Chicago unions pack Capitol to oppose pension cuts
On Wednesday, more than 1,000 union members and retirees jammed the Capitol Rotunda to let lawmakers know they aren’t going to let their pensions get cut without a fight.
“I paid my share into the pension every pay period under the promise that it would be matched and that my pension would be there,” said Louise Bates-Spencer, an 81-year-old former Chicago Department of Health employee. “They made sure I paid into my pension, but all that time they were taking my share, the city didn’t pay its share.”
Bates-Spencer, a member of AFSCME Retirees Chapter 31, was among those who rallied in the rotunda and then fanned out to lawmakers’ offices, personally lobbying them to vote against pension cuts. She was joined by other retirees, as well as current employees of the City of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools.
The rally was organized by We Are One Chicago, a labor coalition that includes AFSCME, CTU, FOP, Firefighters Local 2, SEIU, INA and PBPA.
The General Assembly ’s expected push to cut pensions for City of Chicago retirees is the latest in an ongoing attack on the retirement security of public employees. The ink is barely dry on SB 1, legislation enacted in December that makes drastic cuts to the pensions of state and state university employees.
Those cuts clearly violate the state constitution’s requirement that public pension benefits cannot be “diminished or imparied.” The same language applies to any cuts made to pensions for City of Chicago employees.
Despite that, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his corporate backers are now pushing for cuts, blaming pension costs for the closures of public schools and other cutbacks.
Of course, pensions are just a scapegoat – the real blame belongs to politicians who routinely skipped payments to the pension fund for city workers, mismanaged city funds and focused more on meeting the needs of the corporate elite than those of Chicago’s citizens and public employees.
“City employees and retirees live in, serve and anchor neighborhoods throughout Chicago,” We Are One Chicago stated in announcing its launch. “They make enormous contributions to our city’s economy, vibrancy and safety. They constitute Chicago’s working and retired middle-class families. Residents rely on them in every community to educate our children, care for our most ill and protect our lives and property.”
The coalition is making sure lawmakers know that city employees and retirees do not receive Social Security – their pension amounts to their life savings. It’s also calling for the city to address its $29 billion pension fund shortfall by adding revenues instead of making cuts.
“The fiscal problems Chicago faces cannot be solved by slashing modest pensions. It will take a serious commitment of new revenue,” the coalition announced. “It’s wrong to punish public servants for the actions of irresponsible politicians and the big Wall Street bankers and CEOs who fueled the Great Recession.”