There is hereby provided, commencing October 1, 1988, to each person except persons whose employer participated in the Employees' Retirement System pursuant to Sections 36-27-6, 36-27-7 or 36-27-7.1, whose effective date of retirement for purposes of receiving benefits from the Employees' Retirement System is prior to October 1, 1987, and to beneficiaries of deceased members or deceased retirees except where the deceased member or deceased retiree retired from an employer participating in the Employees' Retirement System pursuant to Sections 36-27-6, 36-27-7 or 36-27-7.1, provided the date of death for such deceased member or the effective date of retirement for such deceased retiree for purposes of receiving benefits from the Employees' Retirement System was prior to October 1, 1987, and who is receiving a monthly allowance from the Employees' Retirement System a cost-of-living increase as follows:
Ala. Code § 36-27-80 (1975)