About 1,000 UFT members, parents and advocates traveled to Albany on March 16 to lobby state legislators on key issues for the union. Members demanded that lawmakers Fix Tier 6 of the state pension system and reduce the retirement age to 55. They asked legislators to increase compensation for family child care providers and provide adequate state aid to city schools. Members also made their views known to lawmakers remotely via virtual Lobby Day activities during the week of March 16.

Some 4,000 UFT members were joined by thousands of other unionists from across New York State as they packed MVP Arena in Albany on a Sunday to rally lawmakers to “Fix Tier 6.” Members demanded that state legislators lower to 55 the age at which Tier 6 members with 30 years of service can retire without penalty. The March 8 rally culminated months of “6” days actions by UFT members to make the need to Fix Tier 6 “visible,” “human,” and “loud.” UFT members waved poms-poms, held signs and cheered loudly during the March 8 rally, making it clear that Tier 6 must be fixed, and it must be fixed now!

UFT members have made it “visible,” made it “human,” and made it “loud” when it comes to advocating for the need to “Fix Tier 6.”  Members are pushing state lawmakers to fix Tier 6 of the state’s pension system by lowering the retirement age for Tier 6 members to age 55 after 30 years of service. Every month on the 6th, from January to March, members have participated in a coordinated action in support of fixing Tier 6, culminating with the Fix Tier 6 rally in Albany on March 8.