Many guys don't understand the retirement numbers. If you make over $200,000 you are leaving money on the table with our match. 9% of $200,000 is $18,000 which is the max you can put in personally if you're under 50. Since it's a match you are getting nothing on any money you make over $200,000. Even a 9% defined contribution would be better than our current 9 matching because at least then you would be actually getting 9% of your wages.

Let's say they keep the match and then add a small 4% defined contribution on top of it. It would appear that you are getting 13% from the company. You aren't if you make over $200,000. Let's say you make $250,000 you're getting $18000 on your first $200,000 by way of a match assuming you put in your own 9% (another draw back). But then you're maxed out on the match. You,ll get 4% of the whole $250k but you missed out on the 9% of that last $50k because you maxed out at 200,000. 9% of $50,000 is $4500. You left that on the table if you agree to a match/DC combo instead of a straight DC for the same percentage.

Not to mention that as you start making more money or you are over 50 and doing catch up contributions every dollar you put in because you have to to get a match counts against the combined total of $53000 that can go into your account annual from both you and the company. Do you really want your $18k limiting what they will be putting in when you could be investing it elsewhere and taking full advantage of the possible $53000 you could be getting from the company.

I know it can be hard to understand the way I put it but the fact is that you leave money on the table when you have a match. We need to dump the match in any retirement proposal. If you still want to contribute to that account you certainly can but don't let matching language limit what you should be getting which is a percentage of ALL your wages.

Many may also say they aren't making $200,000. Well if our captain wages go to where they should go especially in light of what appears to be uals new pay scale it's likely most everyone in the left seat will be making close to $200,000 or more.