Suffolk County educators push for Tier 6 pension reform

October 28, 2025

By Ava McKeown

SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.— On the heels of an Election District (ED) 20 meeting in Babylon and a rally at Suffolk Community College, Suffolk County educators are stepping up to “Fix Tier 6,” a statewide campaign to reform New York’s pension system for newer teachers.

The movement, led by the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), has gained popularity as union leaders argue that the current system is unfair to educators hired on or after April 1, 2012. Under Tier 6, these teachers must work longer and contribute more of their salary for their entire career while receiving smaller retirement benefits.

Educators under Tier 6 contribute 3 to 6 percent of their salary into the pension system for their entire careers and must work until age 63, often up to 40 years. In contrast, Tier 4 educators’ contributions are capped at 3 percent and end after 10 years, allowing them to retire at 55 with 30 years of service.

“How are you contributing more and getting less? It doesn’t add up.” said Robert Dell’Isola, President of the West Babylon Teachers Association.

At the recent ED 20 meeting at Lily Flanagan’s in Babylon, NYSUT President Melinda Person announced a statewide rally planned for March 8 in Albany to continue building momentum for reform. The event will unite New York State educators to urge lawmakers to address pension fairness and strengthen retirement security.

The “Fix Tier 6” campaign has already achieved two major reforms: reducing the vesting period from 10 to 5 years and restoring the final-average-salary calculation to the last 3 salary years instead of 5. Both changes align Tier 6 closely with earlier tiers, but there is still more room for improvement.

The West Babylon Teachers Association continues to support teachers in Tier 6 by attending rallies, sharing information flyers, and sending out digital updates. The union also maintains a Google Classroom where members can access NYSUT updates, campaign artwork, and additional Tier 6 information.

Dell’Isola believes solidarity among all teachers, regardless of tier, is key to lasting change. Veteran teachers under Tier 4 are working alongside their newer colleagues to ensure the generation of Tier 6 educators can retire with stability too.

He also urges parents and community members to understand what’s at stake. “They need to know that eventually people are just going to stop wanting to be teachers,” Dell’Isola said. “Yes, there’s satisfaction in it, but we’re doing this to make a living, and the cost of living on Long Island isn’t going down. So, the pension is very important.”

Despite the challenges, members of NYSUT remain optimistic about the campaign’s progress. There has already been change and big wins which helps with their outlook on the future.

To learn more about how you can help “Fix Tier 6,” click here.