About PSARA
PSARA Members at the March For Our Lives on March 24
Building Strong Unions: Winning in a Right-to-Work Environment.
On Feb. 26, a large group of PSARA members to took part in a demonstration to voice solidarity with our union brothers and sisters and to voice opposition to the “right to work” plans of the Janus v. AFSCME U.S. Supreme Court case.
On Thursday, March 1, at 11:11 am PSARA members participated in the nation-wide movement of taking moments of silence to stand with immigrants.
Members of the PSARA Climate and Environmental Justice Committee take a moment to show support for the 11 million immigrants in the U.S.
On February 6, PSARA participated in a successful labor summit titled “Building Strong Unions: Winning in a Right-to-Work Environment.”
The summit on February 6 was hosted by the Washington State Labor Council (WSLC) and brought together 500 union leaders, rank-and- file activists, and allies from around the state to learn about the challenges and opportunities presented by the Janus case, now pending at the US Supreme Court, and other right-wing attacks on our right to organize.
Janus v. AFSCME is a lawsuit that could take away our freedom to negotiate union security clauses and fair share requirements for all public employees. The court is expected to issue its decision near the end of June. Read more in this month’s Retiree Advocate.
May Day 2017!
PSARA took part in the rally on March 13 when Republican Congressman Dave Reichert was a keynote speaker at the Conference for Washington Council on International Trade.
Reichert, the empty suit, has refused to hold any public events for his constituents to ask questions and make their voice heard about protecting health care for thousands of Washingtonians. We joined advocates for a rally outside the Washington Trade Conference on Monday morning to demand that Dave Reichert stand up for his constituents and vote NO on all efforts to repeal the benefits of the ACA, oppose the raid on the Medicare Trust Fund to provide tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, and block grant Medicaid!
PSARA members took part in Senior Lobby Day in Olympia on Feb. 23. Sixty PSARA members joined in and attended meetings with their State Representatives and Senators, pressing for support of our legislative agenda.
Robby Stern Addressing the Plenary Session of Senior Lobby Day.
Planning what to say during appointments with legislators.
Chuck Richards and Robby Stern discussing the legislative agenda with PSARA members
PSARA Joins Other Organizations in Signing the Statement of Solidarity from the WA Immigrant Solidarity Network, Jan. 30, 2017
“We, the undersigned organizations and community members, commit to resist President Trump’s recent executive orders on immigration and refugee resettlement.”
Read the complete text of the statement here: Statement of Solidarity
Photographs from the PSARA December Membership Meeting
U.S. Representative Pramilla Jayapal speaking at the membership meeting in December.
Opening the meeting with a song.
Discussion at the membership meeting
Tuesday, April 19 PSARA members and members of several other organizations protested at Zoomcare’s newest Seattle-area clinic in Ballard.
Photo by Garet Munger – April 19
Photo by Garet Munger – April 19
Photo by Garet Munger – April 19
ZoomCare, a new Oregon for-profit clinic network, plans to expand to 16 clinics in King County. They refuse to accept Medicare and Medicaid patients. Their business model is to serve younger and healthier people, putting more pressure on other providers. The next picket will be at the Fremont clinic on Monday, July 11. Join us!
Civic Engagement: It’s Our Middle Name
We’ve been through wars and depressions, presidents decent and lousy, political defeats and victories. We love our country, and we believe the best way to show it is to raise hell about its shortcomings.
Our operating principle was expressed by a wise rabbi nearly two millennia ago: “You are not required to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to abstain from it.”
We are Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action. Civic engagement is our birthright and our middle name. If it’s yours as well, come join us. We need you.
