How much was United, Delta, and American’s pension? How about TWA, Pan Am, and Eastern? Whatever happened to that??? Oh, that’s right, it can be taken in a heartbeat.

I don’t want to spend one ounce of negotiating capital spent on a retirement vehicle that can be taken away in an instant. I want retirement money to go to MY ACCOUNT, where it cannot be taken away from me. I can choose how I want to invest it. I can even withdraw it early for just a 10% penalty if I really need it.

I’m more financially prudent than your example person who knocks up at stripper at 23, has 3 kids, a 5 acre house, and a wife who loves to spend. So even if United handed me a 100k a year pension tomorrow, I would have to plan my retirement as if I got $0/yr from a pension, because that’s a somewhat likely scenario, so it doesn’t change my financial planning picture at all. It’s a total waste (actually a loss since we would then get less in raises, which means less in 401k contribution).

16% 401k contribution is plenty. Pensions are worthless. Lets spend negotiating capital on $$$ and QOL that we can use now.