Attacks on Public Employee Pensions & Benefits
AFSCME is proud to represent over 180,000 state, county and municipal employees and retirees that share a common commitment to public service and who have invested in a sound public retirement system for their financial security. Unfortunately, legislation introduced this year by some legislators sought to needlessly undermine public employees’ hard-earned pensions and benefits. Our members who spend their lives serving the public across the state whether it be by driving our kids to school, maintaining our streets and roads or processing Medi-Cal claims have already made great sacrifices at the bargaining table for the health and sustainability of California's public pension system.
SB 32, introduced by Senator John Moorlach, aimed to create a new Citizen Pension Oversight Committee, require a new ‘hybrid’ pension program for new employees, limit special compensation categories that can be counted for final compensation and would have CalPERS and CalSTRS pension systems to 100% funded status. This kind of legislation stems from the misguided idea that that retirement systems covering public employees are financially unstable, which simply is not the case in California. For decades California retirement systems have provided workers and their beneficiaries with secure retirement benefits and there is no evidence to suggest it will not continue to flourish. Moreover, across the state since 2012, public employees have made personal sacrifices at the bargaining table on numerous occasions to help our communities deal with pension costs. AFSCME stood firmly in opposition to this legislation and many others like it for the simple reason that it would be utterly unreasonable to push our members to make any further sacrifices to their retirement security.
AFSCME remained strictly opposed to all legislation irresponsibly targeting public employees’ retirement security, and is committed to helping our members choose leadership that will make important decisions on their behalf about their benefits and ultimately their future.
