The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-12-22
The Teachers Retirement Law

amendment teachers retirement will
be sought in the coming session of the Montana legislature
This amendment will propose that the principle of employer
employee relationship which the Federal Security
Act based shall be applied the teachers retirement
the state that that the teacher shall certain percent
of his her salary into the retirement funds the dis
ct shall make certain contribution also based the salary
paid The amendment proposed provides for the by
the teacher of five cent of his her salary 1000
into the fund.- the employing district to three and onehaf
per cent.
AS the law present the teacher pays the fund
but the legislature must be asked each biennum for an
praon meet the needs of the retirement fund For the
past several this appropriation has been conrove
sa question and be safely asserted that the time will
and maybe the next session when appropriation will
be made took possible and intensive lobby
ing by the teachers the last session get the needed
praton through.
published week. official from James
D. Graham president of the Montana Federation of Labor adj
dressed to local affiliated unions asking them to oppose the
proposed amendment to the retirement act Mr. Grahams
the amendment that
enactment into law might be hardship small districts
and might bring about reduction in the salary paid the teach
prevent deserved increase
1t is regrettable that Mr. Graham takes this attitude
While with him that the state funds at the present
time sufficiently large that would work hardship
state finances presently available think he
has overlooked the important consideration and that ge
ting the funds appropriated
Mr.. Graham is hardly tyro when it to dealing
with legislative assemblies and might be only fair to ask
him he willing, his past experiences with the legislature
considered guarantee that each and legislative
bly, will be ready and willing to appropriate 225OOO or any
like for this social security similar
he is not willing to do this enterans doubt that this
will be DONE then what the alternative which he has to ofer
1t is historical that agency which has to before
congress before legislative assemblies
operation does not know from another whether it
going such funds not whether going to
This not be bad for ordinary governmental
agencies but when agency the purposes of which
posed to constitute of social security must depend
the whms of legislative assembly, becomes only grim
Joke and the setting forth its beed places
big portentous eff" at the head of its program
thirty years the teachers have been trying secure
support for workable satisfactory teachers retirement
The first law passed in 1915, amended in 1927 and
1887 using the first two laws their accumua
of funds the basis for the law During all of
this time the teachers have been attempting obtain funds
make the retirement law permanent and adequately
financed
No appropriation of funds for the teachers retire
ment agency made prior to 1887 At that time small
appropriation made from moneys derived from the state
liquor monopoly Since then appropriations have been made
each bennum but the teachers know at what cost of
and effort Ask of those who have worked night and day
any appropriation there security for them
under present conditions
We optimistic enough to believe that the school boards
will oppose and will find to pay the share of the
retirement fund which will place sound basis We be-
eve that the great majority of the school boards will not
their district for this for cutting
of teachers refusing reasonable increases conditions
being they is well enough known that there
emily shortage of teacher and probably will be for
to bring any recactrant school boards to time.
We believe that the proposed amendment merits the
port of all of the people of the state