Tag: retirement

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Undo Tier 2 Tuesday

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It’s Tier 2 Tuesday! Tier 2 does not just impact teachers, but also higher ed, clinicians and education support professionals (ESPs), like Carl.

When Tier 2 was created by lawmakers, it seems they did not consider what a retirement age set at 67 would mean for maintenance workers, custodians and grounds workers whose work could include heavy lifting, or physical education teachers or educators who work with very young children. Learn more: UndoTier2.org

May be an image of 1 person and text that says 'I work as a maintenance employee and I have noticed at age 64 it 64itis is hard to keep the pace needed to satisfy my expectations. I need to remove myself from this profession to save myself from an injury, but due to the reduced benefits under Tier 2, will have to e working to support my family. CARL TASCONE Maintenance Lincoln-Way HS Education Support Professionals UNDO TIER TIERG 2 . PE 082024 ETE-OOKA 2024'
Education Support Professionals, Illinois Education Association

Call to Action – Undo Tier 2

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In 2010, the Illinois General Assembly hastily created a “Tier 2” of separate, lower pension benefits for public school and public university employees hired after 2011. We are asking our members to take action now to change this.

Since then, the drastically reduced benefits for “Tier 2” workers are further diminished due to inflation, meaning they can’t keep up with rising costs like grocery and drug price increases. Many education employees cannot collect Social Security, and these pension benefits are their sole source of retirement security. You can see the negative effects of Tier 2 reflected in the shortages of both educators and Education Support Professionals (ESPs) in schools and universities across the state. The shortages mean an increased workload and sometimes overwhelming working conditions for everyone working in our schools and at our colleges and universities.
This problem was created by politicians failing to pay into the retirement system, and it’s them we should be holding accountable, rather than punishing educators.  
From April 15-18, please join Illinois public employee unions in a week of action. Contact your lawmakers and tell them they must take action to fix Tier 2 pensions. You can write your lawmaker here. Or, you can dial 507-497-1665 to be connected to your legislators by phone.
ACT NOW!
This action is the first step to push legislators in Springfield to ensure that all school employees have a fair, secure retirement and we can retain essential teachers, adjuncts and higher ed staff, Education Support Professionals (ESPs) and all public school and university employees.  All educators deserve an equitable retirement. 

Stand up for your colleagues. Help us Undo Tier 2. 

Remember, we are stronger united! And together we are IEA!