Tier 6 reforms have passed!
As a result of thousands of us standing together this school year, Albany took a major step forward in correcting the injustice of Tier 6. For educators in Tier 6, the retirement age is now lowered from 63 to 58 after 30 years of service. This is five more years of retirement and will save our educators up to $45,000 compared to what they would have had to contribute over that period, while they will also earn more than $425,000 in pension payments between the ages of 58-63.
This is a BIG deal and shows that real progress is possible when we mobilize together. But the work is not done — we’re going to keep fighting for 55/30 and more reforms. These fights for equity are at the heart of our union. Let’s be proud of what we’ve achieved and remain committed to accomplishing more in the months and years ahead!
Read President Michael Mulgrew's statement on the state budget and Tier 6 pension reform »
Our fight in '26
It’s been over 13 years since Tier 6 was added to the New York state pension system. Since then, over 50,000 UFT members in Tier 6 have earned a reduced pension compared to earlier tiers. That’s why we’re fighting to fix Tier 6 in ‘26.
While Tier 6 provides a financially secure retirement, it is not as beneficial as previous tiers. Read our Fixing Tier 6 FAQ to learn more »
Thanks to our advocacy, we’ve already begun improving Tier 6 by:
- Changing the final average salary calculation to match Tier 4, resulting in a higher pension benefit upon retirement.
- Dropping the vesting period from ten to five years to match Tier 4, guaranteeing a pension benefit for 85,000 Tier 6 members.
Our “6” Days campaign
Thousands of UFT members packed the MVP Arena in Albany on March 8 – on a Sunday. The reverberations of what union power and solidarity mean were felt across the state. That is not an exaggeration. We started back in December and we made it visible, then we made it human, and finally, we made it LOUD.
Our work has been seen and heard: Legislators showed up to our rally pledging their support for fixing Tier 6. The state Senate and Assembly just included Tier 6 reforms in their budget proposals.
- Check out our Fix Tier 6 Toolkit for more information and materials.
Our priorities
See the crucial issues we're focusing on in our fight to Fix Tier 6 in '26.
Use our toolkit
Get access to campaign materials to help you spread the word.
Share our message
Use our flyer to tell others about the importance of these reforms.
Why does this matter?
- Fixing Tier 6 is about solidarity and fairness
We deserve the same retirement security as previous generations. - Fixing Tier 6 is about keeping talented educators in the classroom and recruiting new educators into the profession
Forcing younger members into a lesser pension system undervalues our profession. Our work is important. Our pensions should reflect that. - Students lose when their educators don’t stay
- Fixing Tier 6 is about unity and power
When we stand together in solidarity, we have power.
2026 is our year and this will take all of us
- Join our Fix Tier 6 Campaign and show that your school is in for the fight!
- Read our Fix Tier 6 FAQ to learn more
- Use the Fix Tier 6 toolkit for additional resources
- View the UFT's Fix Tier 6 presentation
- Share the Fix Tier 6 message with other UFT members
- Donate to COPE, UFT's voluntary, non-partisan political action fund. Your donations help us get our message out to lawmakers so we can make change!