FDNY RETIRED MEMBERS ASSOCIATION INC.
PENSION PROTECTION PAGE
RIGHT TO WORK BILL ON WAY
TO A FINAL VOTE
When you tune in to the Super Bowl this week,
not only will there be a battle going on
between the Giants and the Patriots
in Indianapolis
but there will also be a war going on
between Labor and Anti-Labor.
INDIANAPOLIS – 1/30/12
An Indiana Senate committee has endorsed the right-to-work bill, sending it toward a final legislative vote this week.
The Senate labor committee's Republican members voted 6-1 Monday to advance the bill to the full Senate. The committee's three Democrats boycotted the meeting in protest, saying there was no justification for rushing the bill through just days after the Indiana House approved the proposal.
The Senate is expected to vote Wednesday to give final approval to the proposal prohibiting contracts between companies and unions that require workers to pay representation fees.
Gov. Mitch Daniels says he will sign the bill.
Supporters say such a law will make the state more attractive to employers, while opponents maintain it is a political attack on labor unions and will drive down wages.
~~~~~~~~~Below see a letter written by Governor Cuomo in June.
He is well ahead of all of us in dealing with our Pensions.
(He officially presented it to the public on 1/17/12)
[see below this article-a reply from both Fire Unions]
Not only are we concerned with this issue but also we have to deal with the threat of a
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
which could cut into our whole retirement system.
Governor Cuomo Introduces
Pension Reform Legislation
New pension tier (TIER 6) will increase retirement age and require greater employee contributions for new hires in order to reduce costs for taxpayers, state and local governments, and schools
Albany, NY (June 8, 2011)Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced he has introduced pension reform legislation that would impose a new Tier VI for future employees and save taxpayers $93 billion over the next 30 years, a figure that does not include New York City. These reforms will reduce costs for local governments and schools and help get control of local property taxes for homeowners and businesses across the state. The bill also includes, at the request of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a separate pension reform proposal for New York City and the uniformed services.
The new pension tier will increase the retirement age for new employees from 62 to 65, increase employee pension contributions and end so-called pension padding where employees accumulate substantial amounts of overtime in their final years of service to increase their pension.
"The numbers speak for themselves – the pension system as we know it is unsustainable," Governor Cuomo said. "This bill institutes common-sense reforms to bring government benefits more in line with the private sector while still serving our employees and protecting our retirees. Reducing the skyrocketing pension burden faced by local governments and schools will also help get control of local property taxes that are driving New Yorkers from their homes and from the state."
Since 2001, pension contributions by the state, local governments and schools increased from $368 million to $6.6 billion outside New York City. During the same period for New York City, pension costs increased from $1.1 billion to $8.4 billion. This level of growth raises property taxes and impacts government's ability to provide services.
Provisions in the legislation include:
Raising the retirement age from 62 to 65,
- Ending early retirement
- Requiring employees to contribute six percent of their salary for the duration of their career
- Providing a 1.67 percent annual pension multiplier
- Vesting after 12 years instead of 10 years
- Excluding overtime from final average salary
- Using a five year final average salary calculation with an 8 percent anti-spiking cap
- Excluding wages above the Governor's salary of $179,000 from the final average salary calculation
- Eliminating lump sum payouts for unused vacation leave from the final average salary calculation
- Prohibiting the use of unused sick leave for additional service credit at retirement
The reform of the state pension system would impact new hires by the state and local governments, including school districts. The City pension reform plan would cover new employees of New York City, including the uniformed services.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, "We have, for the last six months, been engaging with stakeholders in City and State government and our partners in municipal labor, on a vital question we've raised for years: how to protect both city services and the strength of our retirement funds over the long term. The Governor's bill will do just that -- by making sensible pension reforms that won't impact a single current employee or existing retiree, this legislation will create $30 billion in savings over the next 30 years for the City, which will ensure we can afford the services and workforce that City residents depend on, and provide a secure retirement for municipal employees long into the future."
Carol Kellermann, President of the Citizens Budget Commission, said, "Rapidly rising pension costs have squeezed the budgets of every government in New York State and contributed to New York's high tax burden. New York needs an affordable pension plan that reflects current economic times and can be sustained over the long term. Governor Cuomo's proposal for a new tier is fiscally responsible and would provide significant relief to taxpayers and local governments.
Stephen J. Acquario, Executive Director of the New York State Association of Counties, said, "Pension costs are projected to rise at unsustainable rates for public employers and their taxpayers. Governor Cuomo's Tier 6 measure will provide much-needed long-term relief while still protecting the financial integrity of the retirement system.NYSAC supports the Governor's proposal which will modernize the State's pension system and provide efficiency and stability to ease the local burden of skyrocketing pension costs."
Peter Baynes, Executive Director of the New York Conference of Mayors, said, "Governor Cuomo's proposal to add a new Tier (TIER 6) to the pension system is good news for local governments and their property taxpayers. The cost of the public pension system has grown out of control, and we need to take proactive steps to rein it in. This plan will ultimately save billions in taxpayer dollars while providing a stable, secure retirement system for public employees. We look forward to seeing the Governor's bill pass this session."
G. Jeffrey Haber, Executive Director of the Association of Towns of the State of New York, said, "Towns are always looking for responsible ways to minimize the real property tax burden for their residents. The current economic climate necessitates changes to the existing retirement formula. We applaud Governor's Cuomo's efforts to address this situation by the introduction of a Tier VI pension plan.
Timothy G. Kremer, Executive Director of the New York State School Boards Association, said, "School districts have been punished by escalating pension costs for the last several years. The current retirement systems are no longer sustainable. Saving $93 billion over time will provide welcome relief to school districts and taxpayers struggling to make ends meet."
Robert J. Reidy, Jr., Ph.D., Executive Director of the New York State Council of School Superintendents said, "Governor Cuomo's measure to rein in pension costs is commendable. In recent years, most school districts have had to freeze or cut all other spending to absorb steep pension cost increases. This plan will save billions in taxpayer dollars and provide much-needed relief to school districts all over New York state."
Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi said, "I applaud Governor Cuomo's efforts to seek long overdue reform to the Public Employee's Pension System. His plan will ultimately bring much needed relief to local governments, school districts and the State government itself, whose budgets have all been ravaged by exploding pension costs during recent years. To those who claim that the benefits of the proposed Tier 6 will do nothing to help overburdened taxpayers now, I remind them that had foresight and leadership such as this been demonstrated 10-15 years ago, our punitive tax burden, problems and pain of today would have been significantly more manageable. Proverb teaches us that 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step'. This is a significant leap and I look forward to working with the Governor and Legislature to follow this up with even more initiatives to restructure and retool the Gots of the Empire State.
Update as of 1/27/12\/UFA AND UFOA JAB BACK AT
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED PENSION PLAN
Both fear it will harm public safety by lowering death and disability payments for their members.
Steve Cassidy remarked, "NYC Firefighters risk their lives every day and one of the benefits of the job for the public is that Firefighters know that if, God forbid, they are killed in the line of duty, their families would be taken care of.”
"Al Hagan agreed and added, "we feel that due to the dangerous and sometimes-deadly nature of Firefighting and Police Work, a different solution is needed to protect both the taxpayer and the families of those who risk all for the citizenry".
Tier 5 has already cut the existing benefit reducing disability checks from 75% of the last year's salary to 44% of a final average salary. Surviving Spouses of Firefighters went from being guaranteed the equivalent of the employees full final year salary to receiving only an annual payment of 50% of final salary + an accidental-death payment. (However, there has been no new hiring since this has been in effects due to the lawsuit imposed by Judge Garaufis) UFA President Steve Cassidy said in a final comment, "this legislation, if enacted, would throw the widows and children of future Firefighters killed in the line of duty under the bus."
The Governor’s Office has yet to reply.
