View plan information flyer for prospective employers
Transcription
View plan information flyer for prospective employers
Pension Book.qxd:alex 7/23/13 12:52 PM Page 1 lifetime strong secure National Pension Plan Get a Great Deal for your Company the and a for Great Pension Plan your Employees the IAM National Pension Fund’s National Pension Plan Pension Book.qxd:alex 7/23/13 12:52 PM Page 2 National Pension Plan is Great for Employers and Employees the The IAM National Pension Fund’s National Pension Plan is the smart choice in today’s economy to help you help your employees have a more secure financial future. Rather than offering your own pension plan—or in addition to the 401(k) plan you may offer—join our Fund and provide your employees with a highly regarded pension plan that pays benefits for life. In addition, you’ll save money, reduce your plan administration headaches, and have one less worry as you focus on the business of running your company. Here’s What’s in it For You The National Pension Plan is a multiemployer plan—a type of plan where the responsibility of providing benefits is shared among a group of employers. In the case of our Plan, the responsibility is shared with over 1,750 employer locations nationwide. All employers have an equal voice in the operation of the Plan, through the Employer Trustees who sit on the Fund’s Board of Trustees. By participating in the Plan, contributing employers offer a valuable benefit to their employees while leaving the worry and administrative, legal and other Plan-related headaches to the Fund Office staff. The Fund, which is headquartered in Washington, DC, is assisted by a group of professionals that includes actuarial consultants, attorneys, auditors and investment managers. Defined Benefit Pension Plan: Lower Costs The National Pension Plan is a defined benefit (DB) pension plan. A recent study showed that, when providing the same benefits, DB plans can be offered at nearly half the cost of defined contribution (DC) plans, given that… …everyone in a DB plan won’t live until 95, so the plan doesn’t need to fund for that lifespan for every participant. “ Investing pension assets for current service is not our core business and, all else being equal, we’d prefer not to be in that business. So, we were …a DB plan doesn’t age the way an pleased that both the assets over a long time horizon and wanted the IAM National individual does, so it can allocate its potentially produce higher investment returns. Machinists and the UAW Pension Fund in their contracts. The IAM National …a DB plan generally pays lower Pension Fund presents almost would pay. us, and we know our IAM and investment fees than an individual Fixed, Predictable Contributions no administrative burden for UAW pension costs for the life of those contracts. As importantly, we believe that While participants enjoy fixed monthly the IAM National Pension enjoy fixed, predictable contributions during employees will receive what benefits for life, contributing employers Fund is sound, so our the life of each contract. This means that they’ve contracted for. employers are protected from the volatility of year-by-year funding affecting singleemployer pension plans. Jeff Clark Human Resources Director Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. Wichita, Kansas “ Multiemployer Plan: Shared Risk and Shared Responsibility Pension Book.qxd:alex 7/23/13 12:52 PM Page 3 Here’s What’s in it For You Impressive Long-Term Investment Performance Tax-Deductible Contributions billion, making it one of the largest pension deductible. funds in the country and the fifth largest multiemployer pension fund. Although the Fund’s investments took a tumble in 2008—along with the investments of most every other institutional and private investor—our Fund had a great 2009, and we have continued to weather the storm since then. A Disciplined, Long-term Approach The Fund’s Trustees adhere to a disciplined, long-term investment policy based on solid fundamentals and meticulous research and analysis. They maintain a broadly diversified portfolio and employ an automatic rebalancing mechanism. The Fund’s investment program is structured to include both actively managed portfolios and index funds, usually based on a market index such as Standard & Poor’s S&P 500 Stock Index. The investment committee of the Board of Trustees reviews quarterly performance and activity reports on each of the investment All contributions made to the Plan are tax No Administrative Costs Your negotiated contribution rate pays for all Plan benefits and covers all Plan “ The National Pension Plan administrative costs, including record provides our employees with audits, legal fees, investment expenses, In addition, the Fund Office Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) premiums. administrative hassles. It’s keeping, government filings and compliance, the security they deserve. actuarial studies and Pension Benefit staff handles all the Also, PBGC premiums are a low $12.00 per a win-win situation for us. participant per year. This compares to the single-employer PBGC premium of at least $42.00 per participant per year. As a result, more of your contribution dollars go toward pension benefits. Convenient Reporting Processes The Fund offers flexible reporting systems to suit your needs. In addition, Web-based tools are available for filing information and making changes. managers. In addition, each investment manager makes regularly scheduled presentations to the full Board. Independent from the Union By law, the IAM National Pension Fund is separate from the IAM union and is managed by a joint Board of Trustees, with equal representation by contributing employers, like yourself, and the IAM. Please visit our website to meet our Board: www.iamnpf.org. 1 “ The Fund’s current assets are nearly $10 Pete Peterson Vice-President, Human Resources Minnesota Rubber Co. Minneapolis, Minnesota Pension Book.qxd:alex 7/23/13 12:52 PM Tough Page 4 Questions, Straight Answers What is withdrawal liability and to whom does it apply? Withdrawal liability exists when a multiemployer pension plan has unfunded vested benefits. This happens if the value of benefits already vested is greater than the plan’s assets. If an employer stops participating in a multiemployer pension plan with unfunded vested benefits, the law requires the employer to pay a pro-rata share of the plan’s unfunded vested benefits. Here’s the key point: Employers who do not withdraw from a pension plan with unfunded vested benefits don’t owe money under withdrawal liability. It’s that simple. Impact of the Worldwide Economic Downturn Until the market reversals of 2008, the IAM National Pension Fund had a spotless record of no withdrawal liability since 1984—a terrific stretch of more than 25 years. However, as with most investors, the Fund experienced losses in 2008. Those losses resulted in the Fund having unfunded vested benefits for the 2009 plan year. However, due to favorable investment returns in subsequent years, the Fund has had no unfunded vested benefits since then, and no withdrawal liability for employers. Employers who remain contributing employers do not face withdrawal liability. It’s that simple. The Free Look If you’re an employer hesitant to start contributing to the Fund because of the potential for withdrawal liability, there’s a “free look” provision that eliminates withdrawal liability risk. Employers that have never participated in the Plan, or are not part of a control group that currently participates in the Plan, are entitled to participate for five years without incurring withdrawal liability if they withdraw—no withdrawal liability. None. Keeping Things in Perspective The fact that the Plan had withdrawal liability is a reminder of an economic downturn that continues to be felt. However, the Plan has weathered a poor economy a number of times in its 50 plus year history and emerged strong and healthy, and we’ve done it. Our Trustees manage the Plan with the express purpose of eliminating withdrawal liability. After all, half the board’s Trustees are employers. You can rest assured it is the Trustees’ intention to resolve these issues quickly. Why would we give up the control we have with our current pension plan and get involved with a labor-management pension plan? The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) increased the volatility of single-employer company pension plans. Year-by-year flexibility has been largely eliminated and replaced by mandatory current funding and government-mandated interest rates. The multiemployer plan approach of the National Pension Plan provides a stable, strong alternative. Your company’s steady contributions to the National Pension Plan are likely to represent better security and value for you and your employees. 2 7/23/13 12:52 PM Tough Page 5 Questions, Straight Answers In addition, although the Fund exists to provide pension benefits to IAM members, by law it is independent from the union. It is a separate entity managed by an active Board of Trustees composed of members from both labor and management. Employers have an equal vote in the Fund’s management. There’s one more benefit of participating in the National Pension Plan to consider: under certain circumstances, the Plan permits participation by a contributing employer’s non-collectively bargained employees. Think of this as the potential for “one stop shopping” for all your employees’ pension needs. Will employees lose their vested benefits in our company plan if we switch to the National Pension Plan? No. An employee’s vested benefits belong to the employee. When a company becomes a contributing employer to the IAM National Pension Fund, there is no impact on employees’ benefits under the company’s plan. In addition, vesting service in a company plan, including any qualified plan such as a 401(k) plan, may count in the National Pension Plan for vesting purposes and toward eligibility for unreduced early retirement benefits. Over the years, many employers who became contributing employers froze their company plans and merged them into the National Pension Plan. If you now have a company pension plan and become a contributing employer to our Plan, you may want to consider merging your plan into ours. This would allow you to eliminate the burden of administering your company’s frozen pension plan. We’ve always believed that a 401(k) plan offers greater value as well as more flexibility for our workforce. Isn’t that true? The Fund recognizes the value of a 401(k) plan as a supplement to a defined benefit pension plan. We even offer one to IAM members who already have a defined benefit plan. But, unfortunately, even individuals who do everything perfectly with their 401(k) plans can still be ruined if a market reversal occurs when they intend to retire. We saw that happen in 2008 when more than $1 trillion in stock value in defined contribution plans disappeared and the value of the average 401(k) plan plummeted. The sad truth is that most individuals don’t save enough, aren’t sophisticated investors, often cash out their 401(k) accounts when they change jobs and borrow from their accounts while they are working. As a result, they are not building sufficient savings on which to retire. With the National Pension Plan, the money will be there for them at retirement and will last for life. Lastly, for you, the National Pension Plan is like a defined contribution plan. All you need to do is contribute—just like a match to a 401(k) plan. You are not required to provide a benefit—that’s the responsibility of the IAM National Pension Fund. However, your employees get the security and safety of a defined benefit plan. 3 “ The National Pension Plan is a blessing. It’s a very solid, professionally run plan whose performance has been excellent. As a small employer, the administrative burden of supporting our own plan would be exceedingly expensive. I would absolutely recommend any employer consider the Fund instead of trying to establish and administer a single-company fund. For small to medium size companies, there’s no other reasonable alternative. Warren Bird President California Saw, Knife & Grinding Co. San Francisco, California “ Pension Book.qxd:alex Pension Book.qxd:alex 7/23/13 12:52 PM Page 6 the National Pension Plan: a Long History of Providing Security to Employees and Employers During its 50 plus year history, the IAM National Pension Fund’s National Pension Plan has seen many changes and weathered many storms, not the least of which is the financial turbulence that began in 2008 and continues to affect both the stock market and the overall economy. As with most investors, the IAM National Pension Fund suffered investment losses in 2008, just as it did in past downturns. However, these losses in no way threaten the Fund’s ability to keep its commitment to pay benefits. As it happens, 2008’s weak numbers for the Fund were followed by resoundingly positive investment performances since then. Now is the Right Time to Join A few key facts make this an ideal time for employers to consider the benefits of the IAM National Pension Fund’s National Pension Plan for their IAM-represented employees: No pensioner has ever missed a benefit check in the Fund’s 50 plus year history. In good times and bad, the Fund’s handson Trustees exercise prudent leadership on behalf of the Fund’s participants, retirees and contributing employers. The Fund’s Trustees, the Fund Director, the Fund staff and professional advisors remain deeply committed to the Fund’s mission of providing the best possible pension benefits for current and future participants, while protecting the financial stability of the Plan. This has been true for 50 plus years, and continues to be so. The National Pension Plan has proven to be a smart choice for companies at over 1,750 employer locations; for more than 100,000 active participants; and for more than 87,000 retirees and beneficiaries covered by the Plan. The Trustees and the Fund Office staff work tirelessly to help the Fund maintain its secure financial position. We’re proud of our accomplishments: Paying over $4 billion in benefits during our first 50 plus years Improving the financial security and peace of mind of tens of thousands of IAM retirees and their families Consistently ranking among the top 10 multiemployer pension funds in the country. 4 Pension Book.qxd:alex 7/23/13 12:52 PM Page 7 National Pension Plan Power: It’s Easy to Get The first step to joining the National Pension Plan is simple: just agree to be a contributing employer in your collective bargaining agreement with the IAM. This agreement will define the contribution you will pay monthly on behalf of your employees. Contribution rates range from $0.10 an hour to $28.50 an hour, in $0.05 increments (the benefits produced by these contributions can be found online at www.iamnpf.org). The bargaining parties also need to adopt the standard contract language provided by the Fund. As a contributing employer, you will know at the time the contract is negotiated what your pension costs will be for the length of the collective bargaining agreement. Interested? The Fund Office staff will gladly provide you with more information about the National Pension Plan and the financial security it offers your employees while saving your company time and money. We can put you in touch with our Employer Trustees as well as contributing employers in your industry or geographic area. Contact the Fund Office’s Education Department: IAM National Pension Fund 1300 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20036-1711 Phone: 800-424-9608 Fax: 202-785-4021 Email: iamnpf@iamnpf.org Website: www.iamnpf.org Stephen R. Sleigh, Fund Director “ Without equivocation, I would recommend the National Pension Plan to other employers. I’m extremely proud that the Fund has been able to maintain a very sound financial position while both improving benefits to workers and protecting the “ companies we represent. Ronald Fetty Director Industrial Relations ABF Freight System, Inc. Sauk Village, Illinois 5 Pension Book.qxd:alex 7/23/13 12:52 PM Join These Page 8 Contributing Employers Today! An Impressive List — Here’s a listing of just a few of the many employers who contribute to the I.A.M. National Pension Fund’s National Pension Plan. Aerospace L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace Northrop Grumman Technical Service, Inc. Spirit Aerosystems, Inc. United Space Alliance Automotive and Motor Vehicles Fresno Chrysler Jeep Ganley Honda Jim Ball Pontiac-Buick-GMC Truck, Inc. Kline Volvo Leikin Motor Companies Motor Coach Industries, Inc. Penske Truck Leasing Co. Ryder Truck Rental, Inc. Walser Buick-Pontiac GMC LLC Construction and Erection A. Teichert & Son, Inc. Casey Equipment Co., Inc. Commodore Corp. Halbert Brothers, Inc. Thoesen Tractor & Equipment Electronics Arnold Engineering Co., Inc. Milwaukee Resistor Corp. Ross Decco Co. Financial Coosa Pines Federal Credit Union I.A.M. Federal Credit Union Food and Beverage Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Dominicks Finer Foods, Inc. Gallo Wine Co. Giant Food, Inc. Holsum Bakery, Inc. Miller Brewing Co. Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. Okeelanta Corp. Ralph’s Grocery Co. Safeway, Inc. Sara Lee US Sugar Corp. Freight and Delivery Systems ABF Freight System, Inc. APA Transervice Lease Corp. Auto Truck Transport Corp. New England Motor Freight United Parcel Service, Inc. Yellow Freight System, Inc. July 2013 Health Care and Human Services Dialysis Clinic, Inc. Getinge Sourcing LLC Inomedic Health Applications, Inc. Quincy/Adams 911 Center St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center The Cranston Center Union Vision Center of Stow, Inc. Manufacturing and Machinery California Saw, Knife, and Grinding Co. Dresser-Rand Electrolux Home Products National Pattern, Inc. New York Air Brake Corp. A Knorr Brake Co. Olin Brass Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. TitanX Engine Cooling, Inc. Media Boston Globe Newspaper Co. Detroit Newspaper Agency Metals and Metal Containers A.J. Oster Foils, Inc. Advance Die Casting Co. Crown Cork and Seal Co. (USA), Inc. Rexam Beverage Can Co. Rustic House Ironworks, Inc. Silgan Containers Corp. Special Metals Municipalities and Government City of Great Falls, Montana City of Greendale, Indiana City of Lawrenceburg, Indiana City of Scranton-Dept. of Public Works, Pennsylvania Economic Development and Industrial Corp. of Boston Town of Alma, New York Town of Harpswell, Maine Town of Pe Ell, Washington Service Contractors Ahntech, Inc. Army Fleet Support, LLC CSC Applied Technology LLC Dyncorp. Technical Services LLC Project Resources/Del-Jen URS Federal Technical Services, Inc. Ship Building and Repair Bath Iron Works Corp., A General Dynamics Company Oceanwide Repair, Inc. Telecommunications Efficiency Enterprises, Inc. Indyne, Inc. LJT Associates, Inc. Transportation Aer Lingus Ltd British Airways Continental Micronesia IronTiger Logistics, Inc. JAX Transportation Philippine Airlines, Inc. Port Imperial Ferry Corp. United Airlines US Airways Yellow Cab of Pittsburgh Waste Management BFI Waste Systems of North America Waste Management of Illinois Other Culligan Soft Water Service Co. Dowling College Florida State College at Jacksonville Ivory Leathers, Inc. NW Contexture Congregations Paper Potlatch Corp. Sierra Pine Ltd. The American Stationery Co., Inc. 1300 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20036-1711 Plastics Crescent Plastics, Inc. ITW Tomco Pratt & Whitney Auto Air, Inc. Email: iamnpf@iamnpf.org Website: www.iamnpf.org Phone: (800) 424-9608 Fax: (202) 785-4021