Members to Congress: Repeal Unfair Social Security Provisions

Photo by Chris Madaloni

Fran Valenzuela, a member of the Texas State Teachers Association-Retired, had a very personal reason for her recent appearance on Capitol Hill.

"My husband put 47 years of his life into the Social Security retirement system. I taught for 32 years. Three days after I retired, my husband died, and I don't get a penny [from Social Security]."

Valenzuela was among a contingent of NEA members, from Texas and elsewhere, who showed up in force at a May 1 hearing of the Social Security subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee. The topic? Two laws--the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)--that cost retired public employees their earned benefits.

The GPO reduces a public employee's Social Security spousal or survivor benefits by an amount equal to two-thirds of his or her public pension. Therefore, an educator whose spouse works in the private sector and pays into Social Security--such as Valenzuela--will not be eligible for the full survivor benefit if her spouse predeceases her. The WEP reduces benefits public employees earned in an earlier career or in a second job. For example, a teacher who entered the profession after working in the private sector, or a support professional who supplements his income by working parttime in a private sector job, might lose a significant amount of the Social Security benefits earned in those private sector jobs.

Retired and Active NEA members packed the hearing room, many wearing T-shirts reading, "Good educators never retire?They can't afford to." Donna New Haschke, president

of TSTA, read excerpts from letters written by more than 500 members calling for repeal of GPO and WEP. One was from 86-year-old member Mary Hall of Spring Branch, Texas, who said she couldn't afford to retire because she will lose her Social Security spousal benefit when she begins collecting her state pension.

After the hearing, Valenzuela buttonholed Texas Rep. Kevin Brady, who told her he knew all about the Social Security provisions--thanks, in part, to NEA members. "He said, ?I've been getting many calls from your local teachers,'" said Valenzuela. "That goes to show we're having an impact. It takes thousands of people to make them change their minds."

--John O'Neil

Fight for Repeal

You can make a difference and provide for fair Social Security benefits for all public employees by:

• Getting informed--Find out more about the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision, and why they should be repealed, by going to www.nea.org/lac/socsec.
• Getting active--Help whip up support for the NEA-backed Social Security Fairness Act, which has been introduced in both the House (H.R. 594) and Senate (S. 349). Ask your members of Congress to support these bills.
• Speaking out--If you are personally affected by the Social Security offset provisions, make your story known. Contact your elected leaders, write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, and provide testimony to your local or state affiliates.

In Michigan

In May, delegates to the Michigan Education Association (MEA) Representative Assembly overwhelmingly passed a measure that will automatically enroll Active members in the MEA-Retired program.

"We're delighted," said Barbara Stockman, a retired board of directors member from Michigan's Region 9. "This means that we will have a seamless organization from students to retirees." Under the All-Inclusive Membership (AIM) initiative, Active members will pay a fee of $10 per year for 20 years to automatically become pre-retired members of MEA-Retired.

MEA's Chuck Agerstrand says the vote shows that Active and Retired members have common concerns and goals. "Our Retired members have seen an erosion of their health care benefits with higher copays and deductibles, for example. More and more Active members see that these same issues will affect them when they retire. Clearly, a strong selling point [of AIM] is that we'll have more collective clout." AIM will take effect in 2004.

In Wisconsin

Wisconsin developed the first workers' compensation and unemployment compensation laws. The WEA Trust, a non-profit created by the Wisconsin Education Association Council, is now bidding to make the state a national leader in reining in health care costs. In April, the Trust launched "The New Wisconsin Idea," a set of four reforms aimed at increasing efficiency in the health care system. How big is the challenge? Health care costs are rising at two or three times the rate of employees' wages. Yet, "A lot of the supposed solutions being offered are nothing more than cost shifting to the employees," says Amir Zaman of the Trust.

The new reforms promise to save money via centralized transaction processing and a statewide prescription drug formulary. Staff members of the Trust are now meeting with editorial boards and legislators, among others, to increase their awareness of the health care cost crisis and the need for action.