Coalition of LA City Unions

Persistence Pays Off Big: LACERS Board Supports ERIP

Attend City Council next Tuesday morning for the implementation vote!

September 9, 2009

The Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP) cleared another important hurdle yesterday when the full LACERS Board supported the agreement by voting to accept the 15-year payback period for ERIP ratified by LACERS participants.

LACERS staff had recommended a much shorter 5-year payment period, which would have strained the City budget.

"The well being of LACERS is directly tied to the city's financial health and the 15 year repayment is better for the active, retired members of LACERS and the taxpayers." -- SEIU 721 President Bob Schoonover addressing LACERS Board yesterday

Coalition members e-mailed and called the LACERS Board leading into yesterday's meeting, and during public comments urged the Board members to think about the impact of their decision on City services, workers, and residents. In the end, the board did the right thing.

Now we need to move our focus to the City Council: It’s Past Time to Implement ERIP!

Tell City Council: Hurry Up and Save!

Each day that goes by without active early retirements under ERIP is a missed chance by the City to save $500,000 for everyday city services.

City Council already voted unanimously for ERIP and the Coalition Agreement, and City workers have already ratified the agreement and deferred raises.

The next step in formal implementation of ERIP is adoption as an ordinance. As with all changes in retirement, Council must hear and vote on it publicly, then wait 30 days before a second and final vote.

Join Us at City Hall:

Monday, September 14, 1pm: Budget & Finance Committee
Tuesday, September 15, 10am: full City Council

Tell the City Council:

City workers have done our part, we've put our COLAs on hold, now it's up to you to act quickly to take advantage of the millions we can save together by retiring thousands of workers from the City payroll rather than slashing services through layoffs and furloughs. We can get through this crisis if we take leadership together.

Each day action is delayed costs all of us $500,000 in savings –
or up to 10 jobs per day.

It is time to move forward now and implement what we all agreed to.

Call/Email City Council:

CD1: Ed Reyes councilmember.reyes@lacity.org (213) 473-7001
CD2: Unfilled (213) 473-7002
CD3: Dennis Zine councilmember.zine@lacity.org (213) 473-7003
CD4: Tom LaBonge councilmember.labonge@lacity.org
(213) 473-7004
CD5: Paul Koretz paul.koretz@lacity.org (213) 473-7005
CD6: Tony Cardenas councilmember.cardenas@lacity.org
(213) 473-7006
CD7: Richard Alarcon councilmember.alarcon@lacity.org
(213) 473-7007
CD8: Bernard Parks councilmember.parks@lacity.org
(213) 473-7008
CD9: Jan Perry jan.perry@lacity.org (213) 473-7009
CD10: Herb Wesson councilmember.wesson@lacity.org
(213) 473-7010
CD11: Bill Rosendahl councilman.rosendahl@lacity.org
(213) 473-7011
CD12: Greig Smith councilmember.smith@lacity.org (213) 473-7012
CD13: Eric Garcetti councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org
(213) 473-7013
CD14: Jose Huizar councilmember.huizar@lacity.org
(213) 473-7014
CD15: Janice Hahn councilmember.hahn@lacity.org (213) 473-7015