World Beyond War – 2016-12-02 23:49:49
ACTION ALERT: Demilitarize Teachers’ Pension Funds
Should teachers’ pensions invest in future wars?
World Beyond War
(November 30, 2016) — While governments buy weapons, market weapons to other governments, donate weapons to other governments, and bestow tax breaks on weapons dealers, there is another less-visible way in which public money sustains weapons dealing.
Public pension and retirement funds are invested, directly and indirectly, in weapons companies. Teachers and other public servants whose interests ought to lie with promoting human needs have their retirement security tied up with maintaining or enlarging the war industry.
ACTION: Please sign this global petition against public investment in weapons dealing.
If you live in one of these US states or cities, please click to sign a petition to your state legislators and governors or city councils and mayors:
California
Delaware
Michigan
New York
North Dakota
Chicago, Illinois
If you live in any other US state, click here to email your state legislators.
If you live in one of these places, please sign this specific petition as well:
United Kingdom
Japan
If you live in one of the above locations, including specifically Chicago or New York City, and would like to take the lead on organizing local education and protest and lobbying actions, contact us.
Public retirement investment in an industry that threatens to cut short all of our retirements is ironic but widespread. We don’t know how widespread. If you have information, especially on parts of the world not yet included here, please share it with us.
For information on this new campaign and public investments in weapons in the locations listed above, or if you have trouble making any of the above links work, go to: http://worldbeyondwar.org/divest
Please forward this to everyone you can and ask them to join us.
California Public Employees Retirement System
Must Divest from Weapons Dealers
The California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS, the sixth largest pension fund on earth) is invested in the following weapons dealers:
BAE Systems (United Kingdom), $77 million, 0.11% of total holdings.
Airbus Group (Trans-European), $1411 million, or 0.20%.
Finmeccanica (Italy), $29 million, or 0.04%.
Thales (France), $18 million, or 0.03%.
Rolls-Royce (United Kingdom), $98 million, or 0.14%.
SAFRAN (France), $64 million, or 0.09%.
Lockheed Martin, $167 million, or 0.22% of their total holdings.
Boeing, $252 million, or 0.33%.
Raytheon, $94 million, or 0.12%.
Northrop Grumman, $123 million, or 0.16%.
General Dynamics, $143 million, or 0.19%.
United Technologies, $333 million, or 0.44%.
L-3 Communications, $36 million, or 0.05%.
Huntington Ingalls, $26 million, or 0.03%.
Honeywell International, $309 million, or 0.41%.
Textron, $34 million, or 0.04%.
Delaware Public Employees Retirement System
Must Divest from Weapons Dealers
The Delaware Public Employees Retirement System is invested in United Technologies Corporation in the amount of $29,927,361 — which is 0.32% of its holdings, and 269,786 shares of the company. This is one of the top 10 investments of this fund which may be invested in other weapons companies as well that are not in its top 10 investments.
Municipal Employees Retirement System of Michigan
Must Divest from Weapons Dealers
The Municipal Employees Retirement System of Michigan is invested in these weapons dealers:
United Technologies Corporation $18,001,693 — 0.2%
Honeywell International, Inc. $15,566,882 — 0.18%
These are two of the top 10 investments of this fund which may be invested in other weapons companies as well that are not in its top 10 investments.
New York Pension Funds Must Divest from Weapons Dealers
The New York State Teachers Retirement System (the 22nd biggest pension fund on earth) is invested (see these two PDFs for details: One. Two.) in Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, United Technologies, Honeywell, Huntington Ingalls Industries, and Textron. What lesson is this teaching New York’s students?
In addition, the New York City Employees Retirement System is invested in United Technologies to the tune of $71,899,692 — 0.4% — 703,383 shares. This is one of the top 10 investments of this fund which may be invested in other weapons companies as well that are not in its top 10 investments.
Further, the New York State Common Retirement Fund, which comprises the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) and the New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS) and which is managed by the Division of Pension Investment and Cash Management in the Office of the State Comptroller, is invested in the following war profiteers:
(as of September 30, 2016)
Boeing 901,785 shares 139,921 value
General Dynamics 1,632,825 shares
Raytheon 906,000 shares
General Dynamics 901,785 shares
Lockheed Martin 765,900 shares
United Technologies 2,331,020 shares
Honeywell 2,908,100 shares
And the New York State Common Retirement Fund is invested in:
Boeing 901,785 shares 139,921 value
General Dynamics 1,632,825 shares
Raytheon 906,000 shares
General Dynamics 901,785 shares
Lockheed Martin 765,900 shares
United Technologies 2,331,020 shares
Honeywell 2,908,100 shares
North Dakota Public Pensions Must Divest from Weapons Dealers
This is the state with a public bank that is invested in the Dakota Access Pipeline. It is also invested in weapons dealers. The North Dakota Retirement and Investment Office is invested in these weapons dealers:
Boeing Company $18,613,588 — 134,181 shares
Safran SA $13,578,820 — 200,478 shares
These are two of the top 10 investments of this fund which may be invested in other weapons companies as well that are not in its top 10 investments.
In addition, the North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System is invested in:
Boeing Company $9,430,550
Safran SA $6,840,016
These are two of the top 10 investments of this fund which may be invested in other weapons companies as well that are not in its top 10 investments.
Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund
Of Chicago Must Divest from Weapons Dealers
The Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago is invested in these weapons dealers:
Lockheed Martin $8,127,707 — 0.7% — 37,429 shares — Unrealised Gain/Loss $5,358,314
Honeywell International $7,153,787 — 0.7% — 69,072 shares — Unrealised Gain/Loss $3,407,048
These are two of the top 10 investments of this fund which may be invested in other weapons companies as well that are not in its top 10 investments.
Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.
