I wanted you to be the first to hear that the Illinois General Assembly concluded their short, “lame-duck” session today without taking action to fix Tier 2 pensions. I understand the disappointment you are likely feeling, but this doesn’t mean we have lost the fight. I say this unequivocally: We are not giving up!
Thanks to IFT members and our fellow unionists in the We Are One Illinois (WAOIL) coalition, we have made incredible progress. In the last year, you participated in town hall meetings with lawmakers across the state, joined educational webinars, sent more than 60,000 emails and made nearly 12,000 phone calls to lawmakers, and flooded the state Capitol to rally with 3,000 fellow union members.
Our demands for pension action are being heard. We are making a difference.
The Fair Retirement and Recruitment Act has been introduced, and our efforts so far have moved the ball forward. We will not slow down now.
The Spring legislative session started this afternoon, and your continued efforts will be critical. The IFT will push for the re-introduction and passage of our bill in the new General Assembly. Please check your inbox regularly for updates and action alerts.
Public employees are dedicated to our students and citizens. Every one of us - no matter when we entered our profession - deserves dignity and a fair, livable pension. I know you’ll continue the fight until we get it.
Thank you again for all you have done and will do in the days ahead. Together, we will fix Tier 2.
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