When it comes to the thorny topic of funding public workers’ pensions, the city of Los Angeles and the state of Illinois provide a common theme: Hurt workers like Christine Bondi. Bondi, of Ontarioville, Ill., has worked for the Illinois Secretary of State for 25 years.  She helps people get drivers licenses as a customer service rep.  She used to […]

In July, the city of Detroit filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy with an estimated $18 to $20 billion in debt. While cuts already have threatened benefits in Detroit, such as pensions for firefighters and pay cuts for police officers, the question remains—what does this mean for Detroit public schools? “I suspect we will [feel an impact],” said Debbie Ake, president […]

On Wednesday, October 30, 2013, AFSA attended a conference at the Senate Hart Office Building, on the benefits of expanding Social Security. The briefing including a distinguished panel of experts, including representatives from the Economic Policy Institute, AFL-CIO, Alliance for Retired Americans, Social Security Works among others. During the conference, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) launched an open letter […]

Saying Detroit city workers would get hurt unnecessarily, the city’s AFSCME affiliate, which represents them, went to court August 19 against Detroit’s bankruptcy filing. Two city workers’ pension systems also filed, as did several other unions representing Detroit workers.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. –Arturo Sanchez is accustomed to working outside in all kinds of weather, making concrete products at Cretex Companies in Shakopee, Minn. He didn’t mind the hard work, he said, because he was earning a decent living and putting money into a pension plan for the day he would retire. Now Cretex wants to take that money and convert […]