I don't know of many if any companies that would prefer to be non-union. Nothing new here. The pension fund is like an albatross around their neck.
It doesn’t have to be an albatross........It COULD be their biggest recruitment tool, in this age of 401(k) schemes........
The pension crisis........exacerbated by the actions of our own Union “leadership “........has been decades in the making. Companies, including ABF,....have been trying to negotiate out of MEPF’s long, long before pension funds had funding problems.
Remember ABF’s “ beg-back” just about 20 years, and three contracts ago?........Part of that deal would’ve established a defined-contribution plan..........(.....and that would’ve been prior to the market collapse of 2008,........which would’ve wiped out most everyone’s 401(k) balance.......).....
As the companies sanctimoniously say: “We paid the money and the fund was mis-managed....”......the question should be: Why didn't you insure these funds would be viable for your employees? Instead of sitting back and watching a slow decline? Wasn't pension security for employees who gave you 20, 30, and 40 years of their lives a.....priority...for ABF?
It becomes easier to..."sell"....a 401(k)-style defined-contribution pension........if the current pension is left....ignored,....and allowed to collapse.
And,.....That begs the question of what would ArcBest do if it turns out the....defined-contribution scheme is...burdensome, and not very effective for employees trying to retire? Would ArcBest management......ignore.....that problem, too?
After all,......it's just truck drivers and dock workers........Not like they matter much......to the corporate world, anyway.........
And,....the corporate world hates Unions........Give them stinky workers their First Amendment Rights at work!? Pshaw!
......(....IF we had real Union Leadership in the last two decades,........things would've been substantially different.......Trucking would STILL be the Highest-Paid Blue Collar occupation....)............