It was a joke, that was basically the point of my whole post. We have to take contracts as they are presented. If there is a greedy NC Chair looking to line his and his buddies pockets at the expense of everyone else, it will happen as management will play along. Hopefully that is fixed this time (or I am included in the gravy sharing this time).

If we passed the FDA LOA we will pass anything.

PS I did not buy the paint spray hair thickener Billy has hawked.

PPS Green Urinals

 

You missed some of the finer points of VEBA. The good thing about this program is that it is not controlled by the government. The best thing about this program is that it is not controlled by the government. We, the pilots of FedEx, own it and administer it. If you look at the Big 3 Auto companies and some other large companies and what has happened to those folks retiree health care in the last few years, you will get an idea of what VEBA is all about. It is an employyee funded retiree health care program. You cannot saddle companies with this huge debt burden and expect them to remain competitive.
The $25,000 HSA is only one part of VEBA. There is a program to cover you if you retire before age 65. I believe it pays in the neighborhood of $900/month for you and your spouse (plus some extra for dependents) to cover the cost of taking the current health care we have into retirement and get you to age 65. If you are over 65 and on Medicare, VEBA pays for a Medicare Supplement. In 2008 this was just over $1300 per year (the average Medicare Supplement costs about $100/month).
The initial funding for VEBA came from the company and some scope payments. We now kick in every month to keep it funded.
Every individual's needs and requirements are different. Some of us will use our spouses retirement insurance and not need FedEx, some will use Tricare/Tricare For Life as a supplement, and others will need the whole package from FedEx. The VEBA program is one more tool to help ease all of us into retirement and create a healthcare program that works for you.
Do your homework and research this subject. Our R&I chairman is one of those guys that is way too smart to be a pilot. This guy is probably in the genious category. I read and devour every word he puts out. He is there for us. You can't afford not to be educated on this subject.

 

Most of the complaints center on the $25K and rightfully so as it is only available to a Secret Select (SS) and paid for by everyone else.

That is not the case with post medicare veba, everyone gets a shot if they make it to 65. And (if Barry means test medicare) I hope it is well funded when I get there. But since it was created as part of the last contract negotiation I have a tough time believing the company share wasn't pulled out of one pilot pile and placed in another (ie it was our money anyways).

You will have to show me where pre medicare retirement benies are anyway related to VEBA, I can't it (other than that available to the SS).