By The PA. AFL-CIO

PA. AFL-CIO President Bloomingdale was asked during his testimony on Senate Bill 1 before the State House Government Committee, that if S.B. 1 isn’t the solution to the pension debt what is the solution? Without hesitation he replied, “pay your bills”, which is what we are all expected to do when we borrow on our credit cards.

Workers never missed a payment to fund their defined benefit pensions, but the Legislature paid less than they were supposed to according to the Arnold Foundation and Pew Center. Instead of making the proper payments into the pension funds, the state spent the money on other priorities. The money was borrowed from the pension funds and catch-up payments must now be made.

Workers fulfilled their obligations and never missed a payment to ensure they would have a decent retirement. And when they were asked to make additional sacrifices to protect their defined benefit pensions, they did so by agreeing to pay more into their pension for less benefits under the changes agreed by all stakeholders in Act 120 of 2010.

Now it is time for our legislators to “Pay the Bill” and stop trying to sidestep the issue or make the problem worse by destroying the good pensions of hundreds of thousands of current and future school and state workers, which is what Senate Bill 1 will do.

That was the strong and unanimous message delivered by the delegation of union leaders including: AFSCME Council 13 Executive Director David Fillman; PSEA President Mike Crossey; and Pennsylvania FOP Recording Secretary Joseph Regan who also presented testimony to the panel on June 4.

Be ready to Take Action on Pensions, the State Budget, Modernization of Wine and Spirits, Paycheck Deception and Prevailing Wage as legislators work on the budget in the next few weeks.