More than a hundred delegates attending the pension forum learned about inflation protection, sustainability threats, guaranteed indexing and the importance of safeguarding defined-benefit pension plans.
Concrete examples of CUPE-led victories included Carleton University, where a four-week strike ended with members getting contract language preventing unilateral plan changes by their employer; University of Prince Edward Island, where Locals put aside their sectoral differences with two other unions to successfully defend their pension plan; and CUPE Ontario, where members protected their pension by neutralizing scare tactics such as the de-indexing threat used by some OMERS pension fund managers.
Later in the forum, past CUPE President Paul Moist addressed the room to celebrate the recent CPP expansion. It’s through long-term rank-and-file activism and political action that this victory was made possible.
As the pension landscape changes, workers realize the importance of taking full control of their pension plans to improve retirement security for all.