For 40 years, educators have been fighting to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) laws that have deprived educators of earned Social Security benefits. That advocacy work has now paid off. This law denied more than 2.7 million of American public sector employees their hard-earned benefits. More than half a million educators contacted their elected officials over the past few weeks and it is the efforts of those people, and the unions that represent them, to restore their rights to an equitable and just retirement. And, we say a special thank you to all of our National Education Association directors, all our members and to lawmakers. President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law. This is a testament to the value of collective power and voice. We are stronger united.
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The 135,000 member Illinois Education Association (IEA-NEA) is the state’s largest union. IEA represents Pre K-12 teachers outside the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.
