Investing in Our Future: 10 Ways Unions Can Harness Their Pension Power
Your pension fund isn't just a promise of future security—it’s a multi-billion-dollar pool of economic influence. Too often, the financial system feels like a black box, intentionally demystified only for Wall Street insiders.
But as union members, workers, and beneficiaries, you build this capital, and you have the power to shape how it’s used. Whether you want your fund to tackle systemic climate risks, protect worker rights, or invest in a just transition, you have a menu of options to make your voice heard.
Keep reading for 10 practical ways your union can move from the sidelines into the arena, building power and driving accountability in your pension system:
Run Trustees for the Board.
The most direct way to shift a fund’s direction is to change who is sitting at the table. Pension boards are governed by trustees who owe a fiduciary duty to you, the beneficiary. By running union-backed candidates for open worker/retiree trustee seats, you ensure worker values are present when decisions are made.
There are countless examples of this action in practice– research your pension fund to learn about who the board is comprised of and whether there are seats elected by beneficiaries. (If there aren’t, but there are seats appointed by elected officials, consider advocating to them about what traits and commitments you need to see in trustees.)
And remember: electing or advocating for trustees is just the start. Once they hold that title, they have a responsibility to represent your best interests– and it's key to hold all trustees accountable to that.
Form a Dedicated Pension Committee or Taskforce.
Pension finance is complex, but it isn't magic. By establishing an internal union pension committee, you can build a dedicated team of members who understand the fund’s mechanics. Also consider engaging other committees that can engage your pension fund on investments and stewardship, such as climate justice, immigration rights, or labor rights committees. Take it a step further by pushing the fund itself to establish an official beneficiary advisory committee to provide a formal, structured channel for routine worker guidance.
Pass Union Resolutions. Power starts at home.
Introducing and passing official resolutions at your local, state, or national union level signals strong, unified collective intent. A formal union resolution creates an official mandate, authorizes resources for pension campaigns, and sends a clear message to the pension board that the general membership demands a forward-looking strategy.
Meet the Decision-Makers– Secure Direct Meetings with Key Fund Staff.
While trustees vote on high-level policies, the fund’s internal staff—like the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and asset class directors—handle the day-to-day execution. Requesting formal, direct meetings with key fund staff allows your union leadership and investment experts to dig into the technical details and advocate for policies that better protect your retirement security while also investing in a more sustainable and equitable economy.
Share your ideas and concerns with state elected officials, who have a role in pension oversight, and include questions about investments in candidate screening interviews.
Send Formal Letters to the Treasurer and Trustees.
Never underestimate the power of a formal paper trail. Coordinated sign-on letters addressed directly to the State Treasurer or the Board of Trustees build the demand for greater transparency or explicit policy updates (such as incorporating climate risk into the fund’s Investment Policy Statement).
Demystify the System for Your Members by Hosting a Workshop or Town Hall at a Union Convention.
To build a movement, you need an educated membership base. Hosting a dedicated workshop, panel, or town hall at your next union convention bridges the gap between the pension power levers and the work & members’ experiences on the ground. Use these spaces to share practical tutorials, translate complex financial jargon into actionable organizing strategies, delve into political education on why this pension power lever matters, and apply folks’ existing organizing and campaigning expertise to their own pension system.
There’s support to do this– including us! CFA regularly partners with labor unions to host workshops that successfully shift the narrative from "their money" to "our capital." As one union leader noted, these convention workshops remind members that they are co-owners of trillions of dollars in long-term capital, transforming passive savers into active organizers. Reach out to Danielle if you’re interested in offering an educational session to your union and would like some resources and support.
Amplify Worker Voices with Member Petitions, Letters, and Surveys.
A pension board might ignore a single letter, but it cannot ignore thousands of its own beneficiaries. Launching a member-driven petition, letter-writing campaign, or member survey demonstrates widespread grassroots alignment, providing hard data that your union can use to prove that beneficiaries want a fund that protects both their wallets and their world.
Give Official Public Comments.
Most public pension boards are legally required to hold regular meetings with designated periods for public comment. Don't let these slots go empty. Show up to the microphone—either virtually or in person—and read concise, powerful statements into the official public record, highlighting how the fund's investment decisions directly impact your workplace safety, community resilience, and retirement security.
Pack a Related Public Meeting or Event.
There is strength in numbers. Coordinate a "pack the room" action at an upcoming pension board meeting or a related public financial event. Fill the seats with union members wearing your locals' colors. When trustees look out and see a room packed with real people sharing personal stories, it shifts the political calculus and forces accountability.
Win the Narrative by Engaging the Media.
To shift a massive institution, you often need to shift public understanding and opinion. Deploy a strategic media engagement plan to take your campaign public. Work with reporters to expose risky fund practices, submit Op-Eds to local newspapers, and appear on labor podcasts to ensure that the fund's decision-makers feel the demand for change. Especially for pension funds facing political intimidation and hurdles at the federal level, these actions can also build the case and cover needed for pension funds that want to see progress to have the confidence to take concrete steps forward.
Excited to Take Action?
Every journey toward a more accountable, resilient pension fund begins with a single step. Choose one or two tactics from this list that align with your union's current capacity, download your fund's latest annual report, and start organizing.
Your retirement future belongs to you—it's time to invest in it. Check out CFA’s Investing in Our Future Guide to help you understand and power-map your fund and explore ways to organize to build power.
