WHEREAS:
All workers want to retire in dignity, with a reliable income that enables them to maintain their standard of living and not fall into poverty in old age; and

WHEREAS:
Many AFSCME members are eligible for a pension for work not covered by Social Security, but also have worked and earned Social Security benefits in private sector jobs and rely on both a public pension and Social Security for their retirement income; and

WHEREAS:
Many AFSCME members can expect to have their Social Security benefits drastically reduced as a result of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) because of this unfair reduction when a person receives a pension for work not covered by Social Security, even though they contributed the same payroll percentage as private sector workers on their earnings covered by Social Security; and

WHEREAS:
Approximately 25 percent of the public workforce can expect to lose spousal or widow’s benefits from Social Security under the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provision because retirees cannot receive a Social Security benefit based on their own work record and a full spouse/widow benefit from a pension based on work not covered by Social Security; and

WHEREAS:
AFSCME currently supports legislation such as the Social Security Fairness Act (S. 206 / H.R. 82) in the 110th Congress that would repeal the WEP and GPO.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME continue to support legislation to repeal or reform both the WEP and the GPO.
 
 
SUBMITTED BY: Fred G. Brown, President
Michael R. Williams, Secretary and Delegate
Yvonne Jacobson, Delegate
Sue Layton, Delegate
Chris Pace, Delegate
Stephen Wright, Delegate
Gordon Glaser, Delegate
Bernie Person, Delegate
Susan Carpentino, Delegate
ASEA/AFSCME Local 52
Alaska