Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans

09/30/2026

Today we held our Quad Cities Chapter Regional Conference at Plumber and Pipefitters Local 25 in Rock Island. Unfortunately our afternoon session had to be cancelled due to a neighborhood power outage but we are looking at scheduling those speakers for a zoom event in the future!

Thank you to all who came out in the rain to learn about labor history, social security, care, and more! And thanks for Rep Gregg Johnson for spending part of the day with us!

09/29/2026

Our Central Illinois Chapter President Stephanie S. Tabled at a Senior expo today!

Did you know you can become an individual member of the Alliance for just $10 per year? You don’t have to be a Union retiree to join. We are open to everyone!

Checkout our website for more information.

Illinois.retiredamericans.org

09/28/2026

Meta, the corporation that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, made $16 billion from scam and banned-goods ads in 2024. Meanwhile, Americans lose an estimated $148.2 billion to online scams every year.

This Wednesday, September 30, a new coalition that includes the Alliance – called United to Stop Online Scams – will launch with a National Day of Action. The coalition is working to protect Americans of all ages from Artificial Intelligence and Tech-enabled online scams and fraud.

You will hear from people who have experienced online scams, and from Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC) who has introduced new legislation to combat the problem.

Here are the details:

What: National Day of Action National Webinar, 12 PM cst

When: Wednesday, September 30

We can fight back.

Register here: https://usos-prod.pages.dev/

09/24/2026

Thank you to all who attended our Central Illinois Chapter Regional Conference yesterday! And much appreciation to IBEW Local 197 for hosting us, as well as to our amazing speakers and presenters:

Illinois State Rep Sharon Chung
Mike Matejka, Illinois Labor History Society
Blake Chausse, Normal Firefighters
Nick Yelverton, Illinois Federation of Teachers
Kathryn Johnson and Susan Real, ECIAAA
Andrew Franson, ISU Student and activist
Linda Capato, Caring Across Generations, and Maureen Dunn, Alliance for Retired Americans.

We had approximately 50 people in attendance and everyone learned new things and engaged with new people!

Part 2 in Rock Island next Wednesday! September 30th. Have you registered yet?

09/23/2026

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09/20/2026

Illinois added 24,000 new union members in 2025, following a gain of 27,000 the year before, reaching its highest union membership level since pre-Covid.

The union success rate for new organizing drives was 51% in Illinois and we organized more union members from 2022 through 2025 (22,000 new members) than the previous seven years combined (16,500 new members).

Illinois’ union membership rate is now 13 percent, which is the 12th -highest share in the United States. Union membership rates in Illinois exceed the national average across the board, including by age, gender, race and ethnicity, veteran status, education, industry, and occupation.

Unions boost worker earnings by 11 percent in Illinois, the 5th -highest union advantage in the nation.

The United States added 411,000 union members, the most since 2008 (427,000 members), and the national unionization rate ticked up to 10 percent.

There is a lot to be said about the amazing work being done in the labor movement to organize work places. Congratulations to everyone who has singed their union card this year!

*Stats from Frank Manzo IV, M.P.P. and Robert Bruno, Ph.D. in their State of the Unions 2026 report.

09/19/2026

You’re Invited: National Day of Action to Stop Online Scams

Every year, Americans lose an estimated $148.2 billion to online scams. That’s an average of $1,009 per household. Meanwhile, corporations are raking in huge profits. Researchers project that Meta made $16 billion from scam and banned-goods ads in 2024 alone.

On September 30, a new coalition that includes the Alliance – called United to Stop Online Scams – will launch with a National Day of Action.

This coalition is working to protect Americans of all ages, and particularly older Americans, from AI and Tech enabled online scams and fraud.

Please join us at an in-person or online event to learn more about how you can help stop scammers and hold corporations accountable.

Register here: https://unitedtostoponlinescams.org/

09/19/2026

This National Voter Registration Week, it’s more important than ever to make sure that working Americans and retirees are prepared to cast their ballots in November. Confirm that you are registered and where your current polling place is so you can make a plan to vote as soon as possible.

Have you moved, changed your name, or you’re just not sure of the status of your voter registration? Fill out the form below to check your status.

09/17/2026

🚨 BIG WIN FOR RETIREMENT SECURITY: The CLARITY Act failed in the Senate yesterday! 🚨

And make no mistake: AFSCME retirees helped fight back by making over 1,000 phone calls and sending over 2,200 letters to their Senators!

For generations, working people have fought for the simple promise that after a lifetime of work, you should be able to retire with dignity and security.

Your pension isn’t play money.

Your 401(k) isn’t a casino chip.

And your retirement shouldn’t be treated like another opportunity for Wall Street and the crypto industry to make a buck.

That’s why AFSCME retirees and our allies raised the alarm about the CLARITY Act and what AFSCME warned it could mean for workers’ retirement savings.

And yesterday, the bill failed to advance in the U.S. Senate.

AFSCME President Patrick Moran called the vote “a major victory for retirees and all working people who want to retire with dignity.”

He’s right.

Retirees know better than most that retirement security isn’t something that was simply handed to working people. We organized for it. We bargained for it. We fought for it. And we’re going to defend it.

Congress should be focused on making life more affordable, protecting Social Security and Medicare, strengthening pensions and helping working families save enough to actually retire — not putting workers’ hard-earned retirement savings at greater risk.

The crypto lobby may have deep pockets.

But retirees have something pretty powerful, too: a lifetime of experience organizing, fighting back and refusing to stay quiet when our retirement security is on the line.

Yesterday was a win.

Today, the fight to protect retirement security continues. ✊💚

Our pensions are for retirement — not a crypto casino.

09/10/2026

We have TWO free conferences coming up this month in Bloomington and Rock Island! Check out the final lineup for the schedules and make sure you register so we can reserve lunch for you!

Register for Bloomington, Sept 23: https://actionnetwork.org/events/central-illinois-2026-regional-conference?source=direct_link&

Register for Rock Island Sept 30th: https://actionnetwork.org/events/quad-cities-2026-regional-conference?source=direct_link&