Frances Denmark Institutional Investor May 21, 2014 View the original piece As Pamela Gaskill walked through San Francisco's blighted Tenderloin district one day in 2000, she had an epiphany. Observing impoverished residents of single room occupany hotels, she realized she had no financial resources for her own retirement. Gaskill, a slendor, weathered woman who has driven trucks since the 1970's thought, "This is what happens if you don't have a pension. People end up in...

May 2, 2014: Surrounded by corporate lobbyists who support pension cuts, the President of the IAM denounced efforts to change pension law and reduce pensions. While the IAM speaks out, Hoffa is MIA. Corporate lobbyists and some pension plans, including the Central States Pension Fund, are pushing to change federal law to allow “deeply troubled” plans, to drastically slash benefits. But they’re catching heat from union leaders and the AARP.  “Troubled plans deserve at least...

April 15, 2014: The Central States Pension third quarter 2013 financial report shows that assets increased to $18.2 billion, due to the run-up of the stock market last year. The fund made 12.2% return on investment for the first nine months of 2013, which explains the growth in assets. The report indicates that the fund has 63,000 active participants and 210,000 retirees. This information is contained in the Financial and Analytical Report and the Independent...