FEATURE
Troy Johnson for CalPERS
Troy Johnson for CalPERS: A Champion for Your Pension and Future
After more than three decades as a classified employee and CSEA leader, Area K Director Troy Johnson is stepping up to take on a new challenge: ensuring the financial security of all CalPERS members. Johnson, who has worked in public service for 33 years, is running for the At-Large Seat B on the CalPERS Board of Administration, bringing with him a strong track record of advocacy, leadership, and commitment to working people.
For many classified employees, retirement may seem far away—something to worry about later. But for Johnson, protecting pensions is an urgent fight that requires strong leadership now because he knows from personal experience how devastating it can be when there is no safety net.
In 2007, Johnson’s father, a self-employed contractor, suffered a devastating injury on the job. His career ended instantly. With no pension, no savings, and only a few hundred dollars from Social Security, his family was thrust into a harsh reality. The security they had once relied on was gone, replaced with impossible choices—how to keep their home, how to afford food, and how to make ends meet.
Years later, he saw a very different story unfold for his mother, a classified school employee and CalPERS member. When she retired, her pension provided the stability and dignity his father had never had. That guaranteed check each month ensured that she and his father never had to worry about losing their home or affording groceries. The contrast between their two experiences cemented his belief that pensions are not a perk—they are a promise that must be protected.
For the past 23 years, Johnson has worked tirelessly as a CSEA member and leader, serving as chapter president, research committee chair, regional rep, and area director. He has fought for fair wages, better job protections, and stronger benefits at every level of union leadership, ensuring that classified employees have a voice in shaping their future.
Now, he wants to bring that same fight to CalPERS, where he will work to protect pensions from political attacks, demand transparency in decision-making, and advocate for healthcare affordability for retirees and future retirees.
CSEA Association President Adam Weinberger believes Johnson’s experience and commitment make him the right choice for the CalPERS Board.
“Troy has been a tireless advocate for classified employees for many years, and I have no doubt he will bring that same passion to the CalPERS Board,” Weinberger said. “He understands what’s at stake from personal experience, and he knows we need strong leadership to protect our retirement security.”
Johnson believes every working CSEA member, whether they are just starting their career or nearing retirement, must understand their retirements are never guaranteed. The future of pensions depends on electing leaders who will stand up, fight back, and never stop defending the security public employees have earned.
“A pension isn’t a gift—it’s something we earn through years of dedication and hard work,” Johnson said. “I’m ready to fight for our future, so that every classified employee—no matter where they are in their career—can count on their pension when they need it.”
