Welcome to the latest edition of This Week in Pensions! We have gathered the best stories about pensions and retirement security from the previous week. You need to know this news in the fight for a secure retirement.
NPPC News: Want to know what’s happening in state legislatures across the country? Get all the details in our newest blog, Threats and Opportunities: 2025 State Legislative Preview Read about it here!
Michigan bill dispute likely heading to court.
The fight over nine bills yet to be sent to the Michigan governor has reached a new stage. The Detroit Free Press reports that the Senate Majority passed a voice vote to authorize the Senate to pursue a legal strategy forcing the House to send the legislation to the Governor.
Nine bills have been held up by House Speaker Matt Hall, who is calling for a legal review of the lame-duck passed bills. Among these bills is a measure to put corrections officers into the law enforcement pension plan.
While this remains an unprecedented legal situation and is showing clear signs of becoming a protracted fight between the two legislature bodies, the retirement security of Michigan workers hangs in the balance.
Study suggests union membership leads to a longer life.
There may be yet another benefit to working in a labor union. According to a study reported by Phys.org, there may be a correlation between longevity and working in a labor union. The study was conducted by statisticians at the University of Minnesota in conjunction with The Panel Study of Income Dynamics at the University of Michigan, the longest-running, multi-generational survey of its kind conducted on a large scale.
Prior studies have confirmed that unionized workers earn more benefits and higher pay over their lifetimes, but new research indicates they also live longer lives. The study found that the odds of dying decreased by 1.5% per year for union members compared to non-members. This suggests that the benefits of a union job, such as pay, healthcare, and retirement, contribute to healthier, longer lives.
While the study did not specifically cite pensions as a factor in union members’ longer lifespans, with 64% of union workers receiving a traditional defined benefit pension compared to only 11% of nonunion workers, pensions clearly play a large roll.
Bill would let North Dakota state firefighters retire earlier.
Across America, people are grieving and offering support to those affected by the terrible wildfires in Los Angeles. While the tragedy will take a long time to recover from, there is promising news out of North Dakota to support the brave firefighters who protect us from these fires.
North Dakota Monitor reports that House Bill 1112 would allow firefighters to retire ten years early by moving them to the state’s public safety plan. Local firefighters and police officers are already part of this plan, and it would allow them to retire at age 55 rather than 65.
This is critical because not only do firefighters risk their lives whenever they fight a fire, but they also have an increased risk for diseases, such as cancer and emphysema. State Forester Tom Clayes says this change could help with hiring and retention issues. “Unfortunately, in the past five years, we’ve lost over 20 firefighters to other states and federal agencies in western states,” he said. “So the competition for firefighters is very, very fierce.”
Last week, the full House of Representatives voted unanimously to forward House Bill 1112 to the Senate, where it will need to be heard by a committee before advancing to the floor for a vote.
Be sure to check back next Friday for the latest news in the fight for a secure retirement! For now, sign up for NPPC News Clips to receive daily pension news from across the country directly to your inbox.