Defending Our PERS
What can SEIU Local 503, OPEU members do about the
attacks to public employees and the Public Employee
Retirement System (PERS) that have pervaded the media
recently?
great deal, really. First, we must make
sure that the public and lawmakers form
opinions and make decisions based on the
facts. Attacking PERS is good politics because the
misperceptions are so strong and the debate lacks
context? Letters to the editor and to legislators are
effective tools with which we can help shape the
public debate.
♦ Don't let any inaccuracy in the media
go unchallenged. Whether it's in an editorial, a
quote from a politician or a listener or a guest on
a talk show, phone the reporter or the talk show
with your version of the facts right away or put
them into a letter to the editor.
♦
Write a letter to the editor describing the
value your work brings to Oregon. We know the
value of the work wo do, but the public will
remain unaware unless we tell them.
♦
Write letters to your
legislators as well. Now is a good time,
since the legislature is out of session, so
legislators ¿re not getting a lot of mail.
♦ Organize your work area or take time at a
local meeting to write several letters on PERS to
your local newspaper editor.. Letters should be
short, so if we submit several letters, we can
cover a lot of ground.
Remember, your views on PERS are legitimate
and deserve to be respected. If you need help or
information or sample letters to the editor, contact
your organizer or the communications office at the
Union Headquarters in Salem.
It's important to realize that we can affect public
attitudes about PERS. If we don’t, we may find that
decisions affecting our retirement will be made by
people wanting to use it for their political advantage
æ and our disadvantage.
PERS Facts
As you talk to your neighbor over the fence or at church, respond to outrages on talk radio
or write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, here are some facts about the Public
Employee Retirement System (PERS) that you should keep in mind.
♦ Many factors, not PERS alone, have caused the financial hardships that state and local
governments are experiencing. Ballot Measure 5, the declining economy, and rising costs of
materials, equipment, and insurance have squeezed public budgets, too. It is irresponsible
and unfair to blame PERS — and, thus, public employees — for budget cuts throughout the
state.
♦ PERS is the primary carrot that state and local governments have to keep our valuable
and qualified employees on the job. Here's the tradeoff we agreed to when we took these
jobs: In exchange for below-market wages, we would receive a secure retirement. We’ve
fulfilled our part of that bargain, and it’s simply wrong for the state to renege on its part.
♦ Public employee wages have failed to keep up with the cost of living. For state workers,
wage increases since 1990 totaled less than half the rate of inflation. This means that state
workers' purchasing power has declined significantly.
♦ The declining economy and Oregon's reliance on the income tax have resulted in three
special legislative sessions to close nearly a $1 billion budget gap. By contrast, the total
estimated PERS shortfall is barely a quarter of that amount.
♦ While we acknowledge some real problems with the PERS system, most of the changes
being discussed would be illegal or ineffective. Some proposed changes would face
immediate court challenge and would likely be overturned. Other proposed changes would
have no effect for decades, because they would only affect the retirement benefits of
employees hired in the future.
♦ Only a small fraction of PERS retirees receive the stock-market inflated pension checks
highlighted in recent headlines.
The Power of the Pen
We can help counter attacks
on PERS by publicizing the
value of our work,
emphasizing our dedication
to that work and reminding the
public that the PERS pickup was
in exchange for a prolonged wage
freeze following years of below-market
wages.
Hints for writing letters to the editor:
$ Describe the value of your job to
the public;
0 Discuss how you contribute to
Oregonians’ health and safety;
0 Explain how you care for those
who can’t care for themselves;
0 Explain how your job contributes
to the economy;
0 Tell readers how the public needs
and wants the services you
provide;
0 Describe how your work may be
dangerous or require expert skills;
0 Discuss the size of your
caseload;
0 Use specific, true-life examples;
0 Don’t attack and don’t use
mockery ; be factual and clear.
Remember, if you work in the
business office, you still contribute to
public services. You're part of that
program. The office needs to run
smoothly; public money needs to be
accurately accounted for. You may
want to start a sentence with, Tm part
of a program that..." and then
describe the service.
All letters MUST:
Be signed by the writer, as well
as have his or her name printed
emit.
0 Stay within the word limit.
Include the writer's address and
daytime phone number. Neither
will be published, but an e-mail
address will be, allowing you to
see what your readers have to say.
THE OREGON PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PAGE 11