Welcome!
Welcome to the SDEA-Retired website! Our motto is “Lifetime Learners… Lifetime Professionals”. SDEA-Retired is unified with CTA/NEA-Retired. SDEA/CTA/NEA-Retired is an active, influential lobby in the state for education issues, and especially for retirement and health concerns. Over the last several years, your association advocates have successfully lobbied to increase CALSTRS benefits for current members. On the local level, SDEA-R is a watchdog for retiree issues and a place where retired educators can come together socially and educationally.
We invite all certificated education employees to join our organization by completing the application on this website. Please see the calendar of events so you can plan to join us for camaraderie as well as for pertinent information. Registration forms for upcoming events are also on this website. The SDEA-R Executive Committee hopes to see you at one our future events. If we do not have your email address, please send it to Norma Heeter at heet2@san.rr.com.
—Norma J. Heeter, SDEA-R President
Legal Benefits Through CTA/NEA-Retired
The benefits of membership in CTA/NEA-Retired begin as soon as you begin your retirement. CTA/NEA-Retired members are entitled to one hour of advice and consultation relating to retirement benefit issues, health and welfare benefit issues and substitute employment. This consultation regarding your retirement rights is provided through the CTA Group Legal Services program.
In addition, last year CTA extended to retirees a 1/2 hour free consultation on any other matter. To access this benefit, contact the CTA Santa Fe Springs Legal Dept. at 562-478-1410.
Also, are you a member of SDEA as a visiting teacher? If so, you should have access to legal help through SDEA active. Contact SDEA for a referral.
SDEA-R/SDEA Victory: Repealing the Two-Percent Fee
In May of 2009, the San Diego Education Association Vice President Marc Capitelli overheard a conversation that the San Diego Unified School District was going to start charging retirees a 2 percent fee on their premiums for servicing their benefits, effective July 1, 2009. Marc Capitelli forwarded this information to the SDEA-R President, Norma Heeter, who began a two-month campaign to get the 2 percent removed. SDEA-R immediately went into action seeking assistance from SDEA and retired members. SDEA-R emailed and sent letters to the SDUSD School Board members and addressed the Board of Education on June 9, 2009, pointing out that the fee was unilaterally imposed without being taken to the bargaining table. Not only were current retirees affected, but so were the 600-plus educators who had just taken the SERP retirement option with no knowledge of the coming imposed fee, as well as all future SDEA retirees. In addition, Norma Heeter pointed out that retirees deserve this retiree service after serving the District, and a beginning date of July 1 did not give retirees time to plan. SDEA-R also notified the other SDUSD unions of this imposed fee.
SDEA Executive Director Steve Johnson took the issue to the joint Contract Administration Committee and the bargaining table. He took the position that there is no indication that there was ever any intent on either party in the SDUSD/SDEA contract language to charge a fee for servicing the benefits. Discussions with the district attorney led SDEA to believe the fee would be rescinded. However, it was not until after the district sent letters dated June 22, 2009 to retirees informing them of the 2 percent fee being added to their premiums that word finally came that the imposed fee had, in fact, been rescinded. TOGETHER WE DID, SDEA and SDEA-R!
SDEA-R Executive Committee
Elected Positions:
Norma J. Heeter President heet2@san.rr.com 858-485-9888
Ellie Cole Vice President ecole4280@yahoo.com
Karen Pearce Secretary
Barbara Jenkins Treasurer barjenk@gmail.com
Alice Fierke SDEA Council Rep. alicespiration@aol.com
Tim Jenkins SDEA Council Rep. ctaneaj@pacbell.net
Ellen FabriKant SDEA Council Rep. Alternate
Appointed Positions:
Judy Thomas SDEA-R Liaison to the Joint Health and Welfare Benefits Committee
Karen Pearce SDEA-R Alternate Liaison to the Joint Health and Welfare Benefits Committee