Process Is Deliberately Set up to Fail Students, Help Predatory Schools
“Today’s hearing is a shameful Potemkin process set up by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, seemingly to do the bidding of the predatory for-profit colleges whose profiteering interests she appears to serve. The secretary is sworn to represent students, yet she neglects them consistently; instead, she goes to bat, time and time again, for corporate cronies who want to siphon off hundreds of billions of dollars of public money for profit.
“This sham—which is taking place in the midst of a government shutdown, no less—is ultimately designed to fail. By limiting the time the panel can meet at the outset, it all but ensures that the group—which does include several distinguished participants—will not be able to reach consensus on 16 expansive topics. The secretary can then use that lack of consensus as cover to ram through an industry wish list of unprecedented scope and scale that will leave students and taxpayers with no backstop against the institutions determined to exploit them.
“The proposed regulations up for debate put students at risk. They make it easier for schools to provide unsuspecting students with an ‘education’ that barely meets academic standards. They gut already-weak oversight, making it easier for new accreditors and providers to charge money for a degree—even when they’re not offering real educational services. And they allow accreditors to protect educational institutions that flout equality standards mandated by Title IV by using a ‘religious’ defense.
“Ultimately, the regulations up for debate make it easier for unscrupulous educational institutions to proliferate in the higher education market and charge unsuspecting students to attend them, all while the Department of Education does nothing to protect them.
“The promise of higher education in this country must be protected, not sold to the highest bidder in a fake rulemaking process designed to protect corporations instead of students. Shame on Betsy DeVos for staging another stunt that puts profits over students—again.”
Friday, January 11, 2019
AFT President Randi Weingarten Announces Loan Program for Public Sector Employees Impacted by Federal Government Shutdown
For Immediate Release
January 10, 2019
Contact:
Elena Temple
202-309-4906
etemple@aft.org
www.aft.org
WASHINGTON—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten today announced an interest-free loan program from the union for its federal public sector members who are impacted by the government shutdown, which has lasted for 20 days so far.
The AFT represents federal government employees, including corrections officers, firefighters, engineers and budget analysts who work in the Bureau of Indian Affairs and other tribal agencies, many of whom have continued to work, despite not being paid during the shutdown.
The AFT, alongside several other unions, has been a pioneer in the effort to bring effective representation and meaningful collective bargaining rights to federal public employees, many of whom belong to the AFT-affiliated Federation of Indian Service Employees. With support from the AFL-CIO Employees Federal Credit Union, the AFT created the loan program to help impacted members ease their financial burden during this time of uncertainty.
In announcing the interest-free loan program, Weingarten said, “The Trump shutdown has plunged thousands of Americans into economic uncertainty and put critical services at risk—from corrections workers to food safety inspectors to those living on tribal lands. Government workers are missing rent and mortgage payments, defaulting on their student loan debt, and having to choose between food and medicine. As their union, we try to help whenever and wherever we can. This is the true meaning of unionism and solidarity: We have each other’s backs in every fight. No one who works full time should be expected to live without a paycheck simply because their elected leaders are playing politics with the federal workforce.”
AFT public employee members who are in need of assistance while furloughed can apply for interest-free loans or access more information at go.aft.org/shutdown.
January 10, 2019
Contact:
Elena Temple
202-309-4906
etemple@aft.org
www.aft.org
AFT President Randi Weingarten Announces Loan Program for Public Sector Employees Impacted by Federal Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten today announced an interest-free loan program from the union for its federal public sector members who are impacted by the government shutdown, which has lasted for 20 days so far.
The AFT represents federal government employees, including corrections officers, firefighters, engineers and budget analysts who work in the Bureau of Indian Affairs and other tribal agencies, many of whom have continued to work, despite not being paid during the shutdown.
The AFT, alongside several other unions, has been a pioneer in the effort to bring effective representation and meaningful collective bargaining rights to federal public employees, many of whom belong to the AFT-affiliated Federation of Indian Service Employees. With support from the AFL-CIO Employees Federal Credit Union, the AFT created the loan program to help impacted members ease their financial burden during this time of uncertainty.
In announcing the interest-free loan program, Weingarten said, “The Trump shutdown has plunged thousands of Americans into economic uncertainty and put critical services at risk—from corrections workers to food safety inspectors to those living on tribal lands. Government workers are missing rent and mortgage payments, defaulting on their student loan debt, and having to choose between food and medicine. As their union, we try to help whenever and wherever we can. This is the true meaning of unionism and solidarity: We have each other’s backs in every fight. No one who works full time should be expected to live without a paycheck simply because their elected leaders are playing politics with the federal workforce.”
AFT public employee members who are in need of assistance while furloughed can apply for interest-free loans or access more information at go.aft.org/shutdown.
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