Teamsters Denounce Inclusion of Pension Reform Bill to Omnibus Spending Bill

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The International Brotherhood of Teamsters issued the following statement from General President Jim Hoffa in response to reports this evening that proposed pension reform legislation could be attached to the omnibus spending bill.

“Today we have seen the ugly side of political backroom dealings as thousands of retirees may have their pensions threatened by proposed legislation that reportedly includes massive benefit cuts.

“Our union has always opposed pension cuts and we are disappointed that the House and Senate have decided to take this action. While we continue to try to collect more information on this bill – a bill that was literally introduced in the dark of night – the Teamsters will not stand idly by while this legislation is slipped into the omnibus spending bill.

“This legislation represents substantial changes to policies that have protected the pensions of workers for decades. It should not be changed through procedural manipulation.

“Thousands of hard-working men and women deserve better than having their pensions slashed by a bill that can’t stand on its own merit. Our union will continue to monitor this situation and offer comment as more details become available.”

Teamsters Call on Congress to Stop Special Exemption for Fortune 500 Company

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today wrote a letter that was sent to the Congressional leadership and circulated to all members of Congress, expressing strong opposition to proposed legislation that would result in a $2 billion bailout of United Parcel Service (UPS).

The letter in its entirety is below:

“On behalf of the 1.4 million members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, I am writing to express my strongest opposition to any last minute deal to give United Parcel Service (UPS) a $2 billion bailout to relieve the company of negotiated pension obligations.

“UPS is attempting to escape a negotiated obligation the company agreed to when it withdrew from the Teamsters Central States Pension Fund. This $100 billion, Fortune 50 company is using its influence on Capitol Hill to obtain what amounts to a special interest earmark that sets a dangerous precedent – rewarding a wealthy company by allowing it to evade the contract and slashing retirement benefits should benefit reductions be required under the pending pension reform legislation.

“It’s bad enough that some retirees would experience benefit reductions under the National Coordinating Committee for Multiemployer Plans (NCCMP) proposal. It’s quite another situation when a company cuts a secret back room deal to save $2 billion by slashing those benefits even further. This outrageous government bailout of one of the most profitable companies in America should be stopped in its tracks.

“While the Teamsters Union has been clear in its opposition to retiree benefit cuts, this proposal would add insult to injury by introducing even more draconian cuts for hundreds of thousands of Teamsters. I urge you to oppose this outrageous plan to bailout UPS for, in effect, breaking its word.”