Discussions

The RTM are circulating a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.  
The reasons for this petition are as follows:  
1. Since 1977, Manitoba Teachers have made contributions to the Teacher’s Retirement Allowances Fund Pension Adjustment Account, (PAA) to finance a Cost of Living Adjustment, (COLA) to their base pension once they retire.  
2. Despite this significant funding, 11,000 retired teachers and 15,000 active teachers currently find themselves facing the future with little hope of a meaningful COLA.  
3. For the year 2007, a COLA of only 0.63% was paid to retired teachers.  
4. The COLA paid in recent years has eroded the purchasing power of teachers pension dollars.  
5. Many teachers do not receive a full pension because: they took up teaching as a second career like Trades or Business Ed. Teachers. Some teachers who were attracted from Britain in the 50,s, and 60,s never earned a University Degree and therefore was not on the higher part of the Salary Scale.  
 
If any one is interested in urging the Provincial Government to consider adequate funding for the PAA on a long-term basis to ensure that the current retired teachers, as well as all future retirees, receive a fair COLA please contact me and I will somehow get a petition paper to you to sign.