What Are They Hiding?

The Pension Protection Act (PPA) requires that pension plans make more information available to participants so we can watchdog our funds. But unlike other Teamster pension plans, our fund has refused to turn over all the information that we are entitled to under the law.

Local 804 members can help secure our right to get this information by voting YES on the proposed bylaws reforms on Sunday, April 20 at the Local 804 general membership meeting.

Click here to download the leaflet “Fund Stonewalls on Providing Pension Information.

One of the proposals requires Local 804 to urge the funds “to make the maximum information available to participants upon request,” as provided for by law, including the Pension Protection Act.

In January, Local 804 members Bill Reynolds and Tim Sylvester requested that the pension fund send them information we are entitled to under the PPA, including actuarial valuation reports and information on the fund’s investment performance.

Since then, Reynolds and Sylvester have sent multiple letters, called the fund repeatedly and even had pension attorney Ann Curry Thompson contact the fund on their behalf. But to date, the fund has yet to turn over the most important documents requested.

Thompson has sent a new letter to the Local 804 fund outlining all of the documents that members are requesting and warning the fund that they are subject to fines if they do not provide the information.

Other Teamster funds, including the Central States Pension Fund, the Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust, and the Upstate New York Pension Fund all immediately provided this information. Central States turned over the information at no charge.

The only pension fund that has stonewalled on providing members information under the PPA is our Local 804 fund. What are they hiding?

This week, Local 804 President Howie Redmond promised to look into the issue and help members get the documents we’re entitled to.

On April 20, Local 804 members can cast a vote in favor of putting pension information in the hands of the membership.

The pension fund is run out of Atlanta, but this is OUR money. The stonewalling has to stop.

Click here to download the leaflet “Fund Stonewalls on Providing Pension Information.”

Click here to read the letter to the fund sent by pension attorney Ann Curry Thompson.

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