More than 15,000 union members filled MVP Arena in Albany this weekend as labor leaders and elected officials called for changes to New York’s Tier 6 retirement system.
Gov. Kathy Hochul joined union members and state leaders Sunday in a rally urging lawmakers to “Fix Tier 6,” a pension system affecting public workers hired since 2012.
Union leaders say Tier 6 requires newer public employees to contribute more to the pension system, work longer and receive smaller retirement benefits than workers hired earlier.
Labor groups argue the system has made it harder to recruit and retain workers in education, health care, public safety and other public sector jobs.
“Fixing Tier 6 isn’t just about pensions,” NYSUT President Melinda Person said. “It’s about whether the next generation of public servants — the educators, the nurses, the firefighters, the public workers of tomorrow — will be treated with the same respect as those who came before them.”
Several state leaders addressed the crowd, including State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Attorney General Tish James and Albany Mayor Dorcey Applyrs.
New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento said the current system broke a promise to public workers.
“Decades ago, this state made a promise to anyone who entered public service that they would be able to live their retirement years with dignity, self-respect, and financial independence,” Cilento said. “Unfortunately, 14 years ago, this state broke that promise.”
Union leaders also argued the pension changes have contributed to staffing shortages across state agencies and public services.
Public Employees Federation President Wayne Spence said the state has spent billions on overtime since Tier 6 was created because agencies struggle to hire enough workers.
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“It’s time to fix Tier 6 so state employees can turn their jobs into careers and look forward to a secure and dignified retirement,” Spence said.
Labor organizations represented at the rally included the New York State AFL-CIO, NYSUT, United Federation of Teachers, Civil Service Employees Association, Public Employees Federation, New York State Nurses Association and the New York State Professional Fire Fighters Association.
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