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National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association |
Connecticut Federation of Chapters |
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National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association |
Connecticut Federation of Chapters |
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CTNARFE Meeting & Events Calendar |
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The Connecticut Federation of Chapters will have the State Convention
on June 14, 2012, Please mark it on your calendar.
Appointments to the newly established National Configuration
Advisory Board.
Region
I
Region
V
Region
IX
I am pleased to introduce the Region I member: Shel Cooper is a Vice President of the Connecticut Federation and the Federation Network Coordinator. I request that you provide him support as he works to improve NARFE Communications and NARFE Information Technology.
Augie Stratoti, RVP Region I
Federal Retirement Annuities to Increase through Cost of Living Adjustment
Federal retirees will receive a cost of living adjustment (COLA) to their civil service annuities beginning in January 2012. Retirees in the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) will receive a 3.6 percent increase to their annuities, while retirees in the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) will receive a 2.6 percent increase to their annuities.
To trigger a COLA for 2012, the average CPI-W for the months of July, August, and September of 2011 needed to rise above the 2008 average for those same months, the last measurement to trigger a COLA (for 2009). It did, by 3.6 percent. While CSRS retirees receive the full amount of the CPI-W increase as a COLA, current law reduces the FERS COLA by 1 percentage point for increases above 3 percent.
Because the CPI-W showed declining prices from 2008 to 2009, and while it showed prices increasing between 2009 and 2010, it did not show prices increasing back to 2008 levels, there has not been a COLA for the last two years. But finally, we have some good news for 2012!
Under current law, COLAs for federal retirement annuities, as well as for military retiree annuities and social security payments, are determined in reference to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which is calculated by economists and statisticians with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-W is the current index used for measuring increases in the prices of consumer goods throughout the economy. It includes prices on all consumer goods, including food and beverages, housing, clothing, transportation, medical care, recreation, education and communication, and more.
The new CPI-W figure for September 2011 was 223.688. The average CPI-W for the third-quarter of 2011 was 223.233. This is the new reference figure for determining the 2013 COLA.
NARFE continues to support strong COLAs based on fair assessments of increases in consumer prices to protect the value of federal annuities from inflation.
NEB
notes from our Region 1 Vice-President Augie Stratoti 
Please click here to read the notes from the November 15-17, 2011 Meeting.
NARFE:
In Budget Battle, Remember Important Services That Federal Workers
Provide
April
14, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: NARFE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT (leg@narfe.org)
703 838 7760 Ext. 201
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Joseph A. Beaudoin, president of the
National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) – one
of America’s oldest and largest associations, representing the 4.7
million active and retired federal employees nationwide – released the
following statement following President Obama’s speech Wednesday on the
national deficit:
“It was heartening a few
days ago to hear President Obama praise federal employees for their
service and patience amidst the threat of a government shutdown when
he said it is our federal workers ‘who help make America all it
is, by responding to the needs of our people, and keeping our
country safe and secure.’
“As the president and our nation’s leaders find ways to
reduce the worrisome national debt, they must keep such praise in
mind and remember how important the role of our federal employees is
to the demands of our country. Federal workers are the Americans who
protect us from infectious diseases, warn us if a hurricane is
coming and care for our veterans.
“Balancing the budget will not be easy, and, along the way,
federal employees will be at risk of hastily becoming the ‘fall
guy’ in the major discretionary spending cuts that all parties
agree must occur.
“America’s federal employees understand and appreciate the
tough economic situation we are in. In fact, federal workers in
every state are already doing their part to help reduce the deficit
by saving the nation $5 billion through a two-year freeze on federal
employees’ salaries.
“NARFE fears that further changes to policies that affect
federal employees – for example, forcing them to pay more for
their retirement – not only tax middle-class federal workers, they
also threaten the future of the vital services they perform. Without
competitive employment packages, the U.S. government will struggle
to attract the best workers and retain the most knowledgeable staff
to serve our country and keep us safe.
“Taking aim at federal employees will only send us backward.
Instead, we must be austere, yet smart, and find a new way forward.
This way forward will require a strong federal work force. I urge
President Obama and Congress to continue to recognize the value
federal employees add to the daily lives of all Americans.”
# #
#
NARFE, one of America’s oldest and largest associations, was
founded in 1921 with the mission of protecting the earned rights and
benefits of America’s active and retired federal workers. The
largest federal employee/ retiree organization, NARFE represents the
retirement interests of nearly 5 million current and future federal
annuitants, spouses, and survivors.
Connecticut Federation Public Relations Officer John Luicci and
Connecticut Federation Chaplain Josephine Luicci meeting with Congressman Chris Murphy
Federal Workers Protect America's Heartbeat -
www.narfe.orgFederal workers keep us safe and keep our nation strong, but they're
facing shameful partisan attacks. Join us at www.ProtectAmericasHeartbeat.o
National Convention News
New Officers Elected to National Posts
The delegates to the
31st Biennial NARFE National Convention have spoken, and the Association
has four new national officers for the next two years. The election
results were announced by Ballot & Teller Committee Chairman Jimmy
Coleman of
Current National Vice President Joseph A. Beaudoin of Winchester, VA, was elected National President. He defeated past Maryland Federation President Richard L. Strombotne of Gaithersburg, MD, by a vote of 4,472 (74 percent) to 1,580 (26 percent). Beaudoin is the first sitting National Vice President to succeed to the presidency in recent memory. Current National President Baptiste had previously served as National Vice President but had been out of office four years before being elected National President in 2006.
In a three-way race
for National Vice President, Region X Vice President Paul H. Carew of
In the three-way race for National Secretary, past North Carolina Federation President Elaine Hughes, Asheville, NC, garnered 3,163 votes (52 percent) to 1,584 votes (26 percent) for former National Secretary David F. Sullivan, Springfield, VA, and 1,321 votes (22 percent) for H. Ray Harrington, Paradise, CA, past California Federation president.
And, in the three-way race for National Treasurer, Region II Vice President Charles W. Saylor, Towson, MD, won with 3,132 votes (52 percent) to 1,471 votes (24 percent) for Colorado Federation President Frank Impinna, Denver, CO, and 1,460 (24 percent) for Region III Vice President Robert S. Harrell, Athens, AL.
There were also contested races for regional vice president in five of NARFE’s 10 regions. The election results in Region I necessitated a run-off this morning. In the voting yesterday, former Massachusetts Federation President Gilbert W. Blaisdell and New Hampshire Federation Legislative Chair Stephen J. Shurtleff, Penacook, NH, received 216 (44 percent) and 189 (38 percent) votes respectively. But since neither received the necessary 50 percent plus one, the runoff was ordered. The other two candidates in the race for Region I vice president were Kenneth D. Nolan, 45 votes (9 percent) and Ralph F. Browne, Boston, former Massachusetts Federation president 42 votes (9 percent).
For Region II Vice President, Ronald P. Bowers, Timonium, MD, former Maryland Federation president, defeated Walter T. Berwick, Selbyville, DE, former Delaware Federation president, 630 votes (65 percent) to 341 votes (35 percent)
In Region III, past Florida Federation President Donald Stewart, Coral Gables, FL, won a three-way race with 495 votes (64 percent). He defeated former Alabama Federation President Shelton Hawsey, Birmingham, AL, 149 votes (19 percent) and former Florida Federation President Benjamin Pappa, Punta Gorda, FL, 130 votes (17 percent).
Region IV Vice President Paul E. Johnson, Bedford, IN, easily defeated a challenge from past Ohio Federation President Dennis Petrack, Louisville, OH, 437 votes (72 percent) to 173 votes (28 percent).
And in Region X,
past Virginia Federation President William F. Martin,
Elections in the other five regions were uncontested: Region V, incumbent Richard G. Thissen, Lake Ozark, MO; Region VI, Jerome S, Smith, Tyler, TX, past Texas Federation president (elected to replace Jerry Hatfield, who did not seek re-election); Region VII, Betty Lucero-Turner, Denver, CO (elected to replace Martha E. Leiker, who ran for National Vice President); Region VIII, incumbent Helen L. Zajac, Vallejo, CA; and Region IX, incumbent Lanny G. Ross, Bremerton, WA.
Former Massachusetts Federation President Gilbert W. Blaisdell won the
runoff election for the position of Region I vice president.
Blaisdell defeated New Hampshire Federation State Legislative Chair
Stephen J. Shurtleff by a vote of 249 (52 percent) to 226 (48 percent).
The runoff was necessary when none of the four candidates running for
Region I vice president received the necessary 50 percent plus 1 in
yesterday’s voting.
Blaisdell joined the other nine regional vice presidents and the four
national officers in being sworn in by National President Margaret L.
Baptiste.
Prior to that, the four national officers offered acceptance remarks.
National President-elect Joseph A. Beaudoin thanked the delegates for
electing him, and also thanked the delegates at the 2008 convention in
Louisville for not abolishing the office of National Vice President, the
position he’s held the past two years. And he said he accepted the
second highest NARFE office – the highest being the members.
National Vice President-elect Paul H. Carew and National Secretary-elect
Elaine Hughes focused their remarks on thanking family, colleagues,
friends and mentors for helping them achieve their positions.
National Treasurer-elect Charles W. Saylor went to the microphone wearing
a red hat. As he closed his remarks, he removed the red hat, representing
red ink in the national budget, and replaced it with a black hat, for the
black ink he hoped to provide.
The convention then heard from Steve Bauer, executive director of the
Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund (FEEA), who informed
delegates that $1,006,797 has been distributed to NARFE members
since 1996 when the Association started its scholarship and disaster
assistance programs, administered by FEEA. David Snell, director of
NARFE’s Retirement Benefits Service Department, announced that Barbara
H. Munroe of Talladega, AL, was selected to receive NARFE’s 2010
National Service Officer of the Year Award.
Be
It Resolved...
Delegates approved four resolutions under new business. The first
obligates committee chairs at future conventions to explain the method and
rationale used to arrive at their recommendations. The second provides
NARFE’s support for a U. S. Postal Service “semi-postal”
(fundraising stamp) for Alzheimer’s research. The third directs
Headquarters to leave the “bill me” option on membership applications.
And the fourth requires NARFE to offer chapters and federations the option
of continuing to receive reports on paper rather than electronically.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 2, 2010 FOR MORE INFORMATION: Dan Adcock 703-838-7760
FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENT AND HEALTH BENEFITS REMAIN UNSCATHED IN OBAMA BUDGET
Margaret Baptiste, President of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), said today she was pleased that President Obama’s budget for fiscal year (FY) 2011 does not recommend any reductions in the earned retirement and health security of federal annuitants and workers. In addition, NARFE's President lauded the Administration's decision to renew traditional support for pay parity between federal civilian employees and military personnel. However, Baptiste said she was concerned about a plan to force onto the retirement rolls federal workers sidelined by workplace injuries or illnesses and currently receiving workers’ compensation.
“This is the first step on a long path to writing the 2011 budget and we are relieved that there are no plans to cut civil service retirement and health benefits. Still, we remain concerned that federal workers and annuitants could be in the crosshairs of a targeted effort to reduce deficits which have exploded as a result of actions unrelated to civil service pay and benefits," she said.
“Many lawmakers have called for sacrifice and responsibility as the nation grapples with unparalleled economic upheaval and an unprecedented $1.4 trillion budget deficit and $11 trillion national debt. Patriotic federal workers and annuitants want to do their part, but not if it means they are singled out for budget cuts while others are not asked to make similar sacrifices,” Baptiste said.
“However, we are happy that the Administration has proposed restoring equity between federal civilian and military personnel by recommending that both groups receive the same pay increase in 2011. Pay parity is an important acknowledgement that civilians and uniformed military personnel often work side-by-side in defense of our country,” Baptiste said. “While we recognize that times are tough, it will be especially difficult for lower income civilian employees and military personnel to pay higher living expenses on the proposed 1.4 percent raise.”
In addition, NARFE applauded the Administration’s suggestion that older Americans who received no COLA in 2010 be offered a one-time payment of $250. When the Administration first endorsed this proposal in October 2009, it was argued that federal, state and local government retirees who are not eligible to receive Social Security should also be offered relief. Baptiste said NARFE will work with Congressional leaders and the Administration to ensure that all retired public employees receive equivalent compensation.
The President’s budget recommends that Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) benefits for future participants be replaced at age 65 by annuities paid through the federal retirement system. Although current FECA beneficiaries would not be affected, NARFE is concerned that the benefits of future recipients could be unfairly reduced under the proposal to move them from workers’ compensation into the retirement system.
Finally, President Baptiste thanked the Administration for reaffirming the government’s commitment to modernization of the retirement system, an initiative which, once implemented, would shorten the average time taken to authorize Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuity payments.
On May 20, 2009 a party was held by Chapter 154 in honor of
Art Hansen receiving The NARFE Service Officer Award.
Pictured from Left to Right: President Chapter 154 Fran C.,
Art Hansen, Federation President Catherine Nasin.
Pictured at a meeting in Congressman Larson's office,
Clockwise from Left; Ray Poet (Chapter 154 Legislative Officer),
Paul Blanchette (Chapter 154 Vice-President),
Lisa Peronne, David Sitcovsky, John Rossi.
Click here to see the Photos from the 2008 National Convention.
NEW Click
here to see photos
from the 2009 Legislative Training Conference.
