Focus at Every Level

(This article was first published in the July/August 2008 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine)

Nov. 4, 2008, is one of the most important days that we face as adults in this country. The decisions we make on this day will have a direct impact on our lives, as well as the lives of our families, friends and neighbors.

As a retiree, I couldn’t agree more with the statement made by Sen. Barack Obama, who has been endorsed by the APWU National Executive Board:

“It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are today, but we have just begun. Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today.”

There has been a lot of publicity about the increased interest that young people have in this election, and they are to be congratulated. However, let’s not count out the seniors who always make a difference at election time. In the 2004 election, 79 percent of people over age 65 were registered voters, and 71 percent actually voted. Registration among seniors today is at an all-time high, particularly because we are living longer and longer — the average lifespan in the U.S. is just over 79 years.

As retirees, we are interested in elections not just because of the contest for the highest office in the land, but at every level of government. This November, we will also be marking our ballots for candidates for 435 Congressional seats; 35 Senate seats (including special elections in Wyoming and Mississippi), as well as for thousands of local and state offices nationwide.

Check to see if your Congressional representative is supporting retirees’ concerns as outlined in the Legislative Priorities for the APWU pamphlet and on the Retirees Department Web pages at www.apwu.org .

Alert Your Legislators

APWU retiree George F. Mager (Sparks, NV) wrote to his senators about how important it is to him to have the unfair Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provisions (WEP) repealed:

“I am a CSRS retiree with 30 honorable years with the U.S. Postal Service. I also honorably served in the military during the Vietnam War and am a disabled veteran. I worked in the private sector and put part of my earnings into the Social Security system for more than 20 years. I am currently receiving Social Security benefits in the amount of $277 out of my earned amount of $537 per month.”

If GPO and WEP were repealed, Brother Mager and all other retirees and spouses similarly penalized would start getting their fair share of Social Security entitlements – the same as private-sector retirees and spouses.

You can find out how your legislators are showing their concern by visiting the Web site of the Alliance for Retired Americans (www.retiredamericans.org), an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. The ARA site reports on Congressional votes on pertinent legislation.

Be An Election 2008 Volunteer

Check out www.afl-cio.org/aboutus/unioncities to learn how to contact your area AFL-CIO Central Labor Council (or state federation) to learn how to:

• Help register voters;
  
  
• Assist in obtaining absentee ballots for those unable to get to the polls;
  
  
• Provide transportation to and from the polls; Stuff envelopes, go door-to-door to distribute literature, or participate in phone banks;
  
  
• Be a poll watcher; or

Serve as an advocate for your polling site by contacting your Election Commission to provide accommodations at polling places for walkers and wheelchairs.

APWU Retirees Rock

David Bernstein, president of the Tampa Retiree Chapter and Legislative Director for the APWU of Florida, is deserving of special recognition for the many hours he has spent on behalf of union members and retirees. David has represented the Tampa Area Local on the AFL-CIO’s Central Labor Council for 27 years and has served on the CLC Board for 15 years.

David has been active in politics all his life. He says: “Retirees’ efforts can make a big difference in this election. Its outcome will determine all of our futures. Don’t just VOTE, volunteer to work!