Retirement Security

Fewer employers today provide defined-benefit pensions for their workers—and among those that do, many are offering “defined-contribution” (like 401[k]s) rather than traditional “defined-benefit” pension plans.

That’s why Social Security insurance is essential for millions of retirees. Nearly two-thirds of retirees count on Social Security for half or more of their retirement income and for more than three in 10, Social Security is 90 percent or more of their income. It is a safety net that keeps retirees out of poverty.

It’s also important to figure out what you will need to retire. Talking a look at how much Social Security will provide, whether you have another form of pension and how much you spend are all components in determining when you can retire.

For decades, workers achieved retirement security because their retirement income flowed from a combination of employer-provided pensions, Social Security and personal savings. But the recession has exposed the severe deficiencies in our retirement system. We need to develop a new way to provide workers with lifetime retirement security beyond Social Security.

More about this issue:

Sep 1, 2023 | News Story

On Wednesday, members of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) and supporters made it clear to American Airlines management that they are fired up, unified, and standing together for a contract with significant improvements to compensation, retirement, scheduling flexibility, a

Sep 1, 2023 | News Story

Visual Effects (VFX) crews at Walt Disney Pictures have filed with for an election to unionize with the backing of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) This marks only the second time in history VFX professionals have joined together to demand the same rights and prote

Sep 1, 2023 | News Story

IBEW Local 3 Business Manager Christopher Erikson recently penned an OpEd in amNY on how LinkNYC — the public-private partnership that deploys, operates, and maintains modern telecommunications infrastructure across the city — is providing union job opportunities for New Yorkers who have the driv

Sep 1, 2023 | News Story

In this blogcast, Burnes Center Senior Fellow Seth Harris spoke with Maida Rosenstein, the organizing director for UAW Local 2110, and three museum employees she worked with — Jordan Barnes, Karissa Francis, and Erika Wentworth.

Aug 25, 2023 | News Story

This week, Teamsters voted by an overwhelming 86.3 percent to ratify the most historic collective bargaining agreement in the history of UPS.

Aug 25, 2023 | News Story

Entertainment industry workers, nurses, teachers, construction and building trades workers, retail workers, communications workers—every unionized industry in NYC seemed to be out on the street Tuesday for a National Day of Solidarity in support of striking WGA and SAG-AFTRA members.

Aug 25, 2023 | News Story

The actors, stage managers, bartenders and servers of Drunk Shakespeare in New York City, the longest-running of the productions nationwide, are now the fourth company of the theatrical franchise to unionize as Drunk Shakespeare United.

Aug 25, 2023 | News Story

Postdoctoral Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai voted to authorize their elected bargaining teams to call a strike if circumstances justify.

Aug 25, 2023 | News Story

Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) members at FT Specialist, an editorial division of Financial Times, overwhelmingly ratified a groundbreaking first collective bargaining agreement.

Aug 18, 2023 | News Story

Dozens of Scholastic Union members rallied at the company’s headquarters Wednesday to protest Scholastic’s slow-walking of contract negotiations and refusing to offer a fair deal, including retroactive pay and remote work rights, to workers.