(The IBT circulated the following news release on April 8.)
WASHINGTON — Turning its back on working Americans, the United States Senate granted final approval to President Bush’s so-called pension relief bill. Rather than pass a bill that will provide meaningful relief for all pension plans, Congress deliberately excluded multi-employer plans covering 10 million working Americans.
“This legislation marks a massive failure on the part of Congress and the White House,” said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa.
“First this President gave us a jobless recovery. Then he signed a prescription drug bill that will cause three million seniors to lose their prescription drug coverage,” Hoffa added. “Now, he’s succeeded in passing a pension relief bill that offers no relief for plans covering 10 million working Americans.”
Hoffa expressed disappointment in every Senator who voted for this sham legislation, regardless of party, while recognizing those who stood with the Teamsters and working families, saying “I commend the twelve Democrats and seven Republicans who refused to play into the hands of George Bush and Karl Rove by voting against this legislation. This bill does nothing more than give the President political cover while attempting to create a split within the labor movement.”
Hoffa specifically thanked Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) for fighting to protect the retirement security of Teamsters and other workers covered by multi-employer plans. “On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Teamsters with multi-employer pension plans, I commend Senator Kennedy for exercising leadership on this issue. I urge him to continue the fight for legislation that provides meaningful relief for all pension plans.”
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout North America.