After a years long struggle, OAPSE has won a major victory on retirement security for our members. The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to reverse the unfair Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision. Those laws took thousands of dollars a year out of the pockets of many OAPSE retirees by reducing pension benefits for workers who devoted much of their lives to serving Ohio’s children and communities.
OAPSE LEADERS SHOW THE WAY
Our union’s State Officers made the repeal of the GPO and WEP one of their top priorities in recent years. OAPSE President Lois Carson, Vice President Mike Lang, and Secretary Sheila Dawkins-Flinn worked tirelessly to force the issues to a vote in the U.S. House. Dawkins-Flinn chairs the OAPSE Committee formed to repeal the Offset and Windfall and all three officers traveled to Washington on several occasions to press for the historic vote. President Carson was present for the final vote and helped secure its passage in the House on November 12th. “Our members have suffered long enough from this injustice, and we are determined to end it once and for all”, Carson said.
FIGHT MOVES TO U.S. SENATE
Now, the battle for passage shifts to the U.S. Senate where a majority of Senators have already joined OAPSE’s efforts as co-sponsors of the legislation. “We will not stop working until all of our members and retirees get every penny of the benefits they worked for”, Dawkins-Flinn said. “The U.S. Senate should do the right thing by honoring the work of our people and we will hold them to that standard.”
