Helping Our Texas Retirees Who Aren’t Actually Retired
Our members may be retired from state service, but many of them are still active in the workforce – even in retirement.
For some of them, it's about giving back to the community or finding fulfillment through continued engagement. We salute their remarkable commitment to Texas.
But many of our other members continue to work due to financial constraints brought on by that stagnant ERS pensions. They’re the reason we keep fighting for retirees at the Texas Capitol, tirelessly pushing for a 13th check and a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).
We recently surveyed our members to shed light on the continued dedication of those who've served the state and the struggles they’ve faced since leaving public service. Here’s what we found:
65 percent of retirees who return to work do so full-time, with the remaining 35 percent opting for part-time roles.
63 percent of working retirees contribute to their family's financial stability.
58 percent of AFSCME members continue to work post-retirement. Perhaps most concerning, 16 percent of respondents have needed public assistance since retiring.
These figures are far from the standards we hold for Texas. They do not reflect the state's values or the legacy we aspire to leave for future generations. As champions of workers' rights, Texas AFSCME is committed to taking action as we head into the next special session.
If you haven't yet participated, we encourage you to complete the survey on working after retirement. Your insights are invaluable in helping us comprehensively understand the challenges our members face. By sharing your experiences, you're contributing to a powerful narrative that can drive positive change.
The survey questions and submission instructions can be found here.
