WHEREAS:
Our pensions are our investments in a secure future, and they are invested in a manner that few members fully understand; and
WHEREAS:
Our public pension dollars have been targeted by Wall Street investors to unload toxic investments that have prolonged retirement for thousands of our members; and
WHEREAS:
Our pensions have been managed in the same shortsighted, profit over people manner that has helped to create such disparity between the rich and the impoverished in our society; and
WHEREAS:
Our current pension system has many barriers in place for the people vested into it to be able to know, transparently, where their money is actually invested; and
WHEREAS:
The only information most members know about their retirement investments is how they are performing, not how they are making money, who benefits or who is sacrificed; and
WHEREAS:
Workers in other sectors have the ability to have a say in where they invest their money.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That we as members request from our respective pension boards, committees, plan managers, retirement systems and/or associations, an annual, detailed profile of what percentage of our investments are currently supporting carbon technologies (including carbon intensive transportation such as automobiles and airplanes), American Legislative and Exchange Council (ALEC) supporting companies, private prison industries and our other traditional investment vehicles; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME engage in a dialogue with the other public employee unions that are also invested with us and lead the call for more transparency in where our pension dollars are invested; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That AFSCME work to educate our members about their pensions and how we could be building a just economy with our investments, and not contributing to a winner take all, race to the bottom, and profit over people, financial economy.
SUBMITTED BY: Jason Heilbrun, President and Delegate
Korie Erickson, Secretary and Delegate
AFSCME Local 88, Council 75
Oregon