"It only costs money"
Thats the problem with this entire discussion. The company drew their line in the sand on our retirement. There is absolutely no reason for them to add one penny to their costs in regard to our A fund until the next contract negotiations.
This pipe dream of increasing our A or B plan benefits until then are just that, pipe dreams.
And even if the unicorn consultant could increase our A plan benefits and reduce the company's costs at the same time the company won't do it because then they would have to explain to the other 200,000+ employees whose pension was frozen in 2008 that they were going to increase our benefit while theirs' remains frozen.
It isn't going to happen. It isn't a matter of affordability, its a matter of corporate perceptions and perceived fairness.
Our redline was vacation and PBS, theirs was the A plan. I don't see that changing outside of our next section 6 negotiations.