Oral history: Chapter activists recall 25 years of retiree battles

December 19, 2007

A PARADE of Chapter 31 activists at last October’s biennial convention took delegates through a tour of their organization’s 25-year history, from Day 1 to the present, pondering the lessons learned and reminiscing about the battles fought and the camaraderie built through years of struggle.

Founding member Doris Clark wrote about some of the mundane work that was done to accomplish the founding convention.

“Our funds were so meager that we couldn’t afford to feed those who came. We only had $128 to spend on the food. So we made out a menu and my Jacksonville sub-chapter and a few others got together and assigned dishes. We went shopping at the neighborhood store and the manager was so supportive of our cause that he let me have the meat at the price he bought it for. I bought 30 pounds of potatoes for the potato salad. We had crock pots all over the Holiday Inn.”

 

Illinois pensions near rock bottom

Arlou Waller, another founding member, recalled the dire conditions being faced by seniors in the mid-1980s with major funding cuts to senior programs on the federal level and the ridiculously low pensions being paid out to public sector retirees in the state.

“At that time, Illinois was ranked 47th in the nation in pension benefits, and that did not include Alaska and Hawaii. And on the national level, the Reagan administration was launching attacks on all fronts. They tried to cut Medicare to the bone. They made it very clear that they did for the rich, not for us poor and middle class. We saw the Medicare budget cut by $70 million, and our hospital insurance deductible increase by 57 percent.”
Keeping off the poor farm

Founding member Elvia Steward remembered the campaign that was launched in 1986 to improve benefits for older retirees.

“We begged, cajoled and threatened in order to keep retirees off the poor farms. The younger retirees probably don’t remember how hard we fought to get the benefits we now enjoy nor would they remember the hardships retirees faced without safety nets like social security. But please believe me when I say that those safety nets will not last if we do not work together to defend them.”

 

Major victories on pensions

Marjorie Coonradt, Marian Elliott, Virginia Yates and Shirley Byrd talked about the years from 1987-96, when a majority of the current sub-chapters were organized. That was when Chapter 31 fought for and won a cost-of-living adjustment and the 13th check for IMRF retirees, an annual pension increase for retirees in state-funded pension systems, and a 3-percent compounded COLA for Cook County retirees and survivors. AFSCME Retirees also joined national fights to reverse cuts to Medicare and Social Security.

Yates recalled the dawning awareness in 1994 of the funding crisis in the five state retirement systems.

“The unfunded liabilities had grown to $12.9 billion, which I know seems small now. But we retirees rose up in support of a resolution urging lawmakers to deal with this impending disaster.”

Ed Corrigan remembered the major victory won when the city of Chicago tried to reduce its contributions to city workers’ pension fund. AFSCME not only stopped that legislation, but pushed through annual compounded cost-of-living adjustments for city retirees.

 

Retirees shut down state Senate

Dick Dawdy reminisced about the fight for a Senior Citizens Prescription Discount Program. “This piece of legislation was so important because it allowed all Illinois seniors to buy their medications at the best price offered to the federal government and other big purchasers, saving seniors as much as 52 percent on the most common medications. The state House had passed the measure but Senate President Pate Phillip refused to call it for a vote. More than 1,000 seniors descended on the capital.”

When Phillip still refused, “The gallery started erupting in boos and chants. As he slowly lost control of the room, he lost his temper, throwing the gavel and a tantrum. Then, he stalked out of the chamber. This was the first and only time the Senate was ever shut down.”

 

Retirees draw cops in riot gear

Executive board members Bea Stratton and Mary Jones talked about AFSCME’s big drive against Social Security privatization, and a specific incident when police in riot gear were called to control a retirees’ press conference on the Medicare prescription drug program. Stratton got a hearty laugh from the delegates when she quipped, “We are such a scary bunch.”

 

‘We are here to stay’

Al Latoza and Camilla Willmert, new sub-chapter leaders, thanked the retirees who came before them for dedicating their time and energy to creating an organization to support the retirement security of retirees.

“Since the inception of AFSCME Retirees in 1982, our power has increased,” Latoza said. “We have broadened and sharpened the tools we use fight the forces that dare to try to strip away the retirement security that we have worked so hard for. Our age has not diminished our drive, and after 25 years, I think Chapter 31 has sent a message that we are here to stay!”