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Pension Blog

Pension Blog

Welcome to the 521 Pension Blog, a forum where SEIU members can exchange ideas, news, and concerns we have on the topic of pension.

Opinion: 'Placing Blame on public servants is silly'

Letter to the editor by SEIU 521 member Wanda Wallace
Published in Bakersfield Californian, August 6, 2010

It is absurd that public employees are still being used as scapegoats by local and national politicians, media, and others for political expediency regarding budget and deficit problems.

Public employees were not the cause of the economic downfall. It was Wall Street, the housing industry, and the failure of Congress to do its job.

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Posted By: Wanda Wallace on 8/6/2010 8:00:00 AM

comments (0) Attacks in BakersfieldMedia Coverage

Menlo Park defends right of citizens to put pension reform measure on ballot

Published in Mercury News, 08/04/2010

By Bonnie Eslinger
Daily News Staff Writer

Regardless of how Menlo Park city officials may feel about a ballot initiative that seeks to reform public employees' pension benefits, they have signalled their intent to vigorously defend the right of residents to push for its passage in November.

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Posted By: SEIU 521 on 8/5/2010 7:50:00 PM

comments (0) Attacks in Menlo ParkMedia Coverage

Why Wall Street pundits attack public pensions

Everyday these Wall Street pundits are on Fox News or CNBC attacking public pensions. These pundits go so far as to blame all the California's state budget deficits on government pensions. We know better! We know, and it is a proven fact, that having a two-tier pension does not say any money in the short run to help with budget deficits or in the long run. So why are the Wall Street pundits attacking our pensions? It's all about having a say how business is done in America.

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Posted By: Brian O'Neill on 7/19/2010 10:47:00 PM

comments (0) Attacks from Wall Street punditsRetirement Security for All

Pension Watch

Latest media coverage: 

CalPERS portfolio rises 11.4%
The Sacramento Bee, July 16

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Posted By: SEIU 521 on 7/16/2010 2:04:00 PM

comments (0) Media Coverage

Local politicians get schooled on pensions

PensionAcademyPoliticians-smEconomic crisis the real culprit of budget woes 
 
Members took local politicians to pension school at a recent 'Elected Officials Academy' hosted by our Central Labor Council (CLC) on July 7, 8, and 12. Since the real estate crash of 2007, public employees, from school teachers to social workers, are being blamed for our current public budget crisis. The most tangible threat against us has been around our pensions, which the media blindly describe as un-sustainable and excessive.

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Posted By: SEIU 521 on 7/13/2010 6:27:00 PM

comments (0) Attacks in Monterey CountyAttacks in Santa Cruz CountyElected Officials Academy

Rachel Welch for retirement security

How long are you going to work?
John Boehner wants you to work until you're 70.

Congressman John Boehner, the minority leader, wants to raise the retirement age for Social Security.

We think closing corporate tax loopholes and making hedge fund managers pay their fair share is a better idea.

rachel welch square for webWhat can you do? Join the photo campaign.

SEIU 521 Regional Trustee Rachel Welch did!

Take a picture of yourself with your message.

Tell John Boehner and the rest of Congress to keep the retirement age at 67.

Click here to join the campaign.

Click the arrow to see who joined the campaign or click here for full screen:

 

Posted By: SEIU 521 on 7/7/2010 2:37:00 PM

comments (1) Retirement Security for All

Residents, Workers File Lawsuit against Menlo Park Pension Initiative

MPlawsuitMurielFrederick-smInitiative is illegal; real budget solution lies in fixing bad bank deal

June 13 -
Just weeks after Menlo Park voted to place a controversial pension initiative on the November ballot, residents and employee groups filed a lawsuit asserting that the initiative is both illegal and not a real budget solution. 

Speakers unveiled that a real budget solution is fixing a bad bank deal that's gouging Menlo Park out of $2.5 million a year.

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Read the press release

CiMP-Petition-for-Writ06222010 Lawsuit | CiMP-BankSwapFactSheet Fact Sheet

 

Posted By: SEIU Local 521 on 6/23/2010 12:15:00 PM

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Letter: Public servants' cuts hardly 'modest'

Letter to the Editor by Regina Kane
Published in The Bakersfield Californian, Saturday, Jun 05 2010 04:50 PM

In his recent campaign plug for Zack Scrivner, Californian CEO Richard Beene insults the hardworking public servants of Bakersfield and Kern County ("Bakersfield Observed: A Blog About Life, Media, Politics and People," June 4).

As president-elect of SEIU Local 521, Kern County chapter, I can tell you we have taken our "share of the cuts." City workers have postponed several raises. Some colleagues have still lost their jobs. The rest of us struggle to provide service with fewer people -- just like the private sector.

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Posted By: Regina Kane, SEIU 521 Kern County Chapter President on 6/5/2010 4:50:00 PM

comments (0) Attacks in Kern CountyMedia Coverage

Letter: Ignorant, or deceitful?

Letter to the Editor by Brian Russom
Published in The Bakersfield Californian, Thursday, Jun 03 2010 09:17 PM

The Kern County Board of Supervisors has either been misinformed or it is deliberately deceiving citizens about county employee pensions. The "free retirement pension" they like to tout is a fable used to divert the voters' attention away from widespread mismanagement and fiscal irresponsibility.

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Posted By: Brian Russom on 6/3/2010 9:17:00 PM

comments (1) Attacks in BakersfieldMedia Coverage

Menlo Park Initiative may usurp control from elected leaders

MENLO PARK, May 19 – A Menlo Park initiative may soon usurp control from elected leaders to make decisions on the retirement security of city workers.

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Posted By: SEIU 521 on 5/19/2010 3:46:00 PM

comments (0) Attacks in Menlo Park