Alliance for Retired Americans Blog

Join the Alliance in Supporting Locked-Out Sugar Workers

Please join with the Alliance in making a financial contribution to help support American Crystal Sugar workers who have been locked out by a management determined to increase their health care costs and outsource their work. 

American Crystal’s CEO Dave Berg, who was paid nearly $2.5 million in 2011, has publicly referred to his employees who belong to the Bakery workers union as a “cancerous tumor” on the company.  The AFL-CIO has launched a nationwide consumer boycott of American Crystal Sugar products. 

To join with the Alliance in supporting these workers, please click here.

Barbara J. Easterling: We Must Educate Younger People About Unions

This Labor Day, I want to encourage you to help younger generations better understand why labor unions are so important. Too many people either know very little about unions, or only know what politicians and Fox News tell them.

I joined a union on my very first day on the job as a telephone operator in Akron, Ohio. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. Our generation – and those who came before us – used our rights at work and in the community to create good jobs and good wages. We helped build strong neighborhoods where you could raise a family.

In my experience, a union is the only way workers can earn good pay and be treated with respect and fairness on the job. It’s just too tough any other way. When you look at the powerful interests that workers are up against – whether it is right-wing politicians or cold-hearted corporations – you see how badly the deck is stacked against you if you don’t have a union.

Union retirees can speak firsthand how collective bargaining helps earn the wages and benefits that support families and build strong, stable communities. Collective bargaining directly affects retirement – the better you work, the better you retire. I worry that decades of low wages, little or no health insurance, and inadequate savings are sowing the seeds for a serious retirement security crisis that will affect everyone in our country.

While some politicians mock unions as a cheap way to score political points, we all know the truth – collective bargaining is a backbone of the American middle class. We have a lot to be proud of – so let’s get out there and spread the word!

The AFL-CIO and unions such as ASFCME have young worker outreach programs designed to get younger union members more involved. Learn more about the AFL-CIO's initiatives with young workers here.

Senator Tom Harkin Talks to Alliance Activists About the Rebuild America Act

Last Thursday, over 100 Alliance activists from across the country dialed in to hear from U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), chair of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, about the critical issues of Social Security and pensions. The Senator took questions and spoke about his top legislative priority: Senate Bill 2252, the Rebuild America Act.

The Rebuild America Act includes a number of provisions that strengthen Social Security and retirement security (in addition to other measures that would help to rebuild the middle class). The bill would extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund by phasing out the tax cap so that everyone pays their fair share into Social Security.

The Rebuild America Act will also change the benefit calculations for the annual cost-of-living adjustments or COLA for all Social Security programs by switching over to a price index that takes the expenses incurred by seniors into account. By adjusting the benefit formula, the RAA would increase Social Security benefits on average by $800 per year. Senator Harkin said, “Not only can we not cut Social Security, we have to increase Social Security benefits.” More on this legislation here.

Senator Harkin has showed a strong committment to seniors issues while in Congress. Alliance members were glad for the opportunity to hear from the Senator about this plan that would strengthen Social Security, retirement security and benefit the 99%.  Learn more about the Rebuild America Act here.

 

Legislators, Alliance Members Rebuke Votes to Repeal Health Care Reform

On Wednesday, supporters of President Obama’s health care law and the Democratic leadership from the House of Representatives gathered at the Capitol building for a press conference to hold the Republicans accountable for voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Alliance Regional Board Member and retired social studies teacher Bill Cea spoke on behalf of the Alliance, saying of the Affordable Care Act, “Not only is this good for your health, but it is also good public policy.”

Other Regional Board members showed their support by attending and speaking out - including Sam Burnett, Tim Foley, Larry Malone,  James Parent, Nancy True, Jody Weinreich, Marty Alvarado, Kenneth Stevens, Emmett Sheppard, JoEtta Brown, Louie Duran, John O'Brien and Mack Goodman.

The press conference was organized by the Democratic House leadership: Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA), Whip Steny Hoyer (MD) and Assistant Leader James Clyburn (SC). The three Representatives had strong words for their Republican colleagues, who voted to repeal the ACA, 244-185. Five Democrats joined the full Republican caucus in voting in favor of repeal; no GOP lawmakers crossed the aisle. For a complete tally of the vote, click here .

This week's vote was the 33rd attempt by congressional Republicans to repeal this law, a law that in the past two years has been approved by both houses of Congress, signed by the President, and upheld by the Supreme Court.  It is time to move on.  

 

Seniors active in Occupy Wall Street actions across nation

Retirees across the country are joining their younger counterparts in protests against Wall Street greed and failed economic policies.  Numerous events took place this weekend and will continue indefinitely.

Today marks Day 25 of "Occupy Wall Street" actions, spurred by the group Adbusters.

Phillip Meyers, active with the Alliance for Retired Americans in Georgia and the retiree chapter RUFF (Retirees Unite for the Future) reports that yesterday seniors were up bright and early to stake out the turf for the OCCUPY SAVANNAH rally yesterday and stayed despite steady rain and forceful winds. Several were interviewed here:

 

Florida weekend action

Find an #Occupy action near you here

Trumka on the State of our Union

Post by Joshua Roll

Last Wednesday, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka gave a passionate speech on the state of our Nation and the choices we have going forward. Using real life examples, of a 9/11 firefighter and child care provider, he called attention to the ever growing inequality in American society, and demonstrated the need to combat it.

Expounding upon Obama’s Tucson speech last week, in which the President urged us, as a nation, to build a future that "lives up to our children's expectations" Trumka outlined a way for our nation to become great again. Trumka criticized both political elites and the ruling class for failing to act while people remain jobless and wages remain stagnant, saying, “we are falling behind because we are governing from fear, not from confidence. And we have let our transnational business titans convince our politicians that our national strength lies in their profits, not our jobs”.

While Trumka paints a bleak picture of America in its current form, he see’s brighter days ahead, an America that makes things again, leads the world in infrastructure, educates it’s citizens, has a booming middle class, cares for the elderly, and provides Jobs for the masses. While achieving these goals in the short term may seem impossible, Trumka highlights a few possible solutions: ending the political bickering, investing heavily in infrastructure and education, and ending tax cuts for the wealthy.

While these solutions offered by Trumka are all common-sense, many politicians do not get elected by standing for common sense issues, they get elected by playing into fear and greed.

This upcoming election in 2012, voters need to take a stand, choose the America they want, a prosperous America that provides Job security and can compete globally or an America that is a “winner-take-all society, a faded casino that pays a big jackpot now, an intolerable future of scant job security, inequality.” It’s truly our choice, we have the power to choose our future and we must make the right decision.

Joshua Roll is a Junior at American University

[Photo from previous Press Club event 7.29.2010]

California Alliance for Retired Americans Fights to Protect Social Security

Re-posted from the California Labor Federation blog www.calaborfed.org

by Katie Gjertson, AFL-CIO and Jody Reid, CARA

Leading up the recent failed vote on the Deficit Commission report, the California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) held successful demonstrations in front of Speaker Pelosi’s San Francisco office and Xavier Becerra’s Los Angeles Office.

The Deficit Commission (The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform) was created by an Executive Order signed by President Obama in February. The Executive Order directs the commission to recommend how to reduce the annual deficits to 3% of the national economy by 2015. The Commission has been meeting for eight months of negotiations among the eighteen commissioners - all of whom are Washington insiders who reflect little sense of the everyday realities for the working families who are looking for leadership and job creation from their national leaders.

CARA fully supports the President on the critical need to reduce our nation’s budget deficit, but many  are troubled by the false claim that Social Security is to blame for the deficit, even though the program has not contributed to the federal deficit and maintains a $2.5 trillion surplus. In fact, according to data from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), most of the projected budget deficit over the next 10 years will result from President Bush’s tax cuts for the rich, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, skyrocketing health care costs and the continuing effects of the worst recession since the Great Depression.

CARA’s rally could not have come at a better time as the Deficit Commission zeroed in on cutting Medicare and Social Security. Calling for "No Cuts to Social Security," seniors and union activists sang and rallied in the rain – to the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic: 

We don’t know how you make it, as you live from day to day.
With income fixed and prices up, there’s always more to pay.
So minding our arthritis, let us march and sing and say:
Let’s all go bravely on!

Chorus: Holy Moley, it’s our MON-EY. Holy Moley, it’s our MON-EY! Holy Molely, it’s our MON-EY! We paid when we were young!

The debate has just begun. And while it is unlikely the commission will approve a report that will actually reach the floor of the House and Senate, we can be certain that the job-killing plans under the guise of "deficit reduction" will continue. Social Security’s long-term solvency can be resolved by relatively modest adjustments and without cutting benefits. The following are solutions to consider:

· Raise the payroll tax on Social Security taxes for the wealthiest Americans
· Put people back to work in good-paying, decent American jobs.
· Tax the bonuses of the Wall Street millionaires and billionaires who are doing so well.

It's time to put a stop to the  unwarranted claims that Social Security and Medicare are to blame for the deficit -- we must fight against the Commission’s detrimental ideas, includling raising the retirement age. Learn more at www.CaliforniaAlliance.org.

Happy Birthday Social Security!

Social Security celebrates its 75th birthday today and Alliance activists and Americans nationwide continue celebratory parties and events.

The week of August 1st, Alliance members held several events in Arizona, Iowa, Ohio and South Carolina in advance of the birthday.

Last week, over 50 Alliance events took place in communities across the states, and festivities continue next week.

Social Security is a true American success story, one that has kept generations of seniors out of poverty, and allowed millions to retire with dignity and peace of mind. Because this landmark anniversary is tainted by the deficit commission's calls to cut Social Security benefits and raise the retirement age, Alliance activists are busier than ever staging events to celebrate and educate across the country. Check out very personal accounts from Alliance members about how Social Security has impacted their lives here.

Festivities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa recently helped spread the word that Social Security puts $7.2 billion into the Iowa economy by releases on Social Security matters coinciding with birthday celebrations. The Social Security Works for Iowa report adds, "Without Social Security, half (50.8) percent of Iowa women aged 65 or older would have incomes below the poverty line." U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) joined the celebration in Cedar Rapids and added his personal story about Social Security survivor benefits. The Congressman told attendees that without Social Security survivor benefits, he would not have made it through college. Other state reports here.

Yesterday, seniors in Omaha, Nebraska gathered to join the month-long, national commemoration of Social Security and the people it serves. ‘With more than 50 million people receiving Social Security benefits today, the program helps virtually every American family,” Donna M. McGrath, Secretary of the Nebraska Alliance said. “Beyond the candles and the cake, we have a more serious message – Social Security must be remain strong for current and future retirees.”

Members nationwide speak out on the issue. Here is Don Thacker from South Carolina:

Jo Price from Florida also shares her thoughts on Social Security:

Check out some news clips including interviews with Alliance members here:

Wisconsin

• 'Social Security celebrates 75 years' - Wisconsin Radio Network
  Billy Feitlinger is Executive Director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans. “We feel very strongly, if it is not the greatest program that the federal government has done, it’s clearly one of the most successful programs. And we feel very strongly right now that it’s under attack.
• Seniors celebrate the 75th anniversary of social security - WEAU Channel 13 Eau Claire
  Social security provides benefits to more than one million Wisconsinites. Besides sharing a cake, speakers discussed the importance of social security and the adjustments needed to have it for future generations.

North Carolina

• Etheridge visits Louisburg Senior Center to celebrate Social Securit's 75th anniversary - The Franklin Times
  With a 75-year-old as the guest of honor, the Louisburg Senior Center was the appropriate place for a birthday party.

Connecticut

• 75 years of Social Security celebrated (video) - The New Haven Register
  NEW HAVEN — A 75th birthday party was held Wednesday for the nation’s Social Security Act, and guests, including U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-3, wished for many, many more.

California

• Senior Group Plans SF Social Security Rally - KPIX CBS Channel 5 San Francisco
  ... several organizations in San Francisco are warning against suggestions by some in Washington, D.C. to cut Social Security benefits or raise the retirement age in order to fix the federal government's deficit woes.

Alliance leaders speak out:

• 'A federal plan that works' - Toledo Blade letter from Sam Burnett
  Social Security has been the lifeblood of people age 65 and older. Without monthly Social Security payments, nearly half of Americans over 65 would live in poverty.
  Help us celebrate this successful government program, which is run by fine people who care about senior citizens.

• Alliance President Barbara Easterling's column on Huffington Post commemorates Social Security's 75th birthday.

Happy birthday Social Security... and many more!

Alliance Executive Director Edward F. Coyle Testifies In Front Of Fiscal Commission

On Wednesday, June 30, the president's Fiscal Commission met to discuss the nation's mid- and long-term fiscal challenges. However, the conversation was almost entirely dominated by the topic of federal health care spending.

The meeting included an "open-mike," in which witnesses were given a chance to speak. Alliance Executive Director Ed Coyle (at right) addressed the Commission: "Retirees are deeply disturbed by talk coming out of this Commission about cutting Social Security benefits and raising the retirement age." He also decried AmericaSpeaks for recommending that the retirement age be raised to 69, which would reduce benefits and be devastating for American workers. Coyle suggested raising the payroll tax cap for the wealthiest Americans in order to further strengthen Social Security's financial structure.

CNN Money's feature article, which summarized the recommendations given during the "open-mike" session, included a declaration by Mr. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans: "Social Security did not cause these deficits -- it has a $2.5 trillion surplus and a dedicated source of revenue."

Additionally, Congressional Budget Office (CBO) director Doug Elmendorf testified, presenting the CBO's latest report on the long-term federal budget. Most members of the Commission were concerned that the CBO's projections pertaining to the new health care law's effects understate its potential to reduce costs.

The fiscal commission is set to meet three more times before it drafts its recommendation for Congress and the President. The next meeting is set for July 28.

To view Mr. Coyle's testimony in front of the Fiscal Commission on Youtube, click here.

States Keep Close Eye on Commission Meetings

Field Update by Terry Lochhead-

New Hampshire Alliance members braved Wednesday's heat wave to warn commuters outside Sen. Judd Gregg's Concord NH office that he wants to raid Social Security to pay down the national debt. Gregg met in Washington, D.C. with the new Fiscal Commission charged with identifying a means of reducing the nation's deficit.

New Hampshire residents gathered with signs that read: "It's the defense budget Judd, not Social Security" and "Sen. Gregg: Social Security and Medicare are not the problem."

More photos here.

Social Security facts and commission background here.