CAT Tracks for January 6, 2005 ERO STALLED

No progress on ERO...

Legislative News
ERO Discussion Continues
1/5/2005

No Vote Expected Next Week

The discussion over the future of the Early Retirement Option (ERO) continued over the holidays as representatives of IEA met with House Democrats, school administrators and other interested parties. IEA lobbyists, leaders and staff all met with their area legislators in an attempt to convince the Speaker to call ERO for a vote.

However, it appears there will be no ERO vote taken next week because Speaker Madigan has refused to budge from his original positions on ERO:

*Teachers and school districts should bear the entire ERO cost.
*A new ERO program must be at school districts’ option.
*"Gifts" of sick leave must be earned and fully paid for by districts and teachers.
*All option service credit (maternity leave, out-of-state credit, military service credit) must be paid by teachers.
*The new ERO will not be permanent. It must contain a "sunset" provision.

If, as expected, no action is taken next Monday or Tuesday (the final days of the 93rd General Assembly veto session), IEA will continue to push for an early vote in the 94th General Assembly which begins Wednesday, January 12, 2005.

Actions

As IEA lobbyists continue to work on the ERO issue with lawmakers, IEA members are encouraged to continue to contact their House members and to share with them the personal reasons why ERO is important and how it figures in their career and retirement plans. It is imperative each representative understand how much ERO means to IEA members.