One of the most pressing issues facing our members is the disparity between the two retirement tiers in Illinois’ Public Pension System. While those in the Tier I system have multiple retirement options, including the ability to retire with full benefits at age 62 with just five years of service, members of Tier II are not so fortunate.

Tier II pensioners are forced to wait until age 67 to retire fully, and the cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are significantly less favorable. While Tier I pensions see a compounded 3% COLA each year, Tier II members receive only a 3% increase (or less, depending on the Consumer Price Index), and that increase is not compounded. This means that the value of pensions for Tier II members is continually eroded over time. We cannot allow this injustice to persist.

LCFT is committed to fighting for pension equality on behalf of all of our members. As a result, LCFT has joined IFT and We Are One Illinois coalition’s Fix Tier II campaign.

On November 13, 2024, approximately forty LCFT Union members took the day off work to attend a Tier II Rally at the Capital Building in Springfield. They demonstrated in front of the capitol and spoke to lawmakers including Senator Adriane Johnson and Senator Mary Edly-Allen about making our state pension systems fairer to all of us who do invaluable work. It was an incredible show of worker power in the people’s house, with thousands of unionists standing shoulder to shoulder in this massive display of solidarity! We raised our voices loudly and proudly to demand that lawmakers fix Illinois’ unfair and inadequate Tier II pension system. 

During the rally, our coalition announced that we have introduced the Fair Retirement and Recruitment Act - House Bill 5909 (Rep. Kifowit) and Senate Bill 3988 (Sen. Martwick) - to correct the inequities and address the staffing shortages that Tier 2 has created. This bill would:

• Bring the final average salary pension calculation back in line with Tier 1.
• Implement an across-the-board 3% simple cost-of-living adjustment for all Tier 2 members.
• Align the Tier 2 retirement age requirements with Tier 1.
• Adjust the pension salary cap to match the Social Security Wage Base, addressing the so-called “Safe Harbor” problem.

IFT and our coalition partners will work tirelessly to pass this critical legislation, but there is a lot of work ahead of us and we’ll need your help!

The Lake County Federation of Teachers will continue to prioritize the issues that matter most to our members—issues like fair pensions, equitable school funding, and strong union leadership at the local level. But we cannot do this alone. We need every one of you to remain engaged, stay informed, and actively participate in the fights ahead.

The moment is now for us to stand together and demand the change we deserve. Let’s continue to fight for the rights of workers, for better schools, and for a future where our members can retire with dignity and confidence.