A new threat to retirees and workers’ pensions was introduced in Congress last month: the misnamed “Give Retirement Options to Workers” Act. It does not give options to workers, but it could shift risk and uncertainty to some workers, and undermine stable pensions.

The Senate version of the budget bill has a provision to establish a House-Senate Joint Select Committee to propose a solution to the pension crisis for consideration by Congress in December. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) who has been a strong supporter of the pension protection movement, announced it was the best he could do.

Friday, January 19 marks the key date in the fight to save our pensions. Congress plans to vote on a budget spending bill, and the pension protection movement is lobbying to get the Butch Lewis Act attached to that legislation. This gives us a chance to achieve the goal of securing retirement security for Teamsters and other workers.