SOCIAL SECURITY SURVIVORS BENEFIT

WHEREAS, the new Social Security laws include a provision that eliminates the survivor's benefits if the survivor is the primary recipient of a public employee pension; and

WHEREAS, this elimination of survivor's benefits only affects workers in the public sector and is, therefore, discriminatory in that it makes public employees second class citizens; and

WHEREAS, a contributor to Social Security provides, through his/her payments, the survivor's benefits, the purpose of which has been to financially assist a spouse in the event of the contributor's death and this intention has never changed; and

WHEREAS, this provision of the law becomes effective in January, 1980 and its sole objective is to bolster an ailing Social Security system:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers lobbies for the repeal of the Social Security Provision that eliminates survivors benefits to primary recipients of public employees pensions; and

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers enlists the aid and assistance of the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations and its affiliates in order to retain the equality of all workers in the public and private sectors in terms of all Social Security benefits.