Retirees
AFSCME retiree chapters work to maintain and improve public sector pension and health care benefits. With these earned benefits under increasing attack, public sector retirees must constantly be on the alert to prevent surprise reductions.
Skyrocketing increases in health care costs are a particular concern, since they can lead to cost-shifting to retirees, cuts in benefits and diminished options for care.
AFSCME is also alert to looming problems in pensions. We work for post-retirement pension adjustments, which don't exist in some public retirement systems. In order for pensioners to maintain their pensions' buying power, they must receive automatic annual adjustments or, at the very least, occasional ad hoc increases.