A group of state workers joined together and created the California State Employees Association in 1930. They fought to get legislation passed which created the $140 billion California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). These same individuals established a merit pay system for state employees and built a superb record of achievements which included securing health and dental benefits, paid vacation, sick leave, and disability and survivor benefits for the state's civil servants. Through the years, the Retired Employees Division has added many benefits for retired state workers including cost-of-living increases, supplemental payments for those whose pensions have lost more than 25 percent of purchasing power, increased health benefits, dental benefits and long-term care. During the past five years, the division has been fighting to protect these benefits as dollars become scarce and inflation continues to rise.