News

The 2017 Annual Membership Meeting took place in Warrens, WI on October 28.   The election of officers was decided by a unanimous vote for the slate of President-Kathy Monaghan, Vice President – Bob Beglinger, Secretary –Joy Bashara, Treasurer – Ruth Ludwig.

You can see the minutes under Membership/Key Documents.  

The Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans (WIARA) is holding its 2017 POWER Lunch on Saturday, October 9 in Milwaukee.  The POWER Lunch is The WIARA’s annual fundraiser to continue their important advocacy work on behalf of all Wisconsin retirees.

The AFT-Wisconsin Convention will be held on October 27 - 29 at the Three Bears Resort in Warrens, Wi.   The AFT-Wisconsin Retirees Council will hold its meeting during the AFT-W Convention.  

The following people were elected to be delegates representing retirees at the business portion of the AFT-W Convention:

Delegates:

    Bob Beglinger, Ranking delegate

    Cynthia Wynn

    Jill Hynum

    Jim Moore

    Richard Amorillio

 

Alternates:

    Joy Bashara-Ingram

    Wanda Gerard

    Kathy Empie

    Marilynn Bunnell

    Mary Stauffer

Call to Convention

Tentative Agenda

Lodging

Information About Three Bears Resort

White Paper on Proposed Constitutional Amendment

May 13    (Saturday) -- Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans Biennial Convention.  Learn skills in effective ways to communicate political views or concerns about your community. Lunch & beverages.  $75.  Click Here for Registration Information.

May 13 (Saturday) – National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive, Stamp Out Hunger.  See Details Here.

May 17  (Tuesday) SCFL's Committee on Political Education BEAN FEED, 6:00 - 7:15 PM, Madison Labor Temple,  1692 S. Park St., Madison.  $5.00 donation.

 May 19    (Friday), 9:00 am - 3:00 pm --- Wisconsin Coalition of Annuitants Annual Meeting.  American Family Insurance Conference Center.  $25, which includes lunch & light breakfast.  Public Employees in the Wisconsin Pension System, retired or active, are invited.  Click Here for Registration Form. 

July 16 - 20  Women Rising.  The Midwest School for Women Workers brings working women together to develop leadership skills, understand the challenges and issues facing the labor movement, and learn from one another. 

Informational Meeting September 26

September 10, 2016 - -The Group Insurance Board (GIB) and the Walker administration are actively pursuing a "self-insurance" model.  The RFP was issued in July with a decision by the Group Insurance Board expected this November with possible adoption in January of 2018.  

There are no public forums or hearings scheduled on this proposal even though this is a huge change to the health insurance program for both active employees and retirees.  The GIB’s rush to implement self-insurance must be slowed down and a more careful analysis done. Contact  your state

September 10, 2016

The Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans and POWRS are sponsoring a series of meetings around the state. 

List of Sessions

Since there won’t be an AFT-W Convention this year, we have scheduled our AFT-W Retirees Council annual meeting for Friday, September 16, 2016 at Burnstad’s in Tomah, Wisconsin.    The Council will provide lunch for members.  Non-member guests may also attend but will need to pay a fee to cover lunch. 

To register online, please go to http://tinyurl.com/2016-AFTW-Retirees.  Or, you can copy the form below and mail it in.  

Mail in Registration Form

Tentative Agenda

Things to do in Tomah/Warrens Area

Blue Jean Nation is teaming up with the Wisconsin Grassroots Network, Wisconsin United to Amend, Forward Institute and Frame for the Future to go to communities long ignored by the political establishment to help people organize and communicate a positive vision for the future of Wisconsin and renew local democracy.

The program starts March 19 in Green Bay and then goes to Platteville, Racine, La Crosse, Ashland and Wausau.

Registration is free and can be done online.

Racine/Kenosha – April 23, 2016

Ashland – April 30, 2016

La Crosse – May 1, 2016

Wausau --- May 15, 2016

Also, the Wisconsin

Bob Beglinger is one of our representatives for the Wisconsin Coalition of Annuitants (WCOA).  The WCOA usually meets monthly in Madison.  Read Bob's report to find out what the Legislature has been up to regarding our pension system and learn about an opportunity to be on a focus group for ETF about their communications. 

Read Bob's Report

The Wisconsin Coalition of Annuitants will hold their annual meeting on Friday, May 13, 2016 at the American Family Insurance Conference Center at 6000 American Family Parkway, Madison.  Four outstanding speakers will address the group:

---Robert Conlin, Secretary of the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF)

---Michael Williamson, Executive Director of the State of WI Investment Board (SWIB).

---Steve Rick, economist for CUNA Mutual Insurance Group,

---Sandy Chalmers, Assistant Deputy Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP)

Registration is only $25 and includes a continental breakfast and lunch.  For more information about the event and how to register, click here.