Keep up-to-date with the latest newsletter from ORTA. In this issue, you will find:
Update from the Executive Director
Feature: Southeast Region Liaison
STRS Candidate Screening Questionnaires
New Employment Opportunities
Discounted Tickets
STRS News
STRS approved an increase to the benefits of thousands of retirees at the March STRS meeting. Each retiree that is eligible (those that have been retired at least 5 years) will receive an increase of 3% of their original retirement benefit. This increase is permanent. Your new benefit going forward will be your benefit for the remainder of your life or until STRS changes this amount. STRS will look at increases annually, however, there are no promises to increase benefits after the 2%. The increase will occur on your retirement date anniversary. STRS also removed the age 60 requirement for full benefits. People can now retire after 35 years of service at any age.
ORTA recognizes that the increase is small when compared to what we were promised, however, we are proud to have been a large part of the pressure that forced STRS into increasing our benefit. From the beginning, ORTA opposed the loss of COLA. ORTA has been a voice for retirees and active educators in Ohio since 1947 working to protect and improve our pension. Certainly, this increase is a victory, but ORTA is not done fighting for our pension. ORTA will continue to advocate through any mean possible including:
Providing information
Working with legislators like Senator Tressa Fedor (sponsor of Senate bill 280)
Educating STRS Board members
Helping elect STRS board members that will ask questions and not simply be a rubber stamp for STRS management
Forcing STRS to become transparent with information related to investments
Meet Southeast Region Liaison: Don Ullmann
In 2011, I ended a forty-eight-year career at Shenandoah High School in the Noble Local School District in the rural area of Noble County near the small town of Sarahsville. My entire career consisted of my years at Shenandoah serving as a teacher for ten years, high school principal for 29 years and finishing my career as a transportation supervisor. After retiring I joined ORTA and became involved with the work of this organization. My reason for involvement was to help the organization grow and help serve its members by being a ‘voice’ addressing the issues related to the retired teacher community. Sometimes change is needed, and I am an advocate of thinking outside the box.” Together, we have seen several changes for the better the last few years at ORTA. Retirees need to know about what ORTA is doing...
Click link below to read more
STRS Candidate Screening Questionnaires
ORTA has a vested interest in who serves on the STRS Board pf Trustees. The purpose of this questionnaire is to help ORTA determine whether to ‘endorse’ candidates for election to the STRS board. Retirees do not vote on active member elections but may choose to endorse candidates to our active educator members.
Please take time to review the candidate questionnaires. Full responses were in the email and can be found at the link below.
Employment
ORTA receives opportunities from employers and organizations seeking retirees for paid and volunteer positions to share with our membership. If interested, contact the number(s) listed.
LifeLong Learning – Several positions for full time and part-time teachers. Flex positions in East Cleveland area.
Contact Ivan Vazquez: (323) 326-9845
Boomshoft SOM at Wright State University - Seeking a person to work in the Medical Education Learning Center. Contact Ife Shafeek at 937-775-2625
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