CTU Retirees Group

Report of the meeting of the Retiree Functional Group (RFG) held on, February 21, 2023

By George Milkowski

With the pandemic receding the Retired Functional Group RFG had its first in-person meeting in almost two years.  

The meeting began at 10:46 a.m..  

1. The meeting began by a welcome from Tennille Evans, CTU liaison with the retiree group.  She then had members of the Retired Members Standing Committee who were present to introduce themselves and make a few brief comments.

2. Tennille asked the assembly for suggestions for issues and topics that the RFG should address.  She wants to have the RMSC and the RFG deal with items that are of concern of the members and not issues that are top-down from the CTU.

3. Hilario Dominguez, (Political Legislative) spoke of how there is only one week before the official date of the municipal election.  He said that Paul Vallas is leading in a poll conducted February 12-15, with Lori Lightfoot in a statistical tie for second with Brandon Johnson.  Hilario cited a recent comment by Jesus “Chuy” Garcia asking if Brandon could be neutral if he is elected mayor.  Hilario said “No’; that we want someone who understands what we face in the schools and is willing to work with the CTU to get better schools for everyone.  He made it clear that Brandon has NOT called for an income tax on those making more than $100,000.  He also said that Anjanette Young, the woman whose apartment was wrongfully raided by police three years ago while she was naked, endorsed Brandon today.  Any who would like to volunteer in the final push for Brandon this week should contact the CTU at ctulocal1.org/volunteer.

Howard Heath, newly elected retiree functional vice president to the CTU Executive Board, spoke of concerns some people have about supporting Paul Vallas.  He reminded the attendees that Vallas had been an advisor to Mayor Richard M. Daley and also was the CEO for the CPS about thirty years ago.  As such he imposed the pension payment default (he called it a holiday) and did NOT have the CPS make any payments into our pension fund for years.  He argued that the CTPF was in good financial shape and didn’t need the money.  While it is true that the fund was fully funded then, he ignored objections that it might not always be that way, especially as the baby boomers (myself included) were approaching retirement en masse and there would be greater demands on the fund.  Maria Rodiguez pointed out that the fund is currently funded at 47.5% as of the most recent figures, which means we are not in great shape today.  This wouldn’t be a problem if Vallas had made the payments instead of diverting that money to other things.

4. Tennille asked for people to volunteer to serve on subcommittees of the RMSC – a social committee, membership committee, political action committee and PSRP committee

5. Tom Tulley said that if Brandon doesn’t make it into a runoff we should consider endorsing Jesus Garcia.  He also reminded the group that in 2024 we will have the first round of elections for an elected school board that will be phased in in 2024 and 2026.

Charlotte Sanders pointed out the great inequities that exist between the CTPF and the Municipal Employees Pension Fund that our PSRPs belong to.  They do not have an elected board, they cannot sub at all without losing their pensions, they have no assistance in their medical insurance costs, and other differences.  And according to Maria Rodriguez, their pension fund is only funded at the 20% level; much worse than ours.

Someone brought up information about a new dental plan for retirees that the CTU will look into.

6. Kurt Hilgendorf (CTU) said that two members of the General Assembly, Sen. Martwick and Rep. Maurice Evans, are preparing legislation that would allow PSRPs to be subs.  He also said there has been a bill submitted this past week that sets the boundaries for the upcoming elected school board elections.  There is a bill that would require charter school operators to stay out of union organizing drives.  For example, they would not be allowed to hold mandatory anti-union meetings with their faculty and staff.

The bill numbers and sponsors information will be made available soon. 

The CTU intends to organize bus trips to Springfield to lobby in the Spring on legislation of interest to our membership.   

Kurt also asked for volunteers to help get Brandon elected.  If anyone has concerns as to where he stands on the issues, one may go to brandonforchicago.com to see his entire platform.

7. Bill Lamm asked for support on changing the existing statewide law that bans rent controls.  He said rental rates have skyrocketed and that there are around 20,000 CPS students who have no housing.  There is proposed legislation that would allow municipalities to impose some sort of rent control.

8. CTU vice president Jackson Potter also spoke regarding lifting the rent control ban.  He said there are more people in Chicago now, many of them immigrants bused in from other states, that have no housing and will have a hard time surviving while their parents go through the process of trying to be recognized as legal residents of the U.S..  He mentioned the CPS is sitting on $1,800,000,000 in federal relief money that it is refusing to use on the needs of the students and of the schools.

Pres. Stacy Davis Gates addressed the audience.  She announced that the CTYU will be re-issuing calendar date books that many retirees had relied on.

Stacy also expressed concerns about future payouts by the CPS to the pension board.  With that in mind we really need to focus on politics now and in the next election cycles that will be the vehicle for having an elected school board.

9. Before adjourning, I mentioned that the number of retirees who are members of the CTU dropped by over 60 according to the latest figures from the CTU.  I reminded those who were present to make sure they paid their investment fee (a.k.a. dues) as soon as possible and that they should remind their friends to do the same.  If you haven’t sent in your check, please contact the CTU about this as soon as possible.

The meeting adjourned at 12:44 p.m.