By Marybeth Beichert
The 221st New Jersey Legislative session ended on Jan. 12 with several major victories for NJEA members, including an extension of the pause on student growth objectives (SGOs), restoration of the pension for members with a break in service, a fifth consecutive full pension payment, stronger charter school accountability and the return of long-term disability for some members in tiers 4 and 5. However, legislation to deliver pension justice and retirement dignity for all members, Tier 1 for Everyone, was not taken up by lawmakers.
It wasn’t for lack of effort.
Recognizing that the five tiers of the pension system were adding to the difficulties in recruiting and retaining educators, the Tier 1 for Everyone legislation was designed to collapse pension Tier 5 into pension Tier 1. Two pieces of legislation were created to restore pension justice to all members—one for members in TPAF and one for members in PERS. The legislation would have also eliminated the Defined Contribution Retirement Plan (DCRP), a savings plan that provides no financial stability for our members who work less than 32 hours a week.
For the last two years, this campaign has been one of NJEA’s priorities. In Phase 1 of the campaign NJEA local leaders and staff set out to make sure every member understood what pension tier they belonged to, what it meant for their financial future and how to sign up to become a pension advocate. In Phase 2, which began last summer, members were asked to meet with legislators, share their pension tier stories and sign a petition that would be delivered to legislative leaders to help demonstrate to them that something must be done to make the pension system fairer.
On Dec. 4, NJEA held a lobby day with more than 200 members. Members delivered more than 112,000 signed petitions to Gov. Phil Murphy, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Senate President Nick Scutari. Members wore red to support public education, lined the hallways of the Statehouse, spoke with members of the Legislature and were a visible reminder that NJEA members will not back down until they secure retirement dignity.
Members continued to be a presence in the Statehouse on Legislative session days throughout December up until Jan. 12, when the legislative session ended.
Legislation is a slow-moving process
While the goal of this campaign was to make sure these pension bills went through the legislative process during lame duck and were signed into law by Gov. Murphy before he left office, the fact that they didn’t move goes to show that passing legislation takes time and immense pressure.
There are multiple steps for a bill to go through and unlike the Schoolhouse Rock videos many of us watched growing up, passing legislation is not a song and dance. It can be a long, slow-moving and contentious process. The founders designed it that way to ensure that legislation is carefully reviewed, fiscal requirements can be funded and all voices—even the ones who vehemently oppose a bill—have their say. Legislation reflects societies values, but as the late former U.S. Senator Harry Reid once said, “Legislation is also the art of compromise.” Both A5158/S3998 and A5160/S3997 had Republican and Democratic co-sponsors, but it is clear NJEA staff and members must still educate legislators and the public as to why the current pension system is unfair to educators and harmful to students and our public schools.
Perseverance for the long haul
NJEA members and other public employees have been here before. In fact, they have been advocating for legislation that supports students, public education, fair wages and quality benefits even before collective bargaining became law in New Jersey in 1968. It is what our members do.
NJEA’s advocacy for ESP Job Justice legislation took close to 20 years, numerous sponsors and endless meetings with legislators before becoming law. Even when the bills – with bipartisan support – finally made their way to Gov. Chris Christie’s desk in 2013, he vetoed them and the entire process had to start over again.
Chapter 44 legislation, the antidote to the harmful financial consequences of Gov. Christie’s Chapter 78, took several years of educating legislators and the public and organizing our members in order to turn their frustration into action before becoming law.
NJEA member action on legislation around edTPA, sick leave and, now, SGOs took countless hours, days and months of organizing and lobbying. Working together, our members forced changes to these systems.
It will be no different for Tier 1 for Everyone legislation. The fight for pension justice goes on. NJEA will continue to make sure the bills are re-introduced under Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration and a new legislative session. There is too much at stake for our students, our members and public education.
Marybeth Beichert is an associate director in the Communications Division. She can be reached at mbeichert@njea.org.