CSR-MI Pension Action Day

Sep 16, 2017

MEA-Retired is a partner with the Michigan Coalition for a secure Retirement.  Please join us to  fight back against major “reforms” to public pension systems and retirement security.

WHAT:           PENSION ACTION DAY with CRS-MI http://www.csr-mi.com/

WHEN:          T U E S D A Y ,  S E P T E M B E R  2 6 ,  2 0 1 7

HOW:             R E G I S T R A T I O N  A T  8 : 3 0 A M 
                       MA C K I N A C  R O O M  O F  T H E  H O U S E  O F F I C E  B U I L D I NG
                      1 2 4  N .  C A P I T O L  A V E 
                       L A N S I N G ,  M I

RS V P  T O  C O U R T N E Y  O R  C A R A  A T  C A P I T O L  S E R V I C E S ,  I N C .
B Y  C A L L I N G  ( 5 1 7 )  3 7 2 - 0 8 6 0

MEA Legislative & Political Boot Camp

Sep 11, 2017

MEA Legislative & Political Boot Camp
Satruday, September 16
10AM to 4PM at MEA Headquarters

MEA will host a training for all members who are interested in being advocates for public education and get involved in politics.  Please join us at MEA Headquarters for this special day of training.  You will learn best practices for:
• Lobbying
• Legislative tracking
• Political conversations
• PAC fundraising

Sen. Debbie Stabenow will be our special guest speaker at the event on the 16th at MEA!

Registration Info: http://bit.ly/2glR5ak

Questions?  Call 800-292-1934.

MPSERS FALL SEMINARS 2017

Aug 22, 2017

Scheutte's Office Argues State Not Responsible to Teach Literacy

Aug 19, 2017

from AFT-Michigan, August 14, 2017

The office of Attorney General Bill Scheutte argued in federal court on August 9 that the state is not responsible for providing an education that teaches students basic literacy. The case, brought by Detroit parents and students, with AFT support, argues that the state has failed its legal obligation under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Schuette's office argued that the case is without merit and should be dismissed. Judge Murphy will probably issue a decision on the state's motion to dismiss in September. CLICK HERE to read the statement of AFT President Randi Weingarten, AFT Michigan President David Hecker and Detroit Federation of Teachers President Ivy Bailey following the hearing in the Gary B. v. Snyder case.

Court Blocks State from Using Public Funds for Private Schools

Aug 03, 2017

AFT of Michigan

The Michigan Court of Claims has issued an injunction prohibiting the state from spending public money for private schools. The request for an injunction was filed by the Council Against Parochaid (CAP), the ACLU of Michigan, public education leaders and parent groups from across Michigan. AFT Michigan and the MEA are supporting the work of CAP on this law suit.

According to the ACLU, “Judge Cynthia Diane Stephens' opinion follows a request by the plaintiffs in CAP v. Michigan to extend a preliminary injunction to prevent the state from implementing a law passed by the legislature last year that would divert $2.5 million in public funding to private schools. Without the injunction, the state was scheduled to distribute the funds by August 15.”

House committee approves deep cuts to education, but bill's future in doubt

Jul 23, 2017

In a party-line vote of 28-22, the House appropriations committee approved the NEA-opposed Labor-HHS-Education funding bill, which slashes education by $2.4 billion. The cuts include all funding for Title II-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and greatly reduced support for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which provide afterschool services for the students most in  need. While it is now less likely the full House will vote on this bill, and the Senate still needs to craft its version, educators and allies must make sure that all members of Congress understand that cutting Title II will lead to lost jobs and larger class sizes, as well as undermine implementation of ESSA. Click on the take action button and tell Congress to invest in our students, not cut education funding.  documents," said NEA president.

Governor signs MPSERS legislation (SB 401)

Jul 16, 2017

With the Governor's signature on July 13, the MPSERS legislation (SB 401) is now law (Public Act 92 of 2017). 

"We continue to believe this complicated legislation was rushed through the process without proper analysis of the outcomes it will have for school employees and the state.  Although it retains choice in retirement plans for school employees and improves the defined contribution option available to them, there are still too many unknowns," said MEA President Steven Cook.

"The bill's passage less than two days after introduction failed to carefully consider key concerns. Uncapped cost increases in the event of shortfalls in the new hybrid system put unknown levels of risk onto new educators and school districts.  The legislation fails to provide stability in the hybrid system and fails to pay down the unfunded liability so often decried by politicians. And language in this bill places new restrictions on the ability of educators to invest in their retirement, including banning the ability for school employees to purchase service credit when they take parental leave."

For a detailed summary of the legislation (which will continue to be updated now that the bill is law), please CLICK HERE.

MEA-Retired Delegates in Boston

Jul 05, 2017

Thirty-Seven elected delegates are representing MEA-Retired at the NEA Representative Assembly in Boston. On June 30 and July 1 caucuses were held for the entire Michigan delegation, totaling 500 delegates. July 2 - July 5, Michigan met with other states at the RA which more than 7,000 delegates were present and 3,676 guests respectively. Decisions were made about many new business items, constitutional amendments and standing rules. NEA officers were elected and other elections as well. June 27-29 delegates also attended the NEA-Retired Meeting and several business items were discussed.

At the NEA-Retired meeting Sarah Borgman from Indiana was elected President. Our own Barb Schram and Cleorah Scruggs-DeBose were elected as NEA Alternate Board members. MEA-Retired received the Runner Up Award for our website. Elected MEA-Retired delegates attending are: Judy Gail Armstrong Hall, Al Beamish, Geoff Blain, Sheila Blain, Linda Brunson, Elias Chapa, Judy Daley, Vivian Davis, Pam DeGryse, Judy Foster, Roger Foster, Stephen Franko, Catherine Frederick, John Frederick, Anne Good, Jeanne Hansen, Joanne Hoekstra, Kathleen Huey, Diana Irons, Sid Kardon, Millie Lambert, Sally McNamara, Elaine Miller, Betty Org, Susan Pegan, Bill Papo, Dan Rudd, Linda Russel, Iris Salters, Jack Schneider, Barb Schram, Cleorah Scruggs DeBose, Jim Sparapani, Randy Stone, Rita Vater Darnton, Kay Walker Telma, and Mary Yedinak.

Calendar Bill Stopped – Pension Moves to Governor’s Desk

Jun 27, 2017

The bill that would ban school calendar and schedule as topics of bargaining did not come up for a vote yesterday – your calls and emails to lawmakers ensured the state House leadership could not rally enough “yes” votes to forward HB 4163 to the Senate.
 
The House adjourned just before midnight without taking action on the measure that would silence educator voices on issues that affect student learning conditions – matters such as school start and end times, parent-teacher conferences, and prep periods, among others.
 
And in addition to the calls and emails – for the second week in a row – MEA members and leaders traveled to Lansing to personally lobby legislators against a bill with destructive consequences for public education.
 
Sue Ziel, president of the Romulus Education Association, said she volunteered to lobby both times. The experience was exciting and eye-opening and hard to describe, especially given the success in fighting off a planned vote on the calendar/schedule bargaining ban, she said.
 
“Members who are being told ‘Make the phone calls – write the letters’… they need to hear – it does work, and (politicians) are listening,” Ziel said. “They may have their agenda, but they’re also listening to what’s coming at them.”  
 
The House is not scheduled for another session day until July 12 and is unlikely to return for any significant length of time until September.  House lawmakers did vote yesterday to concur in SB 401, the pension legislation we fought last week, which now goes to the governor for his signature.
 
Read our preliminary analysis of the legislation here. 

 

Pension Bills Rush Through House, Senate

Jun 16, 2017

Despite pressure from many MEA members who traveled to the Capitol on short notice, the Michigan House and Senate today narrowly passed legislation that would weaken retirement security for newly hired school employees and increase future costs to taxpayers.

Identical measures passed the Senate, 21-17, and House, 55-52, with some Republicans joining Democrats in voting against.

The complicated legislation would increase financial risk for new hires without doing anything to improve the funding and stability of the current hybrid system or paying down the unfunded liability of the traditional pension plan, MEA President Steven Cook said in a statement after the bill’s passage. 

“The rushed passage of this legislation today – over the objections of educators from across the state who came to Lansing at the beginning of their summer break – is a travesty that will not bode well for future school employees, the students they serve, or the fiscal health of the state,” Cook said.

MEA will be providing a detailed analysis of the legislation in coming days.  Please stayed tuned to Capitol Comments for more information.
 
In the meantime, it’s important to note that the thousands of calls, emails, letters and personal conversations our members engaged in with lawmakers did make a difference.  While MEA did not support this latest legislation, we recognize that it is a vast improvement over the initial bills, which would have immediately closed the hybrid system, not offered new hires a choice in retirement plans, and cost the state billions in transition costs.

Shrouded in secrecy until the last moment Tuesday evening, the bills were rushed through committees early Wednesday morning with little notice or opportunity to read them. By Thursday morning, about 75 educators descended on Capitol lobbies to make their voices heard.

Provisions in the bill that place new restrictions on the ability of educators to invest in their retirement, including banning the ability for school employees to purchase service credit when they take parental leave, does nothing to make the profession more attractive, educators said.

URGENT: CALL LEGISLATORS! PENSION DEAL COULD BE RUSHED THROUGH TODAY!

Jun 14, 2017

MEA-Retired members,

Just this afternoon (June 13), Governor Snyder and top Republican lawmakers finalized a deal to alter Michigan's public school retirement system. Details of this plan are scarce, and the final bill won't be publicly released until tomorrow morning, June 14, at 8 am, giving you NO time to weigh in. Coincidentally, the Education Committee will also meet at 8 am to pass the bill. By holding these hearings simultaneously, it's clear that Republicans are trying to divide media coverage and dilute the voices of Michigan's school employees.

It's never been more important to call your legislator. Call 855-721-3304 to be connected to your elected official and tell him/her NOT to support this deal if it alters and weakens our pension system. We will share more details as we know them. Please make the call right away June 14. Thank you.

More information is available at state Sen. David Knezek's Facebook page: CLICK HERE. If you are in the Lansing area, please try to attend the hearing Wednesday, June 14 at 8:00 am-11:00am, Binsfield Senate Office Building, Room 1100, located at 201 Townsend Street, Lansing MI 48933. 

MEA-Retired Leadership Team

PLEASE CONTINUE TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS

Jun 12, 2017

In recent days, news media have been reporting that Gov. Snyder and legislative leaders have the “framework” of a deal in place regarding school employee pension changes and the state budget.

The governor and a significant number of Republican legislators opposed efforts to close the pension system for new hires, citing the fact that the new hybrid system was working and the up-front costs of such a change were staggering for the state budget – up to $46.4 billion over 40 years, beginning with a $313 million school funding hit starting next year (according to Senate Fiscal Agency analysis of SB 401). Calls and emails from educators and the public against such a move flooded legislative offices and seem to have stopped such a plan from coming to pass.

For more info on the specific bills and the legislator contact info, PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK AND USE THE MEA.ORG INFO TO MAKE THE CONTACTS TODAY. MANY LEGISLATORS DO LISTEN TO US. IT'S UP TO EACH OF US TO SPEAK UP FOR EXISTING AND NEW MEMBERS OF OUR PENSION SYSTEM.

PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK NOW

MPSERS recommendations for 2017-2018

May 31, 2017

May 18, 2017 the MPSERS Board met to make the following recommendations for 2017-18 for members who have Medicare and Non Medicare Plus Blue Group PPO.

Medical Plan

• Add 100% coverage for annual physical exams for Medicare members and add 100% coverage for annual labs when done in conjunction with an annual routine physical exam.
• Implement the TruHearing Select network

1. $45 for audiometric exam
2. $499 copay per hearing aid for advanced aids
3. $799 copay for hearing aid for premium aids

• Emergency room copay recommendation is $150 copay per visit. Urgent Care copay would be $50 per visit.

Prescription Drug Program

• The recommendation is to increase the drug out-of-pocket maximum to $1,500 (currently $1,000) effective January 1, 2018.

Vision Plan

• The recommendation is to update the exam/frame copay to $10/$25 (was $10/$15).

Dental Plan

• The recommendation is to add $50 per person deductible for basic and major services when members choose a non-PPO dentist.

If you have questions or concerns about the insurance recommendations for January 1, 2018 you should attend a Health Insurance Review Committee hearing at the Office of Retirement Services on June 21, 2017 or June 23, 2017. A map to the ORS building can be viewed by clicking here.