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Michael Thurston is the Social Studies Department chair at Winslow High School and has been a public-school teacher for 40 years. Thurston was elected by his Maine Education Association colleagues to serve on the Nation Education Association’s board of directors from 2011-2017.
For decades, public servants like me — teachers, firefighters and police officers — have been unfairly penalized by two obscure provisions in the Social Security Act: the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). These provisions reduced or outright denied Social Security benefits that many of us earned through secondary jobs or spousal benefits. But finally, thanks to the passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, that injustice has been rectified.
As a public school teacher who spent seven years on the National Education Association board of directors advocating for this very legislation, I can attest to the monumental significance of this achievement. Year after year, we presented data, shared stories from affected workers and pleaded with lawmakers to address the harm caused by these provisions.
For too long, our calls went unanswered. But now, a long-overdue wrong has been righted, and millions of public sector workers can breathe a sigh of relief.
The GPO and WEP were enacted decades ago with the intent of preventing individuals from “double-dipping” into both public pensions and Social Security (I’ve always wondered why it was referred to as double-dipping after someone has earned both benefits). However, the practical effect of these provisions was to penalize public servants who dedicated their lives to community service. For example, under the GPO, many surviving spouses have been denied Social Security spousal or survivor benefits — a lifeline for countless families. Meanwhile, the WEP reduced Social Security benefits for those who worked jobs outside their public employment to supplement their income, or who worked for several years in a job that did not pay into the state retirement system before changing careers.
For teachers like me, the repeal of these provisions is nothing short of life changing. I’ve seen many colleagues work second jobs to make ends meet, or colleagues who came to Maine after teaching in another state for several years suddenly discover that their Social Security benefits would be significantly reduced because of WEP. I’ve spoken to retirees who, after losing their spouses, were shocked to learn that GPO would wipe out the survivor benefits they had counted on; some were even forced out of retirement as a result. This repeal ensures that the years of hard work and dedication of public employees will no longer be punished by an outdated and unfair system.
Together with my colleagues at the Maine Education Association and National Education Association, we advocated for something that changes the lives of millions of Americans — including more than 25,000 retired Mainers. This victory would not have been possible without all of our collective, continued advocacy and commitment.
This victory would also not have been possible without Sen. Susan Collins. Throughout her time in Congress, Collins has been a steadfast advocate for public servants. She listened to our stories, understood the real-world impact of GPO and WEP, and worked tirelessly to build bipartisan support for the Social Security Fairness Act. Her leadership and perseverance were instrumental in turning this long-fought dream into a reality. For that, we owe her our deepest gratitude.
The repeal of GPO and WEP is more than just a legislative victory; it is a recognition of the invaluable contributions of America’s public servants. It is a promise that our work, sacrifices and dedication to our communities will no longer be met with financial penalties in retirement.
To my fellow teachers, first responders and all public employees who have waited so long for this moment: This is your victory. And to Collins and the bipartisan coalition in Congress who made it happen: Thank you for standing with us. Together, we’ve ensured a fairer, more just retirement system for countless hardworking Americans.
