Teamsters meet in Youngstown over pension cuts
Sunday afternoon, Teamsters from around the state packed a local union hall to discuss proposed pension cuts for thousands of workers who participate in the Central States Pension Fund.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Sunday afternoon, Teamsters from around the state packed a local union hall to discuss proposed pension cuts for thousands of workers who participate in the Central States Pension Fund.
The meeting was held at Teamsters Local 377 in Youngstown.
"Our dollars have gone away, I probably put $410-thousand plus in this pension fund and it looks as though I will never see it, not while I'm alive," said Bob Sine, a retired Teamsters of Local 377. "That's a dirty shame."
"I'd lose between 13 and 14-thousand dollars a year and that's pretty good hit," said Kenneth Chenlikas, a retired Teamsters of Local 407.
It was last year the Teamsters were alerted by the Central States Pension Fund that changes could be coming in order for "the fund" to last into the future.
Since then, members have been meeting all across the country to help find a solution.
"We all have to do what we have to do to contact Congress, contact your senators, contact The International (Union) and voice your opinion on what needs to be done," said Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 377 Ralph "Sam" Cook.
"We have good hope, we have good movement. We're working with many congressman. Tim Ryan is a sign-on on one of the bills, Bill Johnson has signed-on one of the bills. They're working to stop these draconic cuts," said Mike Walden, Chairman of Northeast Ohio Committee to Protect Pensions.
Union officials say the plan is currently under review by the U.S. Treasury Department, which could amend, postpone or uphold the proposed plan.
Central States says on their web site, that "While painful, such a pension rescue plan is the only realistic way possible to save the Fund from financial failure."
Several Teamsters expressed their concern.
"Can you imagine a lot of us guys coming back out of retirement? All these people have families and are raising families and I already have my family raised and ready and take someone's job. That's wrong," said Stephen Carano, a retired Teamster.
"A lot of these people at this meeting still have house payments, car payments, are trying to put their kids through college and to me it's nothing more than a slap in the face," said Bruce Kirkland, a retired Teamster.
More information on the Central States Pension Fund Rescue Plan can be found by clicking, here.
