Administered by Capitol Services, Inc. · Lansing, MI facebook.com/CSRMichigan
About

Who we are & how CSR began

The Coalition for Secure Retirement's mission, goals, and origins.

Mission

Who we are

Groups representing active and retired state and school employees in Michigan have created the Coalition for Secure Retirement, which advocates for the protection of public pensions and retiree health care — issues that have become politicized and controversial at the Michigan State Capitol.

There are nearly 50,000 retired state employees in the State Employees' Retirement System, and over 170,000 in the Michigan Public School Employees' Retirement System. A majority of both state and school retirees receive less than $20,000 a year in pensions, according to the most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.

Services

Services CSR provides

1
Public pension workshops
To update active and retired state and school employees.
2
Monitoring of relevant legislation
And meetings of state employee and school employee retirement boards.
3
Regular quarterly written reports
And timely action alerts to member organizations. Reports are available to members only.
4
Outreach to legislators and state officials
To educate them on the value and appropriateness of public sector pensions, retiree health care, and tax exempt pensions.
5
Press releases
In response to legislation regarding major pension issues.
Constitution

Our goals

An excerpt from our Constitution, Article II: Objectives. The purpose of this organization is to…

  1. Provide a voice on state operated public pension and retirement issues for all active and retired sector employees.
  2. Advance the economic, social, and political well-being of the membership.
  3. Provide a consistent flow of communications through all available means to inform and educate the membership.
  4. Maintain and advance the services provided by the Office of Retirement Services as provided by Public Acts 483, 91 and 57.
  5. Monitor for diligent oversight, management and investments of retirement funds.
History

CSR history

The Coalition for Secure Retirement was created to help protect retirement benefits for state and public school employees — both for retired members receiving them now, and for active employees depending on them for their future. As systems change regarding investments, benefit distribution, and the provision of retiree health care, active and retired state and public school employees need a voice to defend their interests. CSR was founded for that purpose.

CSR was created on the heels of another organization that fought for similar goals: The Retirement Coordinating Council. The creation of CSR marks the resurrection of the goals and ideals of the RCC. Founded by several former members of the RCC — including AFT-Michigan, AFSCME Council 25, and SEIU — CSR once again gives a policy voice to active and retired state and public school employees.