AFSCME Texas Retirees, Chapter 12
Texas Retirees fighting for a secure retirement for all retired state employees in Texas
For decades, we dedicated our careers to making Texas stronger, safer, and healthier. Now, we’re calling on lawmakers to prioritize the needs of those who served this state.
In the 90th legislative session in 2027, we have two primary goals:
Securing a 13th check for retired public employees.
Achieving a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the 130,000-plus Texans who earned Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) pensions.
It’s been more than 20 years since ERS recipients have seen any enhancement to their retirement benefits. During this time, the rising cost of living has steadily eroded retirees’ purchasing power. Meanwhile, Texas has experienced economic growth, a booming population, and significant modernization — all made possible by the efforts of public employees during their careers.
In 2021, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 321, strengthening the ERS pension plan by providing $510 million in additional annual funding during the next 30 years.
This was a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done. That's why AFSCME attends ERS meetings, testifies at legislative hearings, endorses candidates, engages with the media, and meets with lawmakers to advocate for retirees' needs.
Join us in this crucial fight by becoming a member or taking action.
Featured Blog Posts
Election season has arrived in Texas, bringing a simple but powerful question: Who will stand up for the retirees and workers who spent their lives serving our communities?
The people elected to public office make decisions that directly impact our benefits and the future of public employee retirement security. Retirees bring a unique voice to the ballot box, shaped by decades of public service. When we vote, we protect what we have earned.
On a cold evening in April 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stepped onto the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was there for one reason: to stand with workers who had decided they could no longer accept injustice as the price of earning a living.
The sanitation workers of Memphis, represented by AFSCME, were mostly Black men doing some of the city’s most dangerous work. They labored long hours for poverty wages, often without proper safety equipment. Many were routinely demeaned and addressed as “boy.” When two workers were crushed to death by a malfunctioning garbage truck, something shifted. The workers walked off the job.
2025 was a year marked by action, connection, and steady determination for AFSCME Texas Retirees.
Throughout the year, retirees showed up across Texas and beyond. Members took part in legislative hearings, ERS fairs, community events, marches, and town halls, ensuring retiree voices were present wherever decisions were being discussed. From local gatherings to statewide advocacy, retirees remained engaged and visible in the fight for fair treatment and retirement security.
Labor Day is right around the corner, and across Texas communities are gathering to celebrate workers, solidarity, and the holiday weekend. Here’s a roundup of some of the key events happening in Austin, Dallas, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Conroe, Denton, and Tyler.
During the 89th legislative session, the Texas House overwhelmingly approved HB 886 – which would have provided a 13th check to retired state employees - but it never even came to a vote in the Senate.
Last week, U.S. Representative Greg Casar hosted a Town Hall in his home district of Austin, spotlighting threats to Medicaid, Medicare, and other essential programs that millions of retirees rely on.
Our message to lawmakers has been consistent and clear: Retired state employees spent their careers making Texas safer, stronger, and healthier. It’s time for the state to honor that commitment, just as it has for retired teachers, by approving this modest but much-needed benefit.
For more than two decades, Texas state retirees have been waiting for a well-deserved pension increase. Since 2001—when Rick Perry was in his first months as governor—retirees have gone without a boost to their pensions, even as the cost of living has skyrocketed by 78%. The rising cost of essentials like food, housing, and healthcare has made it harder than ever for retirees to make ends meet.
That’s why AFSCME Texas Retirees is fighting at the Capitol to demand action.
After more than 20 years without a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), some retired state employees will see a small increase in their pension checks starting in January 2025.
AFSCME Texas members have proudly endorsed labor champion Colin Allred to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate.
Early voting marks a crucial moment for retirees across the state. In the face of challenges at the Texas Capitol and beyond, we must recognize the power we hold in our hands — the power to vote.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we come together to celebrate more than just a day on the calendar. Dr. King, who fought for racial equality and justice, also understood the pivotal role of unions and the labor movement in advancing these noble causes.