Do you see any parallels here?

October 27, 2008

Dear employee:

As a result of the reduction of money budgeted for all department areas, we are forced to cut down on our number of retired STRS members. Under this plan, older retirees will be asked to take reduction in their pension, thus permitting the retirement of younger people who can return to work.

Therefore, a program to phase out older retirees by the end of the next fiscal year, will be placed into effect immediately.

This program will be known as xxxx (Severance of Late-Aged Personnel).

Employees who are SLxxxxD will be given the opportunity to look for jobs outside education.

SLxxxxD employees can request a review of their employment records before actual reductions takes place. This review phase of the program will be called xxxxx. (Survey of Capabilities of Retired Elderly Workers).

All employees who have been SLxxxxD and SCxxxxD may file an appeal with STRS.

This appeal is called xxxxx (Study by Higher Authority Following Termination).

Under the terms of the new policy, an employee may be SLxxxD once, SCxxxxD twice, but may be SHxxxxD as many times as STRS deems appropriate.

If an employee follows the above procedure, he/she will be entitled to get: xxxxxx (Half Earnings for Retired Personnel's Early Severance) or xxxx (Combined Lump-sum Assistance Payment).

As Hxxxxx and Cxxx are considered benefit plans, any retiree who has received Hxxxxx or Cxxxx will no longer be SLxxxxD or SCxxxxD by STRS.

STRS wishes to assure the younger retirees who remain on board that the retirement system will continue its policy of training retirees through our: Special High Intensity Training (xxxx).

We take pride in the amount of Sxxx our retirees receive. We have given our retirees more Sxxx than any of the other state retirement systems. If any retiree feels they do not receive enough Sxxx in their retirement, see your counselor. Your counselor is specially trained to make sure you receive all the Sxxx you can stand.

And, once again, thanks for all your years of loyal service with us!

Sincerely,
The former executive directors,
Former board members,
Upper STRS management,
Selected current board members

[Thanks to a retiree for this one]