Retirement Security Campaign
Retirement Security
The CFT is committed to ensuring that all CFT members have a safe source of retirement income. To achieve this goal, the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) and the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) must ensure that they manage the pension contributions of CFT members in their best interests. The top priority in managing these contributions is ensuring adequate funds will be available in the future to provide for the retirement income promised to CFT members.
In addition to ensuring a secure retirement for CFT members, CFT encourages both pension systems to consider environmental, social, and governance criteria when making their investment decisions.
- CFT works in coalition with other unions to protect worker pensions. Learn more at Let’s Talk Pensions.
What are the WEP and GPO and how will they affect your pension?
Now is the time to make our case to Congress
Retired Berkeley Unified teacher Bonnie Cediel taught for 16 years. She was married for 34, but her partial CalSTRS pension precludes her from receiving any Social Security spousal benefits. The Government Pension Offset, (GPO) passed in 1977, is the reason.
CFT members call on CalSTRS to pressure companies to stop profiting off family separations at the border
Several CFT leaders and members testified today at the CalSTRS Investment Committee meeting in West Sacramento, urging the second largest pension fund in the country to pressure companies that they invest in to stop profiting off family separations at the border.
CFT pushes CalSTRS to divest from gun manufacturing
UPDATE! On June 5, 2015, CalSTRS cashed out of its investment in gun manufacturer Remington Firearms, part of the Cerberus Capital Management portfolio. We thank CalSTRS for listening to CFT. Read story in the Sacramento Bee.
Legislature passes significant changes in CalSTRS contributions
In June 2014, the California Legislature made significant changes in contributions to the California State Teachers Retirement System. The CFT formed a task force to study the issue of the system’s “unfunded liability” and to submit the union’s recommendations to the governor and the Legislature. Learn about the changes passed by the Legislature and the union’s positions below.