Alliance for Retired Americans Hosts 2022 Retirement Security Symposium

More than a dozen speakers from unions and government agencies, young workers and others shared strategies to address the continuing retirement security emergency in America at the Alliance’s Retirement Security Symposium: An Intergenerational Seminar on Tuesday. Attendees discussed pensions as well as other cornerstones of retirement security, including Social Security and Medicare. Several dozen attendees attended in person at AFL-CIO Headquarters in Washington, DC and scores more participated virtually.

Alliance President Robert Roach, Jr. served as the convenor and made opening and closing remarks. Alliance Executive Director Richard Fiesta gave a presentation on Social Security and Medicare.

"We are building an intergenerational movement that includes more young workers joining the fight to defend our pensions. It is a key part of the effort to improve the retirement security of all Americans.”

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler gave the opening remarks in a special video about Labor’s role in the passage of the American Rescue Plan, which included the Butch Lewis Act.

Rep. John Larson of Connecticut, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee, spoke about the need to protect and expand Social Security now.

“Social Security is the nation’s #1 insurance program, the #1 anti-poverty program for the elderly and children, and Republicans are talking about holding the debt ceiling hostage to make cuts at a time when the program needs to be enhanced,” said Rep. Larson. “It needs to be enhanced because people are getting below poverty level checks, there hasn’t been an increase in more than 50 years.” 

You can watch Rep. Larson’s full remarks here. Other highlights included:

• Senior officials from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) spoke about the PBGC’s Pension Insurance programs, Special Financial Assistance for Multiemployer Plans under the American Rescue Plan, and PBGC Reports.

• Meghan Rozarie, Senior Associate with the Retirees Organization and Field Services Department of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), offered a presentation that included how the retirement crisis had affected her own family.

• Mike Walden, Incorporator and former President, National United Committee to Protect Pensions (NUCPP) and Ken Stribling, current NUCPP President, represented Pension Warrior Rita Lewis. 

• Ilana Boivie, Senior Research Economist for the Strategic Resources Department with the Machinists Union (IAMAW), spoke about “Trends in Retirement Bargaining: What Do (Young) Workers Want?”

• Sisto Campana, Labor Advocate with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) updated participants on the status of public pension plans.

 Videos of the presentations and additional material are available here. 

Retirees Congratulate Pelosi on Remarkable Career as Speaker

Fiesta. “Speaker Pelosi has shepherded landmark legislation through the U.S. House during her career, including the Inflation Reduction Act earlier this year to finally rein in prescription drug prices and the American Rescue Plan which saved millions of pensions in 2021.”

“History will remember her for protecting the earned Social Security and Medicare benefits that we have paid for through a lifetime of work during the course of her unmatched leadership,” Fiesta added.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD) and Majority Whip James Clyburn (SC) also announced that they will not seek leadership positions. The Alliance’s complete statement lauding Speaker Pelosi is available here.

Senators Kelly and Cortez Masto, Retiree Heroes, Re-elected to the U.S. Senate

Alliance members in Arizona, Nevada, and across the country celebrated the re-election of Mark Kelly and Catherine Cortez Masto, who both won hotly contested elections, ensuring that Democrats would continue to control the Senate in the next Congress.

“Alliance members went all out to re-elect Sens. Kelly and Masto, and their hard work paid off,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “Their victories will help us fight back against the House Republican leadership’s plans to cut Social Security and Medicare next year.”

Senator Raphael Warnock (GA), who has earned a 100% pro-retiree score in the Alliance’s annual Congressional Voting Record, faces Herschel Walker in a run-off election December 6. If Warnock is re-elected, the Democrats will have a 51-49 Senate Majority.

As of November 17, 202 of the 267 federal candidates the Alliance endorsed were elected. The winners in a handful of House races have not yet been determined.

Alliance Leader Elected to Colorado House

Rep.-elect Leider

Congratulations to Alliance Regional Board member Sheila Leider, who was elected to represent state House District 28 in Colorado on November 8 with 51.5% of the vote. Leider’s campaign focused on affordable health care, protecting seniors, improving education, and cracking down on corporate price-gouging.

Alliance Loses Ron Long, Indiana Retiree Rights and UAW Leader

It is with great sadness that the Indiana Alliance reports the passing on Tuesday, November 15 of our friend, Ron Long, after a struggle with pancreatic cancer.

At the time of his passing, Ron was Chairman of the UAW 933 Retirees Chapter, Vice President and founding member of the Indiana State Labor Roundtable, Treasurer of the Indiana Democratic Senior Caucus, and Executive Director of the Indiana Alliance for Retired Americans.

Ron assumed the presidency of the Indiana Alliance 501c3 organization following the retirement of Elmer Blankenship in 2019. He had also served as Vice President of the Indiana Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund.

“Ron's lifelong dedication to labor and senior rights should serve as an example to us all. Others may succeed him in his many leadership positions, but no one will ever replace him,” said Randy Schmidt, Indiana Alliance President.

His obituary can be found here. A memorial service will be held Monday, November 21st at Speedway United Methodist Church, 5065 W 16th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46224. The Visitation is from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM and Services will be at 4:00 PM.

Alliance Wishes All of Our Members a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving

Thanks for reading. Every day, we're fighting to lower prescription drug prices and protect retirees' earned benefits and health care. But we can't do it without your help. Please support our work by donating below.