dear unregistered (suggest you find another name as I think that one is already taken)
,
Not sure how many times I have to correct this common misunderstanding.
The Multi-Employer pension funds such as Central States are
mutually managed by a panel of trustees.
The trustees consist of fifty percent union representation and
fifty percent company representation.
CSPF for instance has six union reps and six company reps.
UPS has one of the company reps.
So if the CSPF, which is a totally separate entity from the International Brotherhood of Teamster by the way (another fact not apparently well understood), is robbing us feel free to blame UPS as well as the Teamsters because they would have to know about it and have been letting it go on.
That said, I will state we are not being robbed, although I would agree we are getting screwed, but it is by the circumstances and not by the Teamsters or UPS.
Wake up and look around you, read the papers.
Pensions are going under and are in trouble all over.
Not just Teamster, not just union, not just Multi-Employer, most of them.
In fact, non-union, single employer funds are failing and have been failing for years far more often than multi-employer funds.
The screwing is happening because not enough money is going in for too many retirees.
Retired employees of companies that have gone out of business are causing a steep toll on those still existing, but the only reason for that is the companies and funds were not collecting enough money for those retirees in relationship to their retired benefits when they were working and
not because their companies are now out of business.
The only reference on the problem being related to companies out of business is more of the rob peter to pay paul pension fund philosophy that has been being used as they are having trouble paying paul what with less peters to rob.
The other major area where we are getting screwed is in the legistlation where the single employee funds are protected by up to $48,000 a year per retiree and our multi-employer funds are only protected by up to 12,800 per retiree (us).
That is a bunch of crap, but typical and the Teamsters are not to blame for that.
APWA, Working toward a vote this fall if funds come in fast enough, have covered over 23 states. I am a member since march 05, meetings are taking place at some location every weekend. If you and as many people as you can get together on a Sat. or Sun. A representitive of APWA would be more than happy to meet you. The post that speeks to the expertise of Mr. Coleman, the one of many Lawyers that have been retained is one of the best in his field, just as the others are amoung the best in their respective areas (such as building a Union) . Jerry West spoke at the graduation ceremony for West Virginia U. in his speech he spoke of three types of people. 1) The Fleeer, this person runs from or ignors a problem hoping it will fix itself. 2) The Floater, ready to go along with whatever happens, knows something needs to be done and waits for someone else to stick their neck out and make his life better. 3) The fighter, this person is a doer, not content to wait on a hoped for outcome but a person who sees the worth or the possibility in a challenge. Our futures are hanging in balance. If you would like to ask question I wiil do my best to answer . Happy Trails 
