Letter To The Editor: Nurses and Teachers Demand Fairness in Illinois Retirement System
Letter To The Editor:
I love my patients, my hospital community, and my job as a mental health nurse. I am Toni Holly, RN, Alton. While every single day we must remain calm amidst life-or-death situations and potential bodily harm from our patients, I am grateful to be living my purpose as a nurse.
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But unfortunately, as much as I love my community and my career, I am at risk of not being able to afford being a public employee in a profession I love so much.
In order for public servants to continue to dedicate themselves to essential worker roles like nurses, teachers, and firefighters, it’s imperative that we fix the broken Tier 2 pension system in Illinois and pass the Fair Retirement and Recruitment Act.
In 2010, the state of Illinois created a “Tier 2” of pension benefits for public workers. More than half of all teachers, firefighters, nurses, and other public employees are in Tier 2. Many Tier 2 employees do not receive Social Security and cannot retire with full benefits until age 67.
Additionally, the current Tier 2 system makes it harder for employees to retire with full pension benefits, and when we do retire, it’s harder to make ends meet. Plus, how much life does one actually have left to live after the age of 67?
Our public servants educate our children, put their lives and bodies on the line, and perform so many critical services that we take for granted. They deserve a future where they can afford to take care of their families, put food on the table, and enjoy their hard-earned rest while still in a healthy state capable of enjoying the retirement they worked hard to earn.
To raise awareness about fixing the Tier 2 pension structure, my union, the Illinois Nurses Association, has joined other public employee unions to create the "We Are One Illinois Coalition." While our career paths may look very different, we are united by our values of fighting for fairness and securing retirement for all public servants.
The Fair Retirement and Recruitment Act would fix Tier 2 by making reasonable changes to the retirement age requirements and benefit calculations to ensure retirees can pay their bills after they’re done serving our communities.
While it’s obvious how changes to the system would benefit the existing employees, it’s important to understand how fixing Tier 2 stands to benefit everyone.
The current structure has worsened shortages in essential sectors, making it harder to attract and retain employees for these jobs, placing loved ones at risk and damaging services our communities rely on. The most successful and vibrant communities in Illinois are ones with great public schools, hospitals, and emergency services. By deterring workers from pursuing these noble professions and forcing public servants to work short-staffed, we all stand to lose.
With a growing coalition of support among advocates and legislators, it’s time to continue to fight for what we deserve.
It’s time to continue the fight to fix the Tier 2 system and give public employees the same dignity and commitment that they have shown to our communities over the course of their careers.
- Toni Holly, RN, Alton
Opinions expressed in this section are solely those of the individual authors and do not represent the views of RiverBender.com or its affiliates. We provide a platform for community voices, but the responsibility for opinions rests with their authors.
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