** WE DID IT **

The Senate voted to eliminate the unfair Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) programs of Social Security. 

CLick here to find out more:

CALL TO ACTION: WEP and GPO

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WE ARE AFSCME CHAPTER 93 RETIREES

AFSCME Retiree Chapter 93 represents approximately 4,000 retirees in the states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The chapter meets every two months at the AFSCME office at the Business Office in Amesbury, MA or via Zoom meetings as needed to discuss issues which affect AFSCME retirees. If you are now retired or planning to retire, the officers of the chapter would love to hear from you.

AFSCME Retiree Chapter 93 works hard for the seniors of today and our future retirees. The Retiree chapter is lead by Ed Keefe (MA) as it's President. Vice presidents are Sylvie Perry (ME), Natalie Baker (MA), and Ken Fanjoy (NH). Barbara Mann (MA) serves as Treasurer. Archie Janvrin (MA) handles the duties of Recording Secretary.

With the help of 10 executive board members, the chapter looks out for the best interests of AFSCME retirees in all four states under Council 93's jurisdiction. Membership in Retiree Chapter 93 is the best bargain around at $24 a year. A number of AFSCME locals pay their retiring members' first year dues when they leave active employment. We would like to see more of our locals offer that benefit to their retiring members. In Maine, retiree dues are on automatic dues deduction, and eventually we'd to see that happen in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. The retiree chapter has been working with vendors to offer financial planning, car and home insurance benefits and hearing benefits to its members.

The chapter is politically active in the local and regional community as well as on a national scale. Being aware that AFSCME retirees are an active voting block, the state and federal government works with AFSCME regionally and in Washington, DC to make sure retiree interests are protected. Nationally, health care reform remains the biggest concern of all of AFSCME's retiree chapters. The population is aging, Medicare beneficiaries are living longer, and costs throughout the health care system are exploding. These are the three major reasons why Medicare costs are going up. Retiree groups across the United States realize that changes must be made but they agree that the changes need to be the right ones including new efficiencies and money-saving measures that stretch dollars without penalizing seniors. Medicare doesn't begin until age 65 so individuals retiring before that age face serious and costly problems of paying for health insurance. AFSCME retiree chapters across the nation realize national health care reform can control costs, preserve benefits and insure everyone. Unless changes are made through the health-care system, workers and retirees can expect an endless round of benefit cuts and the possibility that more seniors will become uninsured. Today, public service workers are under attack as never before. In states across the country, the women and men who provide the vital services that keep communities strong are blamed for economic problems they did not create. But rather than solve problems by creating jobs, anti-union anti-worker governors and legislatures are renewing efforts to cut hard-earned benefits. Even worse, they are stripping public service workers of fundamental collective bargaining rights. Retiree Chapter 93 will continue to work with local legislators and the International Union to make sure our retirees are not forgotten. They worked hard for their benefits, they earned them, and we will be there to protect them! Every year the chapter sponsors an ad in the annual Massachusetts Senior Action Council ad book, keeping Retirees Chapter 93 out front in the fight for seniors' interests. They are a regular contributor to Council 93's Scholarship Fund which provides financial help to college students.

Chapter 93 annually donates to the Food & Medicine program which feeds Thanksgiving dinners for the needy. Whether it's a local event or a national call to activism, AFSCME retirees can be counted on to do whatever they can do - and be wherever they can be - to promote AFSCME's retiree chapter to keep it strong and vibrant.