25/55 OR LIFE

Although Mr. Manson is not on the pension committee, with Pataki's veto, he may see the outside before most veteran NYC teachers.

Governor Pataki vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have allowed teachers and all other non-uniformed public employees with 25 years of service to retire at age 55. Both houses of the Legislature overwhelmingly passed the bill; the Assembly by 138-6 and the Senate by 61-0.

UFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement:

”We are disappointed the governor vetoed this important legislation. We also think it is very interesting he would find 55/25 okay when connected to a bill on charter schools, but not by itself. Recruiting and retaining great teachers is the number one issue in education today. Research shows that teachers’ careers generally span 25 years, and creating an incentive that recognizes that would be a wonderful way to keep quality teachers.”

"We continue to try to get 55/25 legislation and have been working on two fronts to make that happen.

"We worked with entire public sector labor movement to get both houses to pass the legislation that, unfortunately, the governor chose to veto.

"We also working through the contract-created pension committee, in which the city obligated itself to jointly support 55/25 as long as it is cost-neutral.

"Even before the nationwide assault on pensions, as typified by the MTA's stance that spurred the transit strike, we always knew any new pension benefit would be an uphill battle unless the mayor was in agreement. The pension committee, which I chair, is still working, and the city and our union are making good progress on 55/25 legislation we both can support."