Tell Our Lawmakers: the time to Fix Tier 6 is now!
The Governor, legislative leaders, and elected officials across New York have all signaled support for fixing Tier 6 in this budget. Now it's time to make sure they deliver in this year's budget.
Pick from the actions below or go to NYSUT's Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts and share our post at 6.
Send an email to your state legislators to tell them to Fix Tier 6 Now!
Post and Tag Media Outlets
We need our regional media outlets to see how much energy there is behind the effort to Fix Tier 6 throughout the state. When news outlets in their districts pay attention to a topic, so do lawmakers.
Share the content below by your region with key media outlets tagged so we can amplify this message.
Capital District
Central New York
Long Island
Mid-Hudson
North Country
Rochester
Southern Tier
Tarrytown
Western New York
Call Your Lawmakers
Nothing moves legislators like hearing from their constituents in their own words. Give your Senator and Assemblymember a call. If they are one of our supporters, thank them and tell them to stand strong. If they're not a supporter, you should (nicely) tell them they need to Fix Tier 6!
Here are some things you can say to your legislators when you call:
The deadline is now.New York's April 1 budget deadline is days away. Tier 6 reform must be in this budget — not next year, not someday.
An unprecedented coalition is demanding action.Legislators from both parties, the Governor, the Assembly Speaker, the Senate Majority Leader, the Comptroller, and the Attorney General have all expressed support for fixing Tier 6 this budget cycle.
Employers are sounding the alarm.Mayors, county executives, and local government leaders across the state are seeing the workforce crisis firsthand. They can't recruit or retain the teachers, nurses, and first responders their communities depend on.
15,000 workers rallied together.The sold-out Fix Tier 6 Rally at MVP Arena in Albany was one of the largest labor mobilizations in New York's recent history — a powerful, unified demand for change.
Tier 6 is broken by design.Created in 2012, Tier 6 forces approximately 780,000 public employees to pay more, work longer, and retire with significantly less than the generations before them. It was passed in the middle of the night in response to a manufactured fiscal crisis.
The consequences are real.Schools can't fill teaching positions. Hospitals struggle to staff critical roles. First responder ranks are thinning. Talented people are walking away from public service.
New York can afford to do this. The state has one of the most well-funded pension systems in the country. A proven revenue solution exists that requires nothing from local governments or working families.
The Legislature must act. No budget should pass without a significant fix to Tier 6.
Brought to you by New York State United Teachers
