The Senate Pension Committee is scheduled to vote on SB2120 in their committee meeting scheduled for the afternoon of Monday February, 10, 2014. It is critical that you contact the committee members and tell them to VOTE NO ON SENATE BILL 2120 authored by Sen. Rick Brinkley. This bill is harmful to state employees because:
- It reduces state employee total compensation at a time when Oklahoma needs to be increasing state employee salaries. Last year, state employees were told to wait until the Governor’s compensation study was completed. That study strongly recommended Oklahoma address low salaries immediately before changing any benefits. Legislators need to follow the study’s recommendations that clearly state we need to improve salaries first before looking at benefits. Any way you look at it SB 2120 CUTS BENEFITS BUT DOES NOT HELP WITH LOW SALARIES.
- It could be the first step in reducing your benefits. The bill does not place current employees in a defined contribution pension plan but if it passes it could encourage other legislators to try to take away benefits instead of improving salaries. STATE EMPLOYEES HAVE ALREADY GIVEN ENOUGH.
- SB2120 targets the OPERS pension system, which is relatively healthy, but does not address other state pensions that are not healthy. WHY PICK ON STATE EMPLOYEES WHEN OTHER GROUPS’ PLANS ARE WORSE OFF? Call or email these legislators today and tell them to VOTE NO ON SENATE BILL 2120. You can telephone them toll free at 1-800-865-6490 or directly to their office at the number below.
Sen. Patrick Anderson
(405)521-5630
anderson@oksenate.gov
Sen Roger Ballenger
(405)521-5588
ballenger@oksenate.gov
Sen. Cliff Branan
(405)521-5543
branan@oksenate.gov
Sen. Rick Brinkley,
(405)521-5566
brinkley@oksenate.gov
Sen Corey Brooks
(405)524-5522
brooks@oksenate.gov
Sen Bill Brown
(405)521-5602
brownb@oksenate.gov
Sen Thomas Ivester
(405)521-5545
ivester@oksenate.gov
Sen Mike Mazzei
(405)521-5675
mazzei@oksenate.gov
It is important that you contact these legislators before Monday afternoon. They need to hear from every state employee. Remember to call or email them from your own phone or computer and on your own time. Contacting them on your lunch or break is OK. Stand up and be counted today! This is too important not to have your voice heard.
]]>
