Texas

In February, AFSCME’s Texas Retired Public Employee Council held a legislative forum in Austin to prepare for the state’s 2011 legislative session. More than 50 retiree members attended and heard presentations by State Sen.Kirk Watson (D) and Ann S. Fuelberg, executive directorof the Employees Retirement System of Texas, (picturedabove right with AFSCME Texas Retirees Coordinator CarylYontz and Sam Merrell, organizing committee chair). Inaddition, the retirees discussed the tough political climatein the Legislature, where the focus is on budget cuts, anddeveloped a legislative strategy to protect retiree healthbenefits from expected attacks. Addressing other business,the retirees started planning for their founding convention,when they will be chartered as an official AFSCMEretiree chapter. In February, AFSCME’s Texas Retired Public EmployeeCouncil held a legislative forum in Austin to prepare forthe state’s 2011 legislative session. More than 50 retireemembers attended and heard presentations by State Sen.Kirk Watson (D) and Ann S. Fuelberg, executive directorof the Employees Retirement System of Texas, (picturedabove right with AFSCME Texas Retirees Coordinator CarylYontz and Sam Merrell, organizing committee chair). Inaddition, the retirees discussed the tough political climatein the Legislature, where the focus is on budget cuts, and developed a legislative strategy to protect retiree healthbenefits from expected attacks. Addressing other business,the retirees started planning for their founding convention,when they will be chartered as an official AFSCMEretiree chapter.