Rally For Social Security Fairness for Teachers
Featuring the Angry Tired Teachers Band
Saturday May 30, 2009
(Angry Tired Teachers Band Open the rally at 10:50am)
11:00am – 12:30pm
Berkeley Community Theater at Berkeley High School
1930 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA
A rally of 3,000 – 3,500 teachers, local politicians, educational and retirement organizations, and community.
Purpose of rally: To inform, and unite. We are demanding repeal of the WEP and GPO legislation, which currently prevents teachers, and other public service employees in CA and fourteen other states, from receiving the earned social security benefits they have paid for and should be entitled to.
The rally will be energizing, entertaining, and informative.Rally organized by Committee for Social Security Fairness. Cosponsored by California Retired Teachers Association, and supported by CTA, NEA, BRTA, DVRTA, CTA-Retired, NEA-Retired , NARFE, Phi Delta Kappa, and more.
Rally Program:
A fantastic band, The Angry Tired Teachers, (a band made up of educators from Hayward, CA) will open and unveil a brand new original song written about Social Security Fairness during the program. Their songs will energize and bring smiles.
Guest speakers: Janet Roosevelt Katten, niece of FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt
Barbara Lee, Congresswoman
Steve De Pue, CTA Retirement Committee
Ken Hewitt, CRTA Legislative Committee
Gail Mendes, Secretary/Treasurer, CTA
Mark Sternberger, NEA Board of Directors
Background information regarding the purpose of the meeting:
Two bills have recently been presented to our legislators. These bills, if passed, would repeal two unjust laws (theWindfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset) that have financially disadvantaged teachers for decades. These two unfair laws dictate that teachers who worked in the public sector prior to teaching or during teaching, may not collect full Social Security from deceased spouses, or collect Social Security at levels other participants in the Social Security system do, even when they paid the same amounts as others into the Social Security system. In many cases the benefit is dramatically cut or completely eliminated.
President Obama stated he would approve the new legislation if it reaches his desk. So the time is right to act on this. Most of the public, unfortunately, is not aware of this injustice facing teachers. In fact, many teachers are not even aware of it until they retire. While they receive Social Security statements each year stating what they will receive upon retirement, it is only later that they learn the statements don’t apply to them because they are teachers in CA. And many, who became teachers later in life, were not told this when they were hired by school districts.
This discriminatory legislation does not only affect teachers --- many public service workers are affected, i.e., police, firefighters, and government service workers
Contact information:
Karin Alexander, Chairperson, Committee for Social Security Fairness:
925-683-8826 Karin Alexander, cell (leave voice mail)
Angry Tired Teachers ~Andrew Kong Knight 925-413-1975
Band available for live performances and band interviews.
Official website:
Recent music videos:
