‘It’s time for the state to do right by us:’
Members talk about why they’re attending statewide Fix Tier 6 rally
ver the course of the year, NYSUT held rallies from Brentwood on Long Island to Buffalo and dozens of communities in between to demand fair treatment for Tier 6 members; in March, we are taking our fight to Albany for the biggest Fix Tier 6 rally yet.
— Rachel Ebling, West Seneca TA
On March 8, 15,000 public sector workers — union members all— are expected to come together for the Statewide Rally to Fix Tier 6 at MVP Arena.
At the rally, which includes NYSUT, NYS AFL-CIO, PEF, CSEA, NYSNA and unions representing police, firefighters and other public sector workers from across the state, members will call on state lawmakers to lower retirement ages and reduce penalties, so that educators and other civil servants can retire with the dignity they deserve.
NYSUT members say they’re attending this epic rally in New York’s capital to demand a just retirement and sustainability for their profession.
“Fixing Tier 6 is about fairness,” said Philip Mavrikis, vice president of the Albany Public School Teachers Association. “Tier 6 members work just as hard, teach the same students, and make the same sacrifices — all while we pay more and receive less. Beyond that, the current system is driving away talented educators and making it nearly impossible to attract new teachers to our schools.”
“We show up early. We stay late. We spend our own money. We carry the weight when kids are hungry, struggling, anxious or hurting, and we do it because we believe in public education,” said Rachel Ebling, West Seneca TA. “We have done everything the state has asked of us. Now it’s time for the state to do right by us.”
Tier 6 was added to the New York state pension system in 2012. Since then, more than 100,000 NYSUT members have been put at a significant disadvantage when compared with their colleagues.
“Unlike our Tier 4 colleagues, who can retire at 55, penalty-free, and stop paying into the retirement system after 10 years, Tier 6 teachers, who make up 36 percent of all teachers in New York — and that number is growing — can do neither,” said John Liquori, member of the Elmira TA. “We need to fix Tier 6 so we can attract and retain good teachers.”
Thirty years should be a career, and educators say shortchanging pensions leads to teacher shortages.
“We know that public servants deserve a dignified retirement and, in order to make that happen, we need to fix Tier 6,” said Bethany Hamilton, a Tri-Valley TA member and regional VOTE-COPE coordinator.
It’s not just Tier 6 members who are coming to the rally. Retirees will join in-service members from Tiers 4 and 5 at the rally and add their voices to the chorus calling for fairness.
“Tier 6 is broken,” said Tier 4 member Susan Moller, Lynbrook TA. “Fixing Tier 6 doesn’t just help Tier 6ers, it protects all of our pensions, now and in the future. But it only works if all of us show up.”
Laurie Silver, vice president for Retiree Council 13 is a member of Tier 3. She said she’s getting on the bus to Albany because all educators deserve to retire with dignity. “It’s not fair when two members who do the same work end up with such different pension benefits,” she said.
“Tier 6 is drastically different than any tier that has come before it,” said Matt Snyder, secretary for Ausable Valley TA and a Tier 4 member. He will be attending the rally to walk in solidarity for his union brothers and sisters. “New teachers pay in more, receive less, and have to work longer to eke out a retirement.”
“Equal work deserves an equal retirement,” said Peter Johnson, Greece TA. “Whether you’re in Tiers 4, 5 or 6, this is about the future of teaching in New York state.”
