I don't really know, I'm in the west, it functions quite a bit differently.
I believe that your pension is beyond any future negotiations, it will continue to grow as long as the employer’s contribution continues.
I believe right now it is set at 300 dollars per service year. By the end of this coming Contract it could reach 400 or more even with a recession.
You guys have the best package around without a doubt..that includes your retirees’ health and welfare and supplemental insurance pass age 65.
When O’Brien mentioned during his press conference that we have 50,000 worth of pension and health and welfare benefits, he was referencing those under the West primarily.
25,000 annually going into your Pension and another 25,000 going into your health and welfare plans.
Half our membership are under defined pension plans, like those under the IBT/UPS plan that any future improvements are
subject to negotiations only.
There can be improvements beyond the current service benefits.
A. Reduce or eliminate the 6 percent penalty applied for every year under age 65.
B. Have a 100% spousal exemption instead of the 50% one, if you croak your spouse or your children get your full pension benefit for their life time.
C. Combine all your service hours (full time and part time) for eligibility and retirement benefits, similar to the West. So if a part timer works extra they would get current and past credit for those hours added to their full time years.
D. Put a
COLA in everyone’s pension benefit including the current retirees. A lot of pension plans use that as a given, even Social Security.
E. No cap on any member’s pension benefits, we have members that will not get any improvements once they hit a certain service level..
It is frozen no matter how many years they work past 25 or 35 years (UPS Pension Plan) under the Central and Southern.
There are probably other improvements that could be subjected to negotiation.