LONG ISLANDNASSAU

Schumer, King, Teamsters push for bill to cover pensions

Recession from 2008 led to multi-employer pension funds such as the Teamsters’ to become insolvent. Schumer and King want to allow borrowing through the Treasury Department to cover shortfalls.

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Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) seek to issue treasury bonds tied to federal budget to fund Teamster pension shortfall. (Credit: Newsday / John Asbury)

By John Asburyjohn.asbury@newsday.com   @JohnAsbury Updated January 2, 2018 6:28 PM

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Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Peter King joined Long Island Teamsters Tuesday in calling for union pension shortfalls to be funded through Treasury bonds tied to the federal budget.

Schumer (D-N.Y.) and King (R-Seaford) are pushing Congress to pass the Butch Lewis Act, which would create a new office within the Treasury Department to allow pension plans to borrow for any shortfall using Treasury bonds issued by the government to sell to financial institutions. 

Schumer, the Senate minority leader, and King met with Teamsters Local 707 in Hempstead to push for the bill, which could help fund pensions for 4,500 Long Island families, including more than 3,700 retirees, Schumer said. 

“These pensions are on the hook for billions and could collapse,” Schumer said. “We have an obligation to these folks. These people worked hard and never asked for much and should not be abandoned.”

Teamsters and elected officials say the 2008 recession led multi-employer pension plans to become insolvent and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. to be underfunded.

Suffolk Legis. Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), who also is president of Local 707, said the pension payments have been reduced because fewer younger members are paying into the pension plan after the deregulation of the trucking industry.

“All the men and women went to work with quiet dignity and had expectations to retire with that same dignity,” McCaffrey said.

King said the pension plan should have bipartisan support and that he would work to pass the bill with other Republicans, as part of the federal budget negotiations ending Jan. 19.