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You've Got Your 30 -- Now Get Out
By Erika D. White
Okay! I’ve said it!! But let me back up a little before I continue. If you have over 30 years, please read at your own risk; but I sincerely hope you will continue to read further. As the uncertainty of our economy, drastic layoffs, corporate greed, wars (and rumors of wars), child kidnappings, and Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake’s break-up seem to consume the headlines, many Americans are simply hoping nothing else bad will happen. Many employees here are checking seniority lists and commenting, “Why don’t THEY retire?” There seems to be this huge gap between people with 20 or less years of service, and those with 30 or more. Generation X, by which I refer to others and myself with less than 20 years, is uncertain if we will even see 30 years. Generation Sandwich, those with 20 to 29 years of service, is just hoping to just get to 30. And Generation Sitting Bull, those with 30 or more years of service, will retire when they feel like it. Every time SIPP papers are handed out, many Generation X and Generation Sandwich employees cheer silently when a Generation Sitting Bull accepts the offer. And even before “I’s” are dotted and “T’s” are crossed, they are checking the old seniority lists only to find there are still Sitting Bulls a-sitting and new Sitting Bulls (from Generation Sandwich) are soon to be added! Soon after, the grumbling starts again…why don’t they just retire? I wrote this article for two reasons. One is for us, I hope, to just be able to chuckle and think of something less depressing than the current state of affairs; and two, to bring to light an issue that many union members discuss regularly. I took the time to ask some of the Sitting Bulls just that question – why don’t you retire? I realized there were issues I had never thought about that keep them here. Here are a few: "ain’t ready" (a direct quote), too young, enjoy what they are doing, not financially able, young children still at home or in college, and the uncertainty in the economy. Many members with 30 years or more were hired right out of high school, and unless they flunked a couple of times, are well under 55. Couple that with economic uncertainty…or poor retirement planning…and many union employees across the country are working well past 30 years of service. If it weren’t for strong unions, companies would be able to try to force older employees out, or place restrictions on pensions if employees stayed past 30 years. Every employee has the right to retire when they are ready. And though we are waiting for Generation Sitting Bull to go, if and when we are lucky enough to assume that title, we will want the same choice -- to go when we are ready.
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