One of OPEA’s top priorities this next legislative session is making sure a cost of living increase for retired state employees approved and funded by the legislature. To make this happen, we will need all retired, soon-to-be retired and active state employees to advocate for this raise.
Retirees in OPERS have not had a raise in eight years even though the cost of everyday expenses continues to increase. It is time that lawmakers take the steps necessary to help retired employees who served our state well during their careers.
To continue these efforts, OPEA will hold a meeting from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 30h. We invite all retired state employees, whether they are OPEA members or not, to help work toward this increase. The meeting will be held at the Muskogee Public Library, 801 West Okmulgee, Muskogee Okla. OPEA has conducted one retiree meeting in the OKC area and is willing to hold similar meetings in other locations if there is sufficient retiree interest.
During this meeting, we will continue to plan how we will communicate to lawmakers the need to raise retirees’ pensions. Both OPEA members and staff will be there to assist. Please join us in working toward this much-deserved raise.