The $2 trillion stimulus package which passed the Senate and will likely soon be passed by the House, called the “Phase 3” plan to revive the economy, did not include protection for earned pensions. But that fight is alive right now, because a new “Phase 4” bill will be considered in late April.

The 2019 Financial Report of the Central States Pension Fund shows that fund assets dropped to $12.3 billion, as retirement payouts far outstrip the income from employers remaining in the fund. The net loss on the year was $857 million, and the Fund continues to predict insolvency in 2025, unless action comes soon.