Rep. Kline's proposed cuts catch pensioners by surprise
Jim Spencer Star Tribune December 11, 2014 View the original piece Dave Erickson of Isanti, Minn., believed his pension benefits were guaranteed when he contributed a fixed portion of his pay into the Teamsters Central States Pension Fund. On Wednesday, Erickson learned that those benefits might be cut under a provision that Minnesota Rep. John Kline aims to tack onto the new federal budget bill. Click here to read more at the Star Tribune.
Pension Fund Run By Wall Street Cited In Push To Cut Retiree Benefits
Matthew Cunningham-Cook International Business Times December 11, 2014 View the original piece Six years after the financial crisis, the economic aftershocks are still rattling the halls of Congress -- this time in a debate over an esoteric pension provision tucked into an end-of-year budget bill. Though that legislation, known as the “cromnibus,” is supposed to be about annual appropriations for government agencies, lawmakers have inserted language that would give private pension plans the power to...
Congressional leaders hammer out deal to allow pension plans to cut retiree benefits
Michael A. Fletcher The Washington Post December 10, 2014 View the original piece A bipartisan group of congressional leaders reached a deal Tuesday evening that would for the first time allow the benefits of current retirees to be severely cut, part of an effort to save some of the nation’s most distressed pension plans. The measure, attached to a massive $1.01 trillion spending bill, would alter 40 years of federal law and could affect millions of...
HOS Suspension Included In $1 Trillion Omnibus Bill
Eugene Mulero Transport Topics December 10, 2014 View the original piece A provision that would suspend parts of an hours of service rule has been included in a $1 trillion bill congressional lawmakers plan to advance to President Obama’s desk this month to keep federal agencies funded through fiscal 2015. The provision, offered by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), would suspend for a year a requirement that drivers take off two consecutive periods of 1 a.m....
Horse carriage ban introduced in City Council, sparks dueling rallies
NY Daily News December 09, 2014 View the original piece Supporters and opponents of banning the city’s horse drawn carriages battled at dueling rallies Monday as the bill was finally introduced in the City Council - and more Council members came out against the controversial ban. A dozen unions joined horse carriage drivers on the City Hall steps to blast the proposal they say will kill the livelihoods of 300 drivers. Click here to read...
Labor Unions Accuse Congress of Sneak Attack on Pensions in Lame Duck
Billy House National Journal December 09, 2014 View the original piece As lawmakers pressed Monday to finalize the legislative language of a must-pass omnibus spending bill, labor unions and retiree groups were mobilizing to defeat what they are characterizing as a lame-duck sneak attack on the pensions of some already-retired workers. At issue is an effort led by Reps. John Kline and George Miller, the top Republican and Democrat on the House Education and the...
The lame-duck Congress plots to undermine retiree pensions
Michael Hiltzik Los Angeles Times December 06, 2014 View the original piece Passing legislation on a tight deadline--especially a bogus deadline--is invariably a formula for serious mischief. That's what's happening with a proposal to deal with a supposed crisis in worker pensions by allowing trustees to slash the pensions of already-retired workers to shreds. Members of the House Education and the Workforce Committee are trying to slip the measure into an omnibus spending bill to...
Bill Could Slash Pensions Across America
Scott Taylor 19 Action News December 06, 2014 View the original piece (WOIO) - A new bill that could be passed before Congress leaves for winter break has a lot of retirees upset.Donna and Daniel McAuliffe are heading into a nightmare next week, as Congress could pass a bill that opponents say will slash some retiree's pensions by 65 percent. This scares the Brunswick couple. "It's going to hurt and it's going to hurt a...
A Strategy for Pensions at Risk of Extinction
Floyd Norris The New York Times December 05, 2014 View the original piece When people are old, should governments guarantee they have incomes? In the 19th century — 125 years ago — Germany became the first country to answer yes to that question, adopting an old-age pension system at the behest of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Click here to read more The New York TImes.
Teamster accuses local of rigging election
Michael Gartland New York Post December 04, 2014 View the original piece The nation’s biggest Teamsters local rigged its October election for president, a challenger in the race for the top spot charges. Jakwan Rivers — who lost by about 1,100 votes to incumbent Gregory Floyd — said Local 237 made sure more than 5,000 ballots were ignored by deliberately not paying the bill for its post-office box. Click here to read more at the...