Posted: Monday, 4 July 2011

On July 4, columnist Brian Jones wrote in The Telegram (St. John’s) that unions are “lagging” when it comes to advocating for improvements to the Canada Pension Plan. That is not true and CLC President Ken Georgetti wrote to the newspaper to set the record straight.

Letter to the Editor
St. John's Telegram

Brian Jones writes that unions are lagging in their support to improve the Canada Pension Plan (Pain and Pensions, July 4). Not so. Unions have been calling for an improved CPP for many years, understanding the benefit level is set too low to offer most Canadians a decent pension after a lifetime of work. Indeed, we held a news conference with the mayor of St. John's just last year, covered by this newspaper, in support of our campaign to improve the CPP. It's because of work like this with politicians at every level of government that even some Conservatives recognize that CPP benefits need to improve. If they don’t, future taxpayers will face increased burdens as the government will be forced to increase payments under the Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement programs to help seniors who have inadequate pensions. That's why Canada's unions have been solidly behind improving the CPP so that today's young people have a better chance to retire in dignity.

Ken Georgetti
President, Canadian Labour Congress