CSEA Constitution proposals affect retirees

More than 100 CSEA Retiree activists recently took part in the union’s biennial Retiree Delegates Meeting.
In addition to conducting union business, delegates discussed strategies to better serve retiree members, discussed the importance of getting out the vote for this year’s elections and learned more about our strong opposition to the state Constitutional Convention question that will be on 2017 ballots.

There are three amendments to the CSEA Statewide Constitution that will be voted on at the Annual Delegates Meeting that affect the Retiree Division.

If adopted by the delegates, the first amendment would allow spouses or domestic partners of CSEA Retiree members to become Retiree members.

The second amendment would permit retired CSEA staff to join the CSEA Retirees Division.
The third amendment will increase the dues for Retiree members from $24 to $36 per year, effective on Jan. 1, 2017. The last time that the dues for Retiree members were increased was in 2007.

The costs for staff, travel, printing and postage have risen over the past 10 years. In addition, costs related to retiree-specific litigation that defends against employer attempts to reduce retiree health insurance benefits have increased dramatically in recent years.

The AFSCME Retiree Council, the International Executive Board and the delegates at the 2014 AFSCME Convention approved an increase in the Retiree per capita dues which also contributes to the need for a dues increase.

The amendments were discussed at the Retirees Annual Delegates Meeting in August and the delegates present voted to support all three of the amendments.