UWRA is leader in field

When told that the University of Washington Retirement Association celebrated a big anniversary this week, the average employee might think it was the 50th, or perhaps even the 75th. After all, hasn’t the University always had an organization for its retirees? Doesn’t every university?

But in fact, the UWRA has only been around for 25 years. Moreover, despite its relative youth, it was one of the first such associations in the country and has been a model for the others that have grown up since.

The UWRA came into existence largely to bring about economic relief for retirees and their widows, who were barely making ends meet. How bad was it? According to the UWRA’s written history, faculty members with decades of service were retiring in the mid-60s with $3,000, sometimes less, per year. And wives of faculty members who had no careers of their own were often left with no benefits at all when their spouses died.

So concerned faculty and staff did what they had done all their lives: they formed committees, they did research, and they petitioned University administrators and the Legislature. And out of their efforts came not only the improved benefits they sought, but an organization to represent their interests. The struggle began in the early 60s and gained momentum in 1975 with the formation of the UWRA.

Retirees and their advocates didn’t get all the improvements in benefits they wanted, and everything they did get was hard won. But there’s no question that retirees are much better off today, thanks largely to the UWRA pioneers’ efforts. ¶