Update May 31 9:40 pm:
There will be no vote on pension cutting legislation that would impact participants and retirees in the TRS and SURS systems.
But it was clear from statements from Gov. Quinn and from the sponsor of SB1673, House Republican Leader Tom Cross, that “pension reform” for those and other state pension systems remains a top priority.
A couple of hours after Cross announced the TRS/SURS bill would not move during the session, which is scheduled to end at midnight May 30, the State Senate passed and sent to the House legislation that called for the same sort of pension cuts to be applied to members of the state employee (SURS) and General Assembly (GARS) systems. The House adjourned without considering it.
Gov. Quinn indicated a special session would be scheduled, following meetings next week with the legislative leaders on how to proceed with “pension reform.”
More later.
Update May 31:
House Republican Leader Tom Cross has informed the chamber that there will not be a pension vote in the spring legislation session, which is scheduled to end tonight.
“It’s a summer issue,” said Cross. He said that since Speaker Madigan has transferred sponsorship of the pension cutting bill to him, Democratic support had dropped.
There is no doubt that the thousands of calls to lawmakers in the last week, along with the intense lobbying by IEA leaders, members and staff, helped bring about this result.
More to come.
Previous:
Pension cutting legislation can emerge at any moment in the Illinois General Assembly on this, the last scheduled day of work for the lawmakers.
This morning House committee approved changes to SB1673 that had been sought by Republican lawmakers, paving the way for a vote by the full house.
The IEA Government Relations Department has prepared this new updated (4:50pm) FactSheet on SB1673.
IEA and the labor coalition strongly oppose SB1673 and all other pension bills pending in the Illinois General Assembly.
The number to call to tell your legislator to vote NO on all pension bills opposed by the labor coalition is 888-412-6570
This legislation:
- Forces active employees who do not agree to a reduced cola to lose access to retirement health insurance upon retirement. In addition, the amount of salary on which their pension is based would be capped.
- Does not include the guaranteed pension funding language that the labor coalition has asked for in order to consider other pension changes.
- Reduces retiree benefits by offering a choice between either keeping the current COLA benefit but losing access to health insurance, or, agreeing to a reduced COLA while retaining access to insurance.
- Changes the balance on the TRS board by providing two seats on the board to representatives of the school boards. The two seats would be taken from the positions currently appointed by the governor.
- Bars districts from bargaining the impact of any changes made by this law.
That number to be connected to your legislators is 888-412-6570.
Follow the prompts and ask to be connected with your representative and senator.
Stay informed. Check the IEA website, and our Facebook and Twitter feeds.
IEA members who are out of school are encouraged to come to the statehouse to lobby lawmakers to oppose #sb1673 and any other bill opposed by the unions.
Illinois Education Association is an association of more than 130,000 members composed of Illinois elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty and staff, educational support professionals, retired educators and college students preparing to become teachers.
First, calling any of these current bills “amendment reform” is a lie. Remind them of that. There were bills that reformed the system (that did away with the double-dipping, and prohibited union leaders from sneaking into the system). THOSE were reform bills. These various bills, and their amendments, are not reform. They are yet another scheme to try to avoid paying the bill they owe, either by shifting the bill to someone else, and also lowering the cost of the bill (by reducing the benefits of our retirement).
Second, every time I have called, and written, and E-Mailed and faxed (yes, I really did), I always included the following statement: “I wish to remind you that you took an oath to uphold the Constitution of this state. This current (bill / amendment / proposal) is in clear violation of that Constitution. You cannot reduce the benefits of current employees, nor can you reduce the benefits of those already retired. To do so is a clear violation of the oath that you took. Those who write the constitution put those terms in there for a reason, and you are obligated to follow it. To vote for any bill which violates it is wrong. It is legally wrong. It is ethically wrong. It is morally wrong. It is wrong.” I include it every time, and I recommend you do the like.
Third – and most important – the public does not understand the issue. These plans are all identical in one way. They are an attempt for our legislators to “get out from under a bill they owe.” They have done this repeatedly, year after year, by simply not paying that bill. They diverted those monies elsewhere, to pay for the things THEY wanted. (They also did this on occasion with their payments to school districts, of course… they always promised to make up the difference, later. Cough, Cough.) They used those monies for OTHER THINGS. To pay for those scholarships, to create new positions and new departments and then pretend to be surprised when a family member, or a friend, or a supporter ended up with a new job, working in a new department… They failed to pay a bill, required by law. Now, they would like to simply get rid of that bill. Can I do the same with my largest billls? They would like to give tyhe bill to someone else to pay (your local school district), and then seriously lessen the amount of that bill (by reducing the pensions of a teacher, firefighter, cop, university employee, state worker, etc.) Lessening it might make the local school districts not scream bloody murder. Explaining that THIS is what got us to this place to the general public is not easy. Not when the major media is aware of it, and is so obviously working on the behalf of continuing the status quo down in Springfield (cough! Tribune.) I try, and it is truly tough. Please, do the same. It is important. The war against teachers (being waged nationally, as well, I might add) is one we are losing, and we need to speak out.
Very well said, Bruce! We need to make sure everyone understands the history and the real situation!
WOO HOO!!!!! Go IEA!!!!!! Way to go Cindaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you IEA leaders and members.
Way to Go Capitol Team! Maybe we can find a better solution. We are teachers, leaders and community members. Shifting costs would put more burden on us because we pay property taxes. Making me choose my retirement options now when I have 25+ years to go is ridiculous. Kudos to the IEA and all members that stood up to be heard!!!!
Idiots can’t read what they swore to protect!
SECTION 5. PENSION AND RETIREMENT RIGHTS
Membership in any pension or retirement system of the
State, any unit of local government or school district, or
any agency or instrumentality thereof, shall be an
enforceable contractual relationship, the benefits of which
shall not be diminished or impaired.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
Do these changes effect those who are retiring at the end of 2012 school year? For me that would be June 5th?
I think you will be safe. I believe the changes take place mid 2013.
Yes, the changes will affect all retirees, including those who are retiring this year. You’ll have to make a decision like the rest of us, and then changes you have chosen will take place next year.
Thanks, Charlie. I appreciate the new fact sheet.
************It’s time to get serious about running some political candidates who are union people. There must be some strong union people out there who would like to serve the state of Illinois in Springfield. We need to find them and campaign for them and vote for them and get our friends and families to vote for them. And keep trying, election after election after election. ********** WE NEED TO JUST DO IT!!
I think all we need to do is create term limits. None of this could happen without the power amassed by people like Michael Madigan. My Dad has always said, “vote against the incumbent.” I’m really beginning to see he’s right.
Our unions need to look into dissolving the pension and health care benefits for state legislators, as well as term limits for them. They say that teachers have it so good. How many days do they actually work, and how disproportionate are their benefits to that time. I think you will find that they are grossly overcompensated.
Let’s petition for a constitutional amendment to change this, and hit them where it hurts, their power and their pocketbook.
Can we get the info on the impact the removal of the 6% will have and how any increases in salary within the period of figuring the final pension amount will have to be paid by the districts?
The latest fact sheet on SB 1673 is here: http://ieanea.org/media/2012/05/SB-1673FactSheet-5.31.12.pdf
I retired effective January 1, 2012, from Oakton Community College, where I taught as a full-time faculty member for 31+ years. I am 61 years old and made the decision to retire based on my health and a contractual agreement made with the college to encourage more senior faculty members to retire early and save the college a lot of money. When I made the decision to retire, I relied on being able to get health insurance through SURS until I reach age 65. I also relied on the COLA increases every year to estimate my income for the remainder of my life. Given those factors, I made the decision to retire.
Now, the state is reneging on the deal, and this will impact all faculty who retired before age 65 and will not be 65 before the new state bill is enacted. The bill, as far as I have been able to determine, is asking me to choose between having health insurance for the next 4 years or a COLA for the rest of my life. I don’t have a choice to go back to my job and stay there until age 65.
In fact, I believe that what the state is doing is unconstitutional. I truly understand the need to charge retirees more for health insurance, but making us choose between having health insurance or enough money to live on in the future…it doesn’t make sense, and it is not right. An easy fix to this problem would be to allow retirees under age 65 to maintain their health benefits without losing the COLA until they are 65. At that point, many of us (but not all, since many faculty do not have enough “quarters” into the system to get medicare) will no longer need the insurance from the state.
I’d b happy to provide you with more information should you need it, and I would be happy to talk to you about this.
Laura Saret, EdD
Retired Oakton Community College faculty member
847-433-5313
835 Judson
Highland Park, IL 60035
I called my state representative and was hung up on – I called my state senator and left a message. I hope it helps.
I called directly, faxed and emailed. The secretaries now call me by name and we have become friends. We need to stay connected over the summer and remember to get the votes out to either support or defeat our legislators this November. If we give them a pass on this the insurance will be the next target.
Perhaps a complete teacher wide strike is in order!
I love this idea. Wouldn’t the public get a real message if they had to find another babysitter for their kids?
I have contacted my folks.
I oppose bill SB1673
It takes away the rights of the hardworking educator. By making changes to the COLA benefit, teachrs lose out. Wher is our guarantee of pension funding? changing the TRS board to seat more school board members is not to our benefit.
Invest in our country’s future, support the teaching profession.
For decades all I heard was how “good” teachers have it—all those vacations and summers and pensions. The majority of people want this—they resent teachers and this “huge” pension we get more than anything. I made contact with my senator and congressman yesterday—since the change about local taxes, I believe it will pass with a huge majority.
I don’t know if the union can do anything –maybe try to overturn it. So much for constitution protection.
I would ask a legislator if their pensions (along with judges) are effected by this too, and if not why not. This seems to be a done deal. So now we need to plan a politically retaliatory response. This whole act appears to have been done with a “ready fire aim” approach. Why now would ANY young person consider education for a career?
SAVE our teaching pensions!!!!!
Maybe “the people” in government should consider cutting their pensions as well….. especially for those that are double dipping!!!
I was unable to connect to even the voicemail box for my elected officials. I am extremely concerned about how our legislators are NOT representing us, and how they expect us to pay the bill for legislative pension fund robbery over the past several decades. I can tell you right now, that several people involved in this have lost my vote – I am really disgusted with this thinly veiled agenda that attacks the middle class, teachers, firefighters, and police officers.
Next step: focus on close upcoming elections and work to deliver the deciding vote. We need to be very clear that we stand against any politician who supports this measure. Judges are not included? Interesting, since the Janus-faced criminals in Springfield know that lawsuits will be filed. Judges can be elected, too. We have been very accommodating and willing to meet opposing views halfway and that has yielded us nothing but scorn and deceit. Time to draw the line. Time for old-school, brass-knuckle union action. They think we’ll take this quietly?
If our lawmakers won’t answer the phone, and if they ignore our emails, how can our voices be heard? I’ve been emailing my senator and representative with no response – not even a form “thanks for your letter” email. I hope the lobbyists are able to get through to them. I feel like they are going to do what they are going to do, and they are more interested in looking good than finding real solutions. This latest Madigan switch is a case in point!
I bet thir retirement pension amount isn’t capped!!! Stop making just the teachers pay for your mistakes!
Teachers did not set up the system of the State paying into TRS. Teachers did not opt out of paying into Social Security. The various legislatures and governors spent OUR money on other things. Many of these are good things but we could not afford them without a tax increase. Politicians gave people what they wanted so they could be re-elected but neglected to tell them we could not afford their desires. Now when the money has run out they expect teachers and other workers who paid their shares of retirement plans to take less than what was promised. Not fair and not constitutional, state or federal.
I just called the We Are One Illinois phone number listed. Out of the 4 representatives that I could leave messages for, only 2 of the mailboxes would accept voicemail messages. You can call your state reps and your senator’s office. I wonder if they do this on purpose? We teachers are tired of corrupt politicians robbing our pension fund, and not funding it, while we continue to pay into it. They didn’t consult US when they borrowed money from the fund? Where did it go? That’s what I want to know! Now they want to rob us even more! I don’t think so!
My rep and senator are not aswering their phones. I have emailed them however
Why are judges exempt from pension or health care reductions?
Because when this goes to court, if the judges were included they would rule on lawsuits that involved their own pensions. Guess how they would rule!! The General Assembly isn’t stupid!!
are the judges state workers? They shouldnt be exempt, thats bs. They are no better than any other state worker