May 15, 2009

Protecting and improving pensions and retiree health care benefits will be the focus of AFSCME’s Retiree Council, meeting this Wednesday through Saturday in Washington, D.C.

About 100 AFSCME retiree leaders from chapters across the country will attend the annual Council meeting. The Retiree Council is the governing body for the AFSCME Retirees, the union’s organization of 39 retiree chapters and 250 local subchapters. The program has more than 235,000 members.

In addition to discussing their activities related to protecting pensions and health benefits, the retiree leaders will concentrate on membership growth and AFSCME’s campaign to pass national health care reform and the Employee Free Choice Act.

A number of speakers will address the Retiree Council, including:

• Karen Richardson from the White House Office of Public Liaison will speak on White House initiatives for older Americans.
• Roger Hickey, co-director of Campaign for America’s Future. His topic is “The Sneak Attack on Social Security and Medicare.”
• Edward Coyle, executive director of the Alliance for Retired Americans will discuss the Alliance campaign to include long term care services in a national health plan.