Local union teamsters are pushing for congress to help them protect their pensions today after many groups were at risk of losing up to 75 percent of those earnings.
The fight to save pensions from massive cuts is far from over for local unions. Today in Green Bay the Wisconsin Committee to Protect Pensions met up once again to call on its members to continue battling for the rights of pension holders in the future.
The proposed cuts for these pension holders just last year would have impacted hundreds locally.
"These people were worried to death that their pensions were going to be cut and thank God we stopped it," says Bob Amsden of the Wisconsin Committee to Protect Pensions.
When nearly half of these men and women's 28 billion dollars was lost on Wall Street during the financial crisis, the proposed pension cuts were significant. But unions fought back.
"This is the first battle. The war isn't over yet. We need to continue," says Terry Black the co-chair of the Wisconsin Committee to Protect Pensions chapter out of Green Bay.
Today they are continuing that fight by drumming up an increased interest.
"We're a small group of 300 to 400 that meet. And there's probably 10 to 12 million across the country that are going to be effected in some way down the line from this," adds Black.
Organizers are encouraging members to remember that pensions could be on the chopping block again. Today they reminding members that they need congress and state leaders to have their back if they intend to continue collecting their full pensions.
"When all the politicians go back to their Washington DC offices there's legislators that's going to be presented to them for several ways to solve this problem," adds Amsden.
And while their pensions may be safe for now, by fighting for what was promised these union members hope they can ensure the next generation of members have guarantees too.
The Wisconsin Committee to Protect Pensions will have its next meeting on September 11th at 10am at the Stadium View Bar in Green Bay. They expect to share some big news about progress made in Washington at that meeting.
