Thanks to the strong grassroots effort of the Ohio pension committees, Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) plans to introduce a Congressional bill today to require a fair vote on pension cuts, including those proposed by the Central States Fund. 

Central States Retirees – 205,000 of them – have been denied representation that is required by law under MPRA. That became crystal clear when the supposed “retiree representative” issued her October 2 blessing to the plan proposed by the fund’s trustees.

The Central States Pension Trustees – employer and Teamster – have hit retirees and active Teamsters with the worst possible pension cut proposal.  

Hundreds of Teamster officers and representatives have been summoned by Central States for a meeting Friday, October 2 where there may be an announcement regarding proposed pension cuts. 

The Pension Rights Center sent the Central States Pension Fund a great response to CSPF Director Thomas Nyhan’s letter of Sept 23 defending pension cuts as the only solution. 

Over 170 retires met met at the Independence American Legion Post 21 to prepare themselves for the battle to protect their pensions. The meeting was hosted by the Missouri - Kansas City Committee to Protect Our Pensions. Local 41 (of which most of the retirees are life long members) refused to hold a pension meeting at their hall. 

Central States Pension director Thomas Nyhan has called Hoffa’s bluff and announced pension cuts will go on as scheduled. Will Hoffa actually mobilize to stop the worst pension cuts in Teamster history or is this all for show? We will find out in one week on October 2.

It may be a year too late, but General President James Hoffa has written a letter to Central States Pension Fund Director Thomas Nyhan asking that the Fund not file a request with the US Department of Treasury to cut pensions.

The first-quarter 2015 financial report shows assets of $17.7 billion for the Central States Pension Fund. This is down from $17.9 billion at the end of last quarter, but still ahead of where it was seven years ago, after the 2008 crash. 

Hoffa claims to oppose pension cuts but the Central States plans to announce the worst cuts in Teamster history on October 2.