Greetings to all retirees and retirees-in-training. That’s what we retirees call active members, not yet retired. As the vice-chair of the union’s retirees chapter and one of the editors of the retirees’ newsletter, Turning The Page, I want all PSC retirees to join our chapter and all active members to know we exist and join when they retire. Now you may be thinking, “Why should I?” or “How do I join?” or “Leave me alone, I’m busy.”
Retirees have been active in protecting retiree health benefits (Credit: Scott Heins).
First, why you should join: The PSC is one of the few municipal unions in New York City that includes a retirees chapter within the union proper. Retirees participate in many of its committees, official activities, and governance, and support its contract campaigns. And it’s a good thing, too, because we are the best chapter ever. No other chapter has as much experience or as deep a perspective as we do. And let’s be practical, no other chapter has members with as much time as ours do to attend meetings and demonstrations, lobby elected officials and volunteer for campaigns.
The retirees chapter has been at the forefront of the PSC fight to retain our Social Security and traditional Medicare, benefits we earned throughout our careers. Don’t you want to join that fight to make sure the Social Safety Net is there throughout your golden years? The retirees chapter members are close to 3,000 strong. We are loud—and we have lots of time to campaign and vote. And, even though we no longer work on the campuses, we still have a stake in the public university we all helped to build. The PSC works every day to keep CUNY standing—physically, academically, and morally.
The chapter is also a source of fellowship. We have a reading group, discussing books of political and social significance, an anti-racism committee, discussing pertinent books and films, and a social safety net committee, working to defend Medicare and other programs. Our chapter meetings, held online via Zoom, are attended by over one hundred members and feature speakers addressing a variety of interesting and important topics.
So now you are thinking, “Okay, so now that we all know how wonderful the retirees chapter is, what’s the problem, why isn’t every retiree a member?” The problem is that when members retire, they think they are members of the retirees chapter simply because they were members of the union for years. Most eligible full-time employees at CUNY are PSC members and, as you know, to become a union member, you have to sign up (on a yellow card or online); then active members have their dues (1.05% of wages for full-timers and 1.00% for part-timers) deducted directly from their paychecks. However, when you retire, you go off payroll and no longer receive wages.
So, you have to join the retirees chapter and pay a flat rate dues directly to the PSC ($85 for full-timers and $40 for part-timers).
So, now retirees are thinking, “Alright, I am sold. I want to remain a union member in retirement. I want to get the retirees newsletter and the email communications from the retirees chapter so that I can stay informed. Let me shut this woman up and join the retirees chapter. How do I join?” Just go to the website at: https://psc-cuny.org/join-retirees-chapter-test/
To retirees-in-training, especially those presently on Travia leave or with plans to retire soon: remember, as soon as you are off payroll, you need to join the retirees chapter.
This brings us to our third excuse, “Leave me alone, I’m busy.” Yes, there are many more pressing decisions, tasks, and paperwork that need your attention when you first retire.“Re-joining” the union seems a low priority. “I’ll get around to it later,” you think. But we all know how one month leads to another, and how one year leads to another. And as any retiree will tell you, you are busier in retirement than ever before.
The retirees chapter helps its members with lots of information and support. So, as soon as eligible upon retirement, join us. And to those a bit further away from retirement, remember us when the time comes. We are the mighty, mighty retirees chapter.
Diane Menna is the vice-chair of the PSC retiree’s chapter.
Published: April 24, 2026
