Ten-Ure

04/12/2020

I am very sad to report the passing of our beloved friend Gary Brooks. No one loved Ten-Ure and their fellow state employees like he did.

07/19/2019

Friday, July 19, 2019
Please call the Legislative Message Hotline now and leave a message for all Senators and Representatives to support HB2 (replaces BR11) and oppose HB1 which replaces BR19.
1 (800) 372-7181

03/05/2018

03/01/2018

Kentucky Center for Economic Policy | 433 Chestnut Street | Berea, KY 40403 | 859-986-2373 | [email protected] KCEP is an initiative of the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED).

02/14/2018

Special KY United We Stand News Alert:

❗️Important Update to the story here: https://www.facebook.com/BlueCollarWriter/posts/176613123067236

Republican leaders of the state legislature say a new proposal to overhaul the state’s public retirement systems will be unveiled later this week.

Kentucky’s pension systems are among the worst-funded in the nation and Gov. Matt Bevin, along with many in the Republican-led legislature, wants to change how much state workers earn in benefits in order to reduce the state’s pension liability in the future.

It’s unclear what will be in the new proposal, but lawmakers have hinted that it won’t have some of the unpopular policies that were included in a previous version.

Senate President Robert Stivers said the new bill won’t move workers out of the current pension program that guarantees payments from when a state worker retires until death.

“If you’re in a defined benefit system, you’re going to continue to be in a defined benefit system,” Stivers said on Tuesday.

A previous version of the Republican proposal unveiled by Stivers, Bevin and former House Speaker Jeff Hoover last October would have capped benefits and moved state employees to 401k-style retirement plans after 27 years of service.

More: http://wfpl.org/state-lawmakers-say-new-pension-bill-coming-week/

Cc Friends of Labor Teamsters Local Union 783 Kentucky Association of State Employees -KASE

02/10/2018

(I read the attached pension letter, and had to write something in response.) Here you go, folks – the people who want to take away your pensions and throw you into the fun world of riding the stock market for your old age.

02/09/2018

Pensions offer the peace of mind only a secure and dignified retirement can provide. Kentucky’s public employees can’t afford another bill that seeks to break the promises Kentucky made. Take this opportunity to tell your legislators why you love pensions.

01/29/2018

CALL TO ACTION

The governor’s budget is a mess. He refuses to consider new funding sources and believes he can slash and cut the Commonwealth into financial prosperity. We all know this isn’t how it works.

As public employees and concerned citizens we refuse to be blamed for the proposed cuts to 70 programs and agencies or for the loss of funding for a group of retirees. Simply put, the state hasn’t fully funded their part of the deal in our pensions and has shifted money that should have gone to the ARC to run the government for years. They have been unwilling to change the tax codes ... have given lucrative tax incentives to businesses. The bill is now due.

Call your legislators today at 1-800-372-7181 and demand they push back on the governor’s plan to cut public school bus transportation costs, his plan to not fund certain retirees’ health insurance and his proposed cuts to 70 agencies. Tell them to find funding for the pension systems through equitable tax reform and a dedicated source of revenue.

The stakes are high. We paid our part. We demand to be heard.

01/23/2018

Kentucky State Representatives Dennis Keene and Rick Rand have pre-filed a measure aimed at using casino taxes to fill in pension gaps for state employees

01/05/2018

From Jerry Bailey
Like many current and future retirees of the KY Retirement Systems (KRS) -- including KERS, CERS, & SPRS and Teachers Retirement System (KTRS), I am confused as to why the Pension Reform has yet to be discussed although it has been "insinuated" that we put forth less than a full work day... (or in the case of retirees that we somehow "padded" our benefits) and that issue was (IS) so important of an issue that the governor was willing to spend over $300,000 (a MINIMUM of $60K per day for 5 days) to address the issues (Which ALL of agree needs to be addressed).....

So..... let's discuss the cost of TODAY'S Legislative Session --
(Jan 4--Day 3 of the 2018 Legislative Session):

Both Chambers of the General Assembly were scheduled to begin at 2:00 pm today -- assuming each Chamber "gaveled in" at exactly 2:00 pm:

Senate Adjourned at 2:21 (In Session 21 minutes)
House Adjourned at 2:28 (In Session 28 minutes)
Must have been a BUSY DAY......

Primary Actions Taken: Introduction of several more pieces of legislation and referral of bills to committees.

COST for today's Session: (Assuming $60,000 per day and assuming each chamber's cost is based on the pro-rata share of number of members (Senate-38 members = 28% and House-100 members=72%):

Senate Share = $16,522 -- or $786 per minute
Per Senator = $435 per member or $20.73 per minute

House Share = $43,478 -- or $1,553 per minute
Per Representative = $435 per member or $15.53 per minute

What's the minimum wage PER HOUR in KY??

12/07/2017

Pension Rally: 1st Night of the Session. January 2, 2018 6:00 PM Capital Steps. Everyone is invited. Please pass along.