At CalPERS. At the Capitol. In Congress. Your voice is heard!

• For nearly seven decades, RPEA has been a strong and independent voice for active and retired public employees, protecting the pensions, healthcare, Social Security benefits and financial security they have earned through a lifetime of public service.

• We advocate wherever decisions affecting public employees and retirees are made — before the CalPERS Board of Administration, in the California Legislature, with the Governor and Administration, and at the federal level in Congress.

• We sponsor and support legislation that protects public employees and retirees and oppose proposals that threaten their pensions, healthcare, benefits or financial security.

• We fight for transparency and accountability at CalPERS. When CalPERS sought legislation that would have allowed information about its private debt and private credit investments to be kept secret, RPEA fought back. In two consecutive legislative sessions, RPEA opposed efforts to create new exemptions from public disclosure — and helped stop them.

• We fought for years to end the unfair WEP and GPO. RPEA joined public employee and retiree organizations across the country in repeatedly pressing Congress to repeal these provisions, which reduced or eliminated Social Security benefits for millions of public employees and retirees. That persistence ultimately helped achieve passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, repealing both WEP and GPO.

• We protect retiree healthcare. RPEA advocates for affordable, accessible healthcare and prescription drug coverage and works directly with CalPERS on healthcare decisions affecting active employees, retirees and their families.

• We protect seniors from fraud and financial abuse. RPEA supports and sponsors legislation designed to prevent elder financial exploitation, strengthen consumer protections and hold those who prey on older Californians accountable.

• We protect earned pension benefits. From municipal bankruptcy and JPA pension liabilities to survivor and death benefits, RPEA has sponsored and supported legislation designed to ensure that promises made to public employees are promises kept.

• We stay with an issue for as long as it takes. Some victories happen in a single legislative session. Others, like WEP/GPO repeal, require years of persistence. RPEA continues fighting until the voices of public employees and retirees are heard.

• Our record demonstrates the power of a strong organization and an engaged membership. When public employees and retirees stand together and speak with one voice, we can make a difference.

• WEP/GPO – REPEALED: Helped win the long fight to end unfair Social Security penalties against public employees and retirees.
• CalPERS Private Debt Secrecy – STOPPED: Fought repeated attempts to hide private debt/private credit investment information from public scrutiny.
• Pension Benefits – PROTECTED: Defended defined-benefit pensions, COLAs, survivor benefits and retirement security.
• Retiree Healthcare – DEFENDED: Advocated for affordable healthcare, prescription drugs and protection of earned retiree health benefits.
• Elder Financial Abuse – FOUGHT: Supported stronger laws, enforcement and resources to protect seniors from fraud and exploitation.
• CalPERS Accountability – DEMANDED: Continues to push for independent oversight, greater transparency and governance reform.