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ABF | Multi employer pension reform act of 2018

GO40 said:
I have no idea what central states contribute’s into the pension....
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At the beginning of the last ABF contract the yearly payment from ABF to Central States was very near 35,000.00. And 20 grand of this was for the pension side. And the left over 15 grand was for the medical coverage. My source is Danny Barton President of local 135 in Indianapolis. Another source back then was Mr Nolan of the pension fund up in Barrington, IL. One of the BA's in Local 135 gave me a print out showing the break down. This being about 6 years ago. I believe the payments today by ABF are very near the same money. The Medical Side C-6 is very well funded & nowhere near collapse. The pension side is. von.
 
15 grand divided by 52 weeks is about 288.00 a week for medical premiums ABF pays, not the employee. Which also includes short term & long term disability. I had my left knee replaced in February 2014. The total bill was 62,000. The agreed to price with C-6 (Central States) was about 41,000 for everything including PT after the surgery. My total out of pocket was about 800 dollars. I have never had in the past or the future that good of coverage. Being retired & on Medicare it would cost me about 4900 bucks (my yearly deductible). After that the government picks up the rest @ 100%. I say back then & now, working @ ABF under a CBA is the best kind of medical coverage you can get. Then & now the ABF union employee does not pay any money each week to have that coverage, unlike many employers today. 60 bucks a month for union dues is very cheap versus 50 to 100 bucks for medical. The largest private employer & a good one in Indiana is Eli Lilly. And they don’t come close to the coverage under the ABF CBA. And they are a great company to work for. The current medical coverage ABF has is like a dinosaur. Rare and about to become extinct. Von.
 
vongrimmenstein said:
At the beginning of the last ABF contract the yearly payment from ABF to Central States was very near 35,000.00. And 20 grand of this was for the pension side. And the left over 15 grand was for the medical coverage. My source is Danny Barton President of local 135 in Indianapolis. Another source back then was Mr Nolan of the pension fund up in Barrington, IL. One of the BA's in Local 135 gave me a print out showing the break down. This being about 6 years ago. I believe the payments today by ABF are very near the same money. The Medical Side C-6 is very well funded & nowhere near collapse. The pension side is. von.
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Thanks Von. I was interested to know but not interested enough to find out. I care but I care about the payout not the pay in.
 
Homesick said:
Thanks Von. I was interested to know but not interested enough to find out. I care but I care about the payout not the pay in.
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I was long winded in my post. I wanted to put out some information concerning what ABF pays each week, & how funds are allocated. My figures are pretty accurate based on the last contract. I also was trying to show the difference in coverage from a good union contract versus a non-union company & what they charge you. I hear a really good family coverage medical plan will cost the worker 100 bucks a week. And that is after deductions. So in reality that 100 bucks is more like 120 bucks in actual cost to the employee. Like I said, the ABF current medical coverage @ no cost to the employee each week is like the dinosaur. It won't last much longer. von.
 
vongrimmenstein said:
I was long winded in my post. I wanted to put out some information concerning what ABF pays each week, & how funds are allocated. My figures are pretty accurate based on the last contract. I also was trying to show the difference in coverage from a good union contract versus a non-union company & what they charge you. I hear a really good family coverage medical plan will cost the worker 100 bucks a week. And that is after deductions. So in reality that 100 bucks is more like 120 bucks in actual cost to the employee. Like I said, the ABF current medical coverage @ no cost to the employee each week is like the dinosaur. It won't last much longer. von.
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I hope your prediction ability sucks (no offense intended). You also have to add in the tax benefits of the company paying our health insurance. With an employee paying their health insurance premiums but getting paid a little more, puts the taxes higher for the employee with no tax deductions for employees.
 
Homesick said:
I hope your prediction ability sucks (no offense intended). You also have to add in the tax benefits of the company paying our health insurance. With an employee paying their health insurance premiums but getting paid a little more, puts the taxes higher for the employee with no tax deductions for employees.
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Me to. None taken. That 288 a week is both medical & pension money. If you think about it, not to many employers pay 35 grand a year for benefits beore the first dime in wages. von.
 
When I retired (01-01-2016) ABF paid 35 grand a year to CS. Close to 20 grand went to the pension fund leaving 15 grand for medical. Divided by 52 weeks is about 288.00 per week. Not 401.00 per week. Maybe the medical payments have gone from 288.00 to 401.00 as you say. But I don't believe your figure. This week I will look in to it & get back with you. von.
 
vongrimmenstein said:
When I retired (01-01-2016) ABF paid 35 grand a year to CS. Close to 20 grand went to the pension fund leaving 15 grand for medical. Divided by 52 weeks is about 288.00 per week. Not 401.00 per week. Maybe the medical payments have gone from 288.00 to 401.00 as you say. But I don't believe your figure. This week I will look in to it & get back with you. von.
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Having been fired a bakers dozen times, when Teamcare sends a cobra application, the deluxe program is $435 a week and the basic is $365? . I'm sure his $401 figure is when you have to pay for it out of your own pocket. Not when the employer picks up the tab.
 
Bubba Gump said:
Having been fired a bakers dozen times, when Teamcare sends a cobra application, the deluxe program is $435 a week and the basic is $365? . I'm sure his $401 figure is when you have to pay for it out of your own pocket. Not when the employer picks up the tab.
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You are correct. Cobra is about 435.00 a week. A whole lot more than what ABF pays per week per employee.
 
vongrimmenstein said:
not to many employers pay 35 grand a year for benefits beore the first dime in wages. von.
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Von, as a road driver in the southern conference I must work or pay in 3 tours a week for my health insurance. If I only work 2 days a week (and don't include a sick day, vacation day, or holiday), then I will get a COBRA letter in the mail a week or two later (the first time this happened I was new, ABF only worked me on the weekends, and my wife thought I got fired or quit).
My point is ABF does not pay 35K a week before the first dime in wages. I work, then ABF pays my benefits! Not the other way around. Also, in the southern conference, we must work at least 180 tours a year with a maximum of 5 a week to get our pension paid. If you only work two days in any week (because you are sick or have a family emergency or snowed in or etc), then your health insurance and pension are not fully covered.
 
vongrimmenstein said:
At the beginning of the last ABF contract the yearly payment from ABF to Central States was very near 35,000.00. And 20 grand of this was for the pension side. And the left over 15 grand was for the medical coverage. My source is Danny Barton President of local 135 in Indianapolis. Another source back then was Mr Nolan of the pension fund up in Barrington, IL. One of the BA's in Local 135 gave me a print out showing the break down. This being about 6 years ago. I believe the payments today by ABF are very near the same money. The Medical Side C-6 is very well funded & nowhere near collapse. The pension side is. von.
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Von, your numbers at the start of the last contract (2013-18) are pretty accurate. According to the Southern Region Supplement, at the beginning of the 2013-18 contract, ABF was contributing $327.70 per week for Health & Welfare and $342.00 per week to the Pension fund. That comes up to $34,824.40 per year at the start of the contract (2013). Each year of the contract thereafter (on August 1st), ABF was required to contribute an additional $1.00 per hour or $40.00 per week to be split between the Health & Welfare fund and the Pension fund. That is an additional $2080.00 per year for 2014-2018 which totals $10,400.00. So, as of August 1st of 2018, ABF is paying $869.70 per week (per full-time employee) for the two funds combined which totals $45,224.40 per year according to the Southern Region Supplement.
 
Steward of the Rock said:
Von, your numbers at the start of the last contract (2013-18) are pretty accurate. According to the Southern Region Supplement, at the beginning of the 2013-18 contract, ABF was contributing $327.70 per week for Health & Welfare and $342.00 per week to the Pension fund. That comes up to $34,824.40 per year at the start of the contract (2013). Each year of the contract thereafter (on August 1st), ABF was required to contribute an additional $1.00 per hour or $40.00 per week to be split between the Health & Welfare fund and the Pension fund. That is an additional $2080.00 per year for 2014-2018 which totals $10,400.00. So, as of August 1st of 2018, ABF is paying $869.70 per week (per full-time employee) for the two funds combined which totals $45,224.40 per year according to the Southern Region Supplement.
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Thanks for the research. Your figures are much closer than mine. My point was for information on this subject to reach the readers on Truckingboards. With your help & others who posted on my posts, mission accomplished. Bubba mentioned the cost of Cobra, which I forgot about. Lot of money for 1 month. Which most people could not afford when laid off or fired. von.
 
Homesick said:
Von, as a road driver in the southern conference I must work or pay in 3 tours a week for my health insurance. If I only work 2 days a week (and don't include a sick day, vacation day, or holiday), then I will get a COBRA letter in the mail a week or two later (the first time this happened I was new, ABF only worked me on the weekends, and my wife thought I got fired or quit).
My point is ABF does not pay 35K a week before the first dime in wages. I work, then ABF pays my benefits! Not the other way around. Also, in the southern conference, we must work at least 180 tours a year with a maximum of 5 a week to get our pension paid. If you only work two days in any week (because you are sick or have a family emergency or snowed in or etc), then your health insurance and pension are not fully covered.
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Indianapolis (050) has the exact same program. Gotta work 3 or get the Cobra letter. If you have to miss, try to become qualified under FMLA. If you do, then they still have to cover you @ no cost to you. FMLA is a very powerful tool. All employees anywhere should take the time to understand it enough to where they can use it & NOT be penalized by their employer. It was & still is being used by some sharp rank & file @ 050. They understand the importance of FMLA & how it can protect them. If you work only 2 days in 1 week & don't make any medical visits or fill any scrips, you are ok. Just use the medical the next week you work 3 days or 3 trips. von.
 
I am puzzled a bit, help me out... The Large amount of money ABF pays to all our pensions, Every year a majority of guys/gals tell the importance of ABF staying in and paying high amounts to our funds.. I cant for the life of me figure out why ABF employees think this way. Its a broken, pretty much non fixable fund (central states) without major cuts! Yet the mere mention of ABF having issue with being the largest contributor and contributing to orphans, YRC, etc,, throws ABF ers into tantrum against ABF, its COO. Where am I thinking wrong? This company wants its people to retire, have pension,, not flush money down the drain.. Seems to me most guys are off about this.. Dont get me wrong, I have 21 years in, would love a full pension,but back in 90s when i worked for CF, first week, old timers were telling me its not going to be there.. now 2018, look where were at.. No new Harleys, PicUps, hot rods,, I invest.. Not to mention, we have trustees to our funds? they are paid why?
 
Steward of the Rock said:
Von, your numbers at the start of the last contract (2013-18) are pretty accurate. According to the Southern Region Supplement, at the beginning of the 2013-18 contract, ABF was contributing $327.70 per week for Health & Welfare and $342.00 per week to the Pension fund. That comes up to $34,824.40 per year at the start of the contract (2013). Each year of the contract thereafter (on August 1st), ABF was required to contribute an additional $1.00 per hour or $40.00 per week to be split between the Health & Welfare fund and the Pension fund. That is an additional $2080.00 per year for 2014-2018 which totals $10,400.00. So, as of August 1st of 2018, ABF is paying $869.70 per week (per full-time employee) for the two funds combined which totals $45,224.40 per year according to the Southern Region Supplement.
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Great info. Thanks. von.
iam4us said:
I am puzzled a bit, help me out... The Large amount of money ABF pays to all our pensions, Every year a majority of guys/gals tell the importance of ABF staying in and paying high amounts to our funds.. I cant for the life of me figure out why ABF employees think this way. Its a broken, pretty much non fixable fund (central states) without major cuts! Yet the mere mention of ABF having issue with being the largest contributor and contributing to orphans, YRC, etc,, throws ABF ers into tantrum against ABF, its COO. Where am I thinking wrong? This company wants its people to retire, have pension,, not flush money down the drain.. Seems to me most guys are off about this.. Dont get me wrong, I have 21 years in, would love a full pension,but back in 90s when i worked for CF, first week, old timers were telling me its not going to be there.. now 2018, look where were at.. No new Harleys, PicUps, hot rods,, I invest.. Not to mention, we have trustees to our funds? they are paid why?
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Ok, ABF gets out of the pension fund. Who is going to pay the current retirees their money? You? If ABF exits, someone or some bank, investment fund, etc, has to pay the people already retired. If ABF went to 401K matching dollar for dollar what you put in might work for the newbies. But what about the current & soon to be retired? Something has to cover the cost. I believe the Federal Laws are favored for the company, not the employee. So take some of your retiree dollars buy a cheap grade of lubricant, and get ready. Ya gonna need every buck you can find. von.
 
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