The rumors that the retirement age being lowered to 58 for Teachers Only is coming from reputable sources and the tens of thousands of the rest of us CANNOT let this go down without a fight this close to the finish line. Yes it’s the 11th hour but it’s NOT too late. Albany is still voting and negotiating on the final NYS budget RIGHT NOW. YOUR elected officials, tell them what this means to you. I provided all of the contact info below and a sample email. We can make a difference RIGHT NOW! Don’t give up. Don’t give in. It ain’t over till it’s over.

Tier 6 reform should apply to ALL New York State employees, not just select titles because their union happens to be the loudest and most influential. The rest of us are organizing and we have numbers.

Dear Representative (name),

My name is __ and I have worked with ___ NYS Dept for ___ years and am a member of Tier 6. The current cost of living in NYS makes it incredibly difficult just to get by, let alone buy a home, pay utilities, transportation and car expenses, food shopping and the list goes on. The pension fund has more than recovered since 2011 when the punitive Tier 6 NYS retirement provisions were installed and it’s the right time to restore the rights of Tier 4 and give NYS Employees back some dignity. We work hard and are dedicated and simply want to be able to live modestly in our home state that we also serve. Please consider being a hero and making NYS a competitive State to live and work in.

We are urging Albany to:
• Extend 58/30 retirement options fairly across NYSERS
• Reduce employee contributions to 3% across the board OR eliminate contributions after 15 years of service (which would perfectly line up for the first tier 6 employees who started in 2011!)
• Allow employees with prior state service to buy back into the tier they originally served under
• Expand hybrid work opportunities for eligible titles to reduce commuting costs, improve mental health, increase productivity, and strengthen recruitment & retention statewide

Public servants across agencies and municipalities have dedicated decades to New York State. Fair retirement reform and modern workplace policies would make public service dramatically more sustainable and attractive for the next generation.

We are counting on you and will keep a close eye on which representatives have our back. A list of who voted for our welfare will be maintained and I pledge my vote in November to them. Be on the right side of history where you will be hailed the hero’s who redeemed the deed a villain did to take so much from the allure of NYS Employment in 2011, a year burned in our memories. Be the ones memorialized in 2026 who FIXED TIER 6.

Sincerely,
(Name)

Please contact the Governor, your Senator, and Assembly Member before the final budget language is enacted. If meaningful Tier 6 reforms are delivered, public employees will remember who stood with them.

Governor Kathy Hochul
Website: https://www.governor.ny.gov/contact-governor-hochul
Email Form: https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form
New York State Senate Directory (find your Senator):
https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator
New York State Assembly Directory (find your Assembly Member):
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/search/
Key NYS Legislative Leaders & Contacts:
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/andrea-stewart-cousins/contact
Senator Jessica Ramos – Chair, Senate Labor Committee
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/jessica-ramos/contact
Senator Robert Jackson – Civil Service & Pensions
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/robert-jackson/contact
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Carl-E-Heastie/contact/
Assemblymember Harry Bronson – Chair, Labor Committee
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Harry-B-Bronson/contact/
Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman – Governmental Employees Committee
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Alicia-L-Hyndman/contact/