Florida - legislature proposes pension reforms...once again, a two-tiered plan (unlike Ohio's proposals) not affecting current actives OR retirees

From John Curry, March 26, 2010

Pension plans: HB 1319 would require all public employees hired after July 1, 2011, to pay 1 percent of their salary for pension plans. Would exclude overtime, leave and other non-salary compensation from pension benefit calculations. Would do away with DROP by averaging compensation over an entire career rather than highest of five years. For workers hired after July 1, 2011, would raise retirement age from 62 to 65 and allow full retirement benefits after 33 years instead of the current 30 years.

Pension plans: SB 660, HB 413 would limit the option of enrolling in the state pension plan to employees employed before Jan. 1, 2011.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/unions-say-these-bills-would-harm-the-states-456390.html

Unions say these bills would harm the state's workers By Dara Kam

The Palm Beach Post, March 26, 2010

Pay cuts: PCB CEED 10-02 would impose 3 percent salary cuts for all state workers, including university personnel. Would give agency heads the option of layoffs or demotions instead of across-the-board salary cuts.

Pension plans: HB 1319 would require all public employees hired after July 1, 2011, to pay 1 percent of their salary for pension plans. Would exclude overtime, leave and other non-salary compensation from pension benefit calculations. Would do away with DROP by averaging compensation over an entire career rather than highest of five years. For workers hired after July 1, 2011, would raise retirement age from 62 to 65 and allow full retirement benefits after 33 years instead of the current 30 years.

Pension plans: SB 660, HB 413 would limit the option of enrolling in the state pension plan to employees employed before Jan. 1, 2011.

Teacher pay: SB 6, PCB TP 10-02 would do away with teacher tenure and base educators' salaries on student performance.

Collective bargaining: SB 610, HB 4117 would give constitutional officers — sheriffs, tax collectors, property appraisers, supervisors of elections and clerks of court — the final say in contract negotiations at an impasse by taking away the current third-party decision-makers such as county commissions.

Prison privatization: SB 2070: Would shut down three state-run prisons, costing at least 600 state correction workers their jobs.

Right to vote by secret ballot: SB 2704 would ask voters to decide whether the state constitution should be amended to guarantee the right to vote by secret ballot in union votes as well governmental elections.

Class-size reduction: SJR 2, HJR 7039 would ask voters to decide whether to relax the class-size limits approved by voters in 2002. This would put more students in each teacher's classroom.

Collective bargaining: One of House Speaker Larry Cretul's priorities is a ballot question asking voters to do away with collective bargaining except for public safety and health workers. It has not been filed as a bill, but could come out of a committee as a committee bill.