1. When the company had the chance to get out of the Health Care plan they took it. Many of the benefits here is the West would be lost if we went into Teamcare. Our Western regional leaders spoke up and requested an MOU in the Master to allow us a chance to create our own plan and Ken H stood by the request.
The Company was given a chance to get out of their healthcare plan, because the opportunity was given to them by Hoffa and Ken H.
In doing so, many of us
did lose benefits when we went into TeamCare.
In the Central Region, the biggest region by far, we weren't afforded any MOU, rather were told that H&W was a done deal when the Master passed and could not be addressed in any of the failed supplements subsequent offers.
I believe it is because Hoffa and Hall were only interested in infusing added contributions to the Central States H&W plan (C6).
As stated in an earlier post Fred Z and Tim S stayed quiet and finalized the healthcare for their members. The vote NO campaign never told you that did they.
Not sure where you get this???
First of all, Tim S. President of Local 804 at the time, presided over a contract that has no ties to the National Master, never has.
They had and continue to have their own H&W and pension plans, plans that improved dramatically under his watch.
Secondly, Fred Z absolutely did not sit silently in regards to the proposed H&W changes.
In fact he was the first national leader to pen a letter in opposition less than a week after the the "2 man meeting", where everybody (including your beloved Andy M) sat in silent disbelief of a whirlwind presentation,fill with radical changes.
If the plan could not be created in time we would be in Teamcare so Andy M was successful in keeping our peer 80 and many other benefits. While not identical to the company plan it is close.
I'm glad your region was successful in side stepping TeamCare, but realize that opportunity was never going to be extended to the Central Region, because the IBT wanted that money for their fund.
With this in mind, you better watch your back in 2018.
2. I can't answer that question. You would have to ask the West Trustees of the plan. They kept it maintained by good management. Just as every local has its own sovereignty so does each pension plan. I know NOT having 25 and out helped since our retiree earnings are off of accrual and equations rather that set numbers.
In other words, mismanagement and politics.
It's convenient to blame the decisions of a dead man, who was replaced by a new President that has remained incumbent for nearly 20 years since, who failed to demonstrate the vision and political self sacrifice to attempt to right the ship.
During that time frame, he instead watched membership shrink, and allowed the biggest contributors to withdraw.
If the Western Pension Fund managed to weather the storms blamed for the demise of Central States, then what else are we to believe?