You spent your career shaping the minds and futures of countless students, and now it’s our turn to support you. Together, we are stronger.
Our strength lies in our collective voice and in the development of partnerships with provincial and national organizations like government, political parties, the Manitoba Teachers’ Society, the Teachers’ Retirement Allowance Fund (TRAF), the Manitoba School Boards Association, the Manitoba Seniors Coalition and ACER-CART.
As part of our advocacy efforts, we strive to:
- Inform members about pension issues and changes, including the annual cost-of-living allowance (COLA)
- Conduct research and coordinate positions with other organizations on emergent issues
- Inform members of the public about ongoing issues such as Pharmacare
- Advocate for the future appointment of an RTAM member to the TRAF board
- Work with local chapters to lobby locally and assist in provincial campaigns
- Advocate for a better informed public on retired teacher issues
RTAM Requests for Action
As part of our ongoing efforts, we aim to drive meaningful change and address pressing issues that impact our community.
Our requests for action:
- RTAM requests a seat on the Pension Review Task Force when it convenes. This group has the power to impact all of those already retired and those currently contributing to TRAF. RTAM needs to have a seat at the table and a voice in those deliberations.
- Advocate that the province brings TRAF account B to fully funded status and increase funding available to the Pension Adjustment Account (PAA) to help fund a COLA. The issues are complex and the solutions could require significant investment from the government, but the longer it takes to address the concerns related to accounts B and the PAA, the more expensive it becomes to both the government and Manitoba taxpayers, and the more inflation erodes pensions and quality of life.
- Continue to advocate for an improved COLA and other inflation-fighting strategies to enhance pensioners’ financial health. These improvements should be for all members, but a special focus needs to be on individuals receiving a pension amount below the "poverty line" for the province of Manitoba.
- RTAM needs to press for adequate funding and programming from government for:
- a. Hospitals (includes but not limited to emergency departments, admissions, nurses and other staffing)
- b. Home care supports (improved staffing) that will help seniors remain in their own homes for longer periods of time
- c. Long-term care facilities that require proper staffing, government supervision and reporting to the public on a regular basis
- Establish a seat for RTAM on the Ministers Council of Education Stakeholders
How to Get Involved
Together, we can make a tangible difference. Join our advocacy efforts to ensure a better present and future for all of our retired teachers.
