NotMrNiceGuy

This is what you said:

We might as well just increase the B fund (plus cash over cap). Accomplishes the same and is less complex.

I was simply saying that we should shoot to match UPS’ DC of 12% as well as achieve cash over cap. However, I took what you said as meaning a DC improvement was the only advancement you were looking for. I don’t think that is enough. There must be an improvement to both elements of the retirement package. A and B funds deserve equal attention.

Noworkallplay

Your question has been answered numerous times in the education material. You either haven’t listened/read any of it or you refuse to deal in facts. Either way, no one should have to spoon feed it to you, or do the education for you. Good luck in getting an increase to the current A Plan that’s meaningful.

In life when the rules change you either adapt or become extinct......

pinseeker

Huh? So you are saying that the proprietary information that the MEC signed an NDA for is in the material published by the MEC?

This shows that you really haven't read anything or simply don't comprehend what is being written. The MEC has never published what is costs to fund our current A plan. As a matter of fact, the NC told me that the new VB plan was much more expensive to the company than the current A plan.

So why do companies want out of the DB game? It's all about mitigating risk. They are happy to pass as much of that risk on to you as they can. And that is where things get complicated with items such as floors and pancakes.

ColCargill

We don't NEED and increase to the current A Plan! I'm not actually sure we need an increase to the B Plan.

This battle cry from the union sounds Liberal and Gen Z.
How about: "Be responsible for your own retirement. Save money. Invest wisely."
Our union could save a lot of money by just improving pay rates and not wasting time and money creating and selling some pyramid scheme. Show me the money...not the pancakes.

Fr8Master

We don’t NEED a pay raise either.

pony172

Merely an interested UPS observer here guys. Our B Plan contributions are 12% but the IRS limits that to $34,200 for 2020. That means at $285,000 you hit the max contribution. A lot of our FO's will hit this number this year and for Cpt's the contribution will be mostly in the 7-9% range. I like your cash over cap ideas like Delta.
Also, our pension numbers went up in our contract extension ratified in March. $4400 per year of service up to 30 years for a Cpt. We also gained a VEBA plan that puts $1 for every credit hour into a tax free account for health care costs that you can use starting at age 60. That seems to be the best way to gain some extra tax free cash that will be useable in retirement. I know our EB talks with your MEC frequently on a variety of issues. We're watching this with interest.

FXLAX

It’s all part of the same pie. The pie will get bigger. The question is what part of the contract to increase. Your opinion seems like it’s, put all the increase in rates and be done with it. And that’s fine. But the idea of the union (us) wanting better A or B fund has nothing to do with liberals or Gen Z. It’s just a difference of opinion in where to improve our contract.

FXLAX

We have a VEBA HRA as well. So the vehicle for cash over cap already exists in our contract. We simply need to add language that would direct all the excess B fund company contributions into it. This is exactly what UAL ALPA has in their contract since at least 2014. That’s what I would like to see in our next contract.

Noworkallplay

Not true. You can have the highest pay rate you want but if the DC plan is capped it don't matter because you wont get the actual contribution above the cap. Furthermore, if you dont have a qualified plan to put it into the taxes kill you. Once again subjects that have been covered in the material. The details matter!!!!!

Noworkallplay

All good info. We currently have an HSA plan that the company puts 4k in annually and then you are allowed another 2,500ish pre tax contributions and a wellness benefit. So total of 7,200ish annually. The number you can put in annually goes up per IRS regulations. So having another account that can only be used for health care wouldn't be a huge advantage for many since we already have an account to do this in my opinion. I would be more interested in just doing cash over cap and having a C plan that way the money is not pigeon holed into only being used for healthcare.

We also have a disability sick account that has spill over once its full. Many outsiders don't know about this. You accrue 72 hours of sick time annually and it maxes out at 686 hours. It takes about 9 years to fill it up then 72 hours of pay every year after that is paid to you and you can front load you 401k with it. A WB Capt is getting 23,400k annually spillover from this. Then at the end of said pilots career they get paid 50% of its value paid in cash. At current rates thats 111,400k. So think if you have 30 years at purple and you fill it up the first 9 years you will on average get an additional 25k annually for the last 20 years plus the 110,000k plus at retirement. Do you guys have this at Brown?