2024 Retiree Advocate/UFT Election Platform

ORGANIZE TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE RETIREE BENEFITS

  • Protect our Healthcare from being privatized – No Medicare Advantage
  • Protect our Pensions
  • Improve the COLA formula on our pension to match full Cost of Living
  • Expand Social Security benefits and ensure that they are not diminished
  • Support and organize for a NY Health Act that protects and expands health benefits for all
  • Work towards a national single payer health plan

 

EXPAND UNION DEMOCRACY IN THE RETIRED TEACHERS CHAPTER (RTC)

  • End winner-take-all chapter elections (70% of the vote should not win 100% of the 300 delegates)
  • Make RTC meetings more meaningful. Give voice to a greater variety of views. Allow real debate. Allow members to raise issues
  • Let the full chapter vote on major RTC issues such as changes to our healthcare

 

SOLIDARITY WITH WORKING EDUCATORS / STRENGTHEN WORKING EDUCATOR-RETIREE ALLIANCE

  • Everyone’s Health Care Matters! Work to protect in-service health care, as we fight to preserve retiree healthcare
  • Lobby the state legislature for Pension Equity - Move Tier 6 to Tier 4
  • Take steps to support educators working under abusive administrators
  • Involve retirees in assisting chapter leaders and organizing school chapters. Use retiree knowledge and experience to empower our working colleagues and unionize charter schools
  • Keep public schools public. No charters, no vouchers, no co-locations, and no funding schemes that undermine public education.
  • End Mayoral Control
  • Fully fund our schools. Slash the Tweed bureaucracy. Stop wasteful spending on no-bid contracts for consultants and vendors.

 

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE FOR ALL

  • We support:
    • raising the minimum wage
    • alleviating student loans
    • universal parental leave
    • subsidized childcare
    • a massive jobs program to address racial and economic disparities
    • a progressive tax system including a stock transfer tax
  • Oppose and fight racism
  • Prioritize local communities, social services, and veterans’ benefits over military spending