Bernie Sanders Draws Union Support Pressing Pensions Issue

Senator Bernie Sanders held a news conference Thursday on a bill to restore pension guarantees for thousands of retired union workers.Credit Jim Watson/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/06/18/bernie-sanders-draws-union-support-pressing-pensions-issue/

5:35 PM ET By Eric Lichtblau

With union members chanting “Bernie! Bernie” behind him, Senator Bernie Sanders sought to burnish his populist credentials for president on Thursday as he introduced a bill to protect the pensions of millions of retirees from the threat of deep cuts.

Mr. Sanders railed against a spending bill approved by Congress last December — and signed into law by President Obama — that included a provision allowing certain multiemployer pension plans to make deep cuts in benefits to retirees to shore up their finances.

At a news conference in Washington, Mr. Sanders said the economic system was “rigged” against working-class retirees. With wealthy Americans given tax breaks and myriad financial perks, “the very least that we can do is to keep our promises to people who worked and earned their pensions,” he said.

“We say loudly and clearly that’s not what America is about!” he shouted, jabbing his hand in the air. “Enough is enough!”

FULL story at link.