| Women are much less likely than men to receive private pensions. In 1994, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, 53% of men age 65 and older received private pension benefits, but only 33% of women 65 and older received such benefits, including those collecting survivor’s benefits.
The Massachusetts Pensions not Posies Coalition was formed in May 1994. It is made up of individuals and 25 non-profit agencies. Its goals are to:
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Provide education and information to women which will enable them to better understand how pensions work, to protect their individual pension rights, and to plan for retirement. |
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Propose legislative changes which will protect individual retirement income and increase benefit levels and participation rates for women. |
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Increase public awareness of current pension policies and trends that jeopardize women’s retirement security and encourage development of private pension plans. |
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The coalition grew out of a national “Pensions not Posies” campaign begun in 1994 by three national organizations: the Pension Rights Center, the Older Women’s League, and the National Senior Citizens Law Center.
A working committee of the Massachusetts coalition meets bi-monthly to plan activities of the coalition. Anyone interested in the coalition should send their name, address, and telephone number to Ellen A. Bruce, Gerontology Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125-3393; e-mail ellen.bruce@umb.edu. |
