Take action to support stronger retirement benefits
Take action to support stronger retirement benefits
The MTA is firmly committed to ensuring a fair and dignified retirement for educators – both for those who are already retired and for those who are still in the classroom but planning for the future. To that end, we are supporting several legislative efforts at the state and federal levels that, if passed, could significantly strengthen retirement benefits moving forward. Specifically, we need your help to let state and federal lawmakers know that educators across the Commonwealth are counting on them to take action on these three proposals.
Fully Repeal the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision
Massachusetts public employees do not participate in Social Security, but some public employees may be eligible for benefits through other employment or their spouses. However, two federal policies, known as GPO and WEP, can significantly reduce the personal or spousal/survivor Social Security benefits of certain retired Massachusetts educators simply because they also receive a public sector pension. These are deeply unjust policies that unfairly punish public employees who have paid into Social Security themselves or whose spouses have contributed to the system. It is essential to the economic security of current and future retirees that GPO and WEP are finally addressed, which is why the MTA urges you to write to Members of Congress to ask that they support the Social Security Fairness Act. This legislation would fully repeal both provisions and ensure that retired educators receive the benefits that are owed to them.
Learn more Urge lawmakers to fully repeal both the GPO and WEP
Increase the State and Teacher Pension COLA Base
Rising costs of living and a woefully inadequate system for cost-of-living adjustments have combined to erode the value of state and teacher pensions over time. It has been over a decade since Massachusetts last raised the base on which the annual pension COLA is calculated and retired educators cannot afford to wait another year for action. This is why the MTA is backing state legislation that would immediately raise the COLA base from its current level of $13,000 to $18,000 and increase it further in subsequent years. Please write to your state legislators today to send a loud and clear message that now is the time to finally strengthen the pension COLA.
Learn more Urge your legislators to support the dignified retirement bill
Update on Retirement Plus Enrollment Legislation
In 2001 when Retirement Plus was first introduced, many teachers encountered a confusing enrollment process, from never receiving a form to believing they were automatically enrolled when they were not, many teachers were unjustly left out of this benefit. The MTA is supporting state legislation that would allow teachers hired before July 1, 2001 who did not “elect” to join Retirement Plus to have a second opportunity to do so. Please write to your state legislators today to open this important benefit to these teachers who have served our students for decades.
Learn more Urge your legislators to support RetirementPlus enrollment