Suzanne Laird's speech to STRS Board August 19, 2021

From Suzanne Laird

September 17, 2021

Good Morning, Members of MY Board: 

My name is Suzanne Laird, and I retired after more than 30 years. I have been forced to substitute teach for more than 7 years, in order to offset increasingly high healthcare premiums and the lack of a Cost of Living Adjustment. 

This isn’t my first rodeo. I began attending these meetings, when I wasn’t subbing, and 5 years ago, I  gathered my courage to speak. Perhaps, in vain.

In May of 2018, I wore black clothing and stated that I was “in mourning for my COLA.”

Here we are today, many of us in black, and still, no COLA. 

We’re here. We’re here.

And we are not going away. 

You see, we’ve been listening.

These last 15 months, we’ve been listening to the manipulated figures from the consulting firms and the overpaid, bloated investment department.

We’ve been listening as you approved extravagant bonuses.

We’ve been listening to the Health Care Director raise premiums and slash coverage, all the while admitting that the healthcare fund approaches a 200% level.

We’ve been listening to the member research staff claim that their survey showed “most members report positive overall impressions of this Board.” 

Look around: do these members today, look positive? Do all the active teachers, many of whom thought they would be retired by now, seem happy? We took the time to come here — some folks driving 2-3 hours, some paying for hotel rooms last night, some paying for parking today, ALL packing a lunch, just to make sure you understand: we’re listening.

And for every one person you see here today, 10 more are listening, who could not come. 

Now, we’re tired of listening.

We don’t want to hear that our class action lawsuit means nothing.

We don’t want to hear your rebuttal to our crowd-funded, independent audit.

The facts are the facts. 

Stop the bonuses.

Freeze the salaries.

Cut the waste.

Listen.

And then, act.