Tier 5/6 victories

A Victory Years in the Making: Tier 5 & 6 Pension Reform Achieved

‍
After years of advocacy, countless meetings, rallies, phone calls, and unwavering determination, New York’s Tier 5 and Tier 6 pension reforms have finally become a reality. This achievement represents one of the most significant victories for public employees in recent memory and is proof that when working men and women stand together, their voices can be heard.

On behalf of the Nassau County PBA, I want to express my sincere gratitude to every elected official who listened to our concerns and stood with us throughout this long process. This reform would not have been possible without the support of legislators from both sides of the aisle who recognized the need to make public service careers more sustainable for the next generation of police officers, firefighters, teachers, and public employees.

I also want to thank the leadership and members of the Police Conference of New York (PCNY) for their tireless efforts in Albany and across the state. Their commitment to this cause never wavered, even when progress seemed slow.

A special thank you is owed to Nassau County PBA First Vice President Frank Arcuri, whose dedication and relentless advocacy helped keep this issue at the forefront for our members. Frank spent countless hours working alongside labor leaders and elected officials to push meaningful reform across the finish line.

I would also like to recognize former Nassau County PBA First Vice President Pete Paterson, our trusted voice in Albany for many years. Pete’s relationships, knowledge, and persistence helped lay the groundwork for the success we celebrate today. His efforts on behalf of Nassau County police officers and public employees throughout New York cannot be overstated. One of the defining moments of this campaign was the Tier 5 & 6 Reform Rally held in Brentwood alongside our brothers and sisters from the Suffolk County PBA. More than 30 unions from all walks of life stood shoulder to shoulder in support of reform. Teachers, trade unions, first responders, municipal employees, and labor organizations from across Long Island and New York came together with one unified message: the current system needed to be fixed. That remarkable show of solidarity demonstrated the strength of organized labor and helped build the momentum necessary to achieve meaningful change.

While we celebrate this victory, we also recognize that it was not achieved overnight. This was the result of years of persistence by labor leaders, union members, elected officials, and advocates who refused to let this issue be forgotten. To everyone who attended rallies, made phone calls, sent emails, met with legislators, and spoke out on behalf of public employees—thank you. This victory belongs to all of us.

‍Tommy Shevlin
‍President
Nassau County Police Benevolent Association

‍