(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – Governor Kathy Hochul joined an array of Labor Leaders and Public Sector Workers at MVP Arena in Albany on Sunday (March 8th) to push for changes to New York’s Tier 6 Pension System, saying reforms are needed to help recruit and retain Public Workers.

Union Members and a variety of Public Workers participated in the rally - which some estimated was as high as 15,000 who came from across the State, as part of the Fix Tier 6 Campaign, which argues the current pension structure makes careers in public service less attractive.

New York’s Labor Movement came together on an extraordinary scale at the MVP Arena.

Union speakers included: New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento; New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) President Melinda Person, President; American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten; Public Employees Federation (PEF) President Wayne Spence; New York State Professional Firefighters Association President Sam Fresina; Actress Lisa Ann Walter, the star of ABC TV’s Abbott Elementary and Vice President of the Los Angeles Local of SAG-AFTRA, United Federation of Teachers (UFT) President Michael Mulgrew; New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) President Pat Kane, to name a few.

Their message was clear to State Lawmakers: Fix Tier 6 now - and restore fairness to the State’s Pension System.

Union Leaders say roughly 780,000 Public Workers are currently enrolled in Tier 6, which requires Employees to work longer, contribute more from each paycheck and receive smaller retirement benefits than Workers in earlier Pension Tiers.

The retirement requirements are very different: Tier 6 Members must work until age 63 or complete up to 40 years of service to avoid penalties - while Tier 4 Members can retire at age 55 with 30 years of service.

The blatant inequity is unsustainable, they said, as Tier 6 is fueling workforce shortages across Education, Public Safety, Health Care and other essential services by driving young, talented professionals away from public service careers and pushing experienced Workers out.

Every Worker deserves a dignified retirement, the Union speakers said, and if Tier 6 is not fixed now, New York risks losing its ability to attract and keep the talented Public Servants our communities depend on.

Governor Hochul said the differences have made it harder for Schools, Hospitals and Government Agencies to hire workers: “You told us you were struggling to recruit nurses and teachers and other hardworking individuals, and we listened. We have to make some changes.”

Hochul is proposing several reforms, including reducing the vesting period from 10 years to five years and changing how retirement benefits are calculated by averaging a Worker’s three highest consecutive years of salary instead of five.

Hochul said the changes would create a fairer Pension System and help encourage more people to pursue careers in public service.

Supporters say the reforms could help address staffing shortages in education and other Public Sector jobs across New York.

The proposals still need approval from State Lawmakers as budget negotiations continue in Albany.

Albany Mayor Dorcey Applyrs, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie also spoke at the rally.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To The Following:

Union leaders push for Tier 6 pension reforms - WNYT.com NewsChannel 13

Fix Tier 6 rally draws thousands as debate over NY's pension system continues

Thousands rally at MVP Arena, urging lawmakers to fix New York’s Tier 6 pensions