Union Representative FAQ

Contribution rates range from $0.10 to $28.50 per hour.

The current average contribution rate is $1.95 per hour.

For help in determining how best to negotiate contribution rate increases, contact your IAM Education Representative.

Yes. If you pass away, your spouse or your beneficiary(ies) may be eligible for death benefits under the terms of the plan. If you become totally and permanently disabled before normal retirement age, you may also be entitled to a Disability Pension.

The IAM National Pension Fund (the "Fund") is a multi-employer non-contributory Trust Fund. Only employer contributions made in accordance with the IAM Collective Bargaining Agreement or Special Class Participation Agreement with the Trustees may be accepted by the Fund. All employer contributions and Fund assets, from whatever source, are pooled and used to pay pension benefits.

No money is credited to an individual account, as the National Pension Plan of the IAM National Pension Fund is a defined benefit plan. It is designed to provide a monthly income at retirement. There is no benefit paid until a Covered Employee retires and applies for pension.

You may only designate people as beneficiaries. If none of your beneficiaries are alive at the time of your death, any benefit payable may be made to your estate.

Many employers prefer to keep control of their company's pension plan so they can opt to fund the plans on a year-by-year basis. Obviously, during strong investment periods it may not be necessary to contribute to your plan. However, this short-term flexibility can lead to greater pension costs for your company over the long haul. Making steady contributions to the IAM National Pension Fund is likely to represent better value—for you and your employees. You can focus on your business, comfortable in the knowledge that we are handling your pension-related matters—and handling them well.

We are always glad to address employers' concerns about the IAM National Pension Fund. We welcome the chance to respond to questions from the professionals who serve you. We want to make sure there are no misconceptions about our plan. We have a track record of providing solid benefits, often better than those a single-employer plan can provide. When you compare our costs and benefits, you will see that the National Pension Plan is a good proposition.

Two reasons to switch to the National Pension Plan are that we offer secure lifetime retirement benefits and we administer the plan for you. Employers who adopt the National Pension Fund after terminating their own plans or by merging their plans into the National Pension Fund will find we can save them time and money. For example, if you have the IAM National Pension Fund as your sole pension provider, you don't have to worry about regulatory compliance. You can focus on your business, comfortable in the knowledge that we are handling your pension-related matters—and handling them well.

The IAM National Pension Fund (the "Fund") exists to provide pension benefits to IAM members, but the Fund is legally independent from the union. It is a separate entity managed by an active Board of Trustees composed of members of both labor and management. Employers have an equally strong vote in the Fund’s management.

Our trustees set policy and investment strategy. That strategy is based on thorough research and analysis and expert advice from some of the most trusted names on Wall Street and nationwide. The Fund has a sound investment approach and a  record of more than 50 years of unblemished integrity.

An employee's vested benefits belong to the employee—that's what vesting means. When a company becomes a contributing employer to the IAM National Pension Fund, its employees' status as participants in the National Pension Plan has no impact on vested benefits in the company's own plan. And, vesting service in the company plan counts in the National Pension Plan for vesting and some eligibility purposes.