How it Began

In the early 2000s, the 400,000 member Central States Pension Fund began signaling that the law needed to be changed to allow cuts to maintain the solvency of underfunded pension funds.  A proposal from the National Coordinating Committee for Multiemployer Plans (NCCMP) called Solutions Not Bailouts was introduced in January 2013. After several meetings, the first hearing to reduce pensions and introduce some law changes was held in October 2013. In March 2014, Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) suggested starting a committee to fight for the pensions.  In April 2014,  the NE Ohio Committee to Protect Pensions was formed in Akron, Ohio, a committee with 12 people, which included the late Alex Adams, Mike Walden and others. At that time, they were told that Solutions Not Bailouts was just a proposal, and that an extension was being discussed.  Instead, on December 16, 2014, retirees and workers were ambushed with the enactment of the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 (MPRA). With the passing of the MPRA, retirees of underfunded multiemployer plans began receiving notification from their pension funds of upcoming reductions in their hard-earned pensions, ranging anywhere from 25% to 70%.  Under the leadership of Adams and Walden, Save Our Pension Committees in Ohio and eventually across the country began forming to attempt to stop those draconic cuts. ​Approximately 65 pension committees were formed in the beginning of the grassroots movement with many of those committees meeting in St. Louis to discuss forming a nonprofit 501( c) (5) national committee.  In December 2016, The National United Committee to Protect Pension (NUCPP) was created with Alex Adams, Incorporator and Mike Walden, President/Incorporator.

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NUCPP Board of Directors

Director of Communications/Secretary

Dana Vargo

Dana worked 42 years in the banking industry as a paralegal and other positions. Dana is married to Don Vargo, a Teamster who worked for 30 years out of Local 92 and Local 348, retiring in 2014. Dana and Don are also Co-Chairs of Local 92 Retirees Committee to Protect Pensions and members of the Northeast Ohio Committee to Protect Pensions.

Legal Liaison and Trustee

Frank Pastorino

Frank worked 36 years for UPS out of Cedar Falls, Iowa as a package car and feeder driver belonging to Teamster Local 650 and later Local 238. He is also the Co-Chair of the Iowa-Des Moines Committee to Protect Pensions.

Trustee

Tom Schwarzenberger

Tom worked as a Teamster for 25 years with UPS. He is also Co-Chair for the Missouri Kansas City Committee to Protect Pensions.

trustee

Cynthia McDaniel

Cynthia lives in Appleton City, MO, and is the wife of Ted, a 30-year retired teamster who retired from Churchill Truck Lines and Consolidated Freight Lines. Cynthia is also a Co-Director of the Missouri Kansas City Committee to Protect Pensions.

NUCPP ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

In addition to the NUCPP Board of Directors, the NUCPP is fortunate to have Advisory Board Members who represent various pension committees throughout the country.  In addition to being active within their pension committee, the duties of the Advisory Board Members also include reaching out to retirees and active members within a specific footprint to keep them informed of current events and to answer any questions.

Bernie Anderson. Bernie is an Advisory Board member who lives in Franklin WI. He is the former Treasurer and Membership Director of the NUCPP, and is the Co-Chair of the Wisconsin-Milwaukee/SE Committee to Protect Pensions. Bernie worked 30 years as a Teamster, with the last 23 years at ABF.

Willie Hardy. Willie is President of the Teamsters Retirees Tri-State Chapter Pension Committee, which covers Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee and is a member of Local 667. Willie retired from Roadway after 32 years. He is a TDU Trustee for the International Steering Committee. In addition, Willie is Assistant Pastor at the New Nonconnah Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, TN.

​Jack Palush - Jack is an Advisory Board member who lives in North Royalton, OH.  ​After discharge from the Marine Corps, Jack worked at several companies as a driver and then at Holland Motor Express for 24 years. Jack ended up with 37 years in CSPF and retired at age 60.  Jack is also a member of the NE Ohio Committee to Protect Pensions.

William Wright—William is an Advisory Board member who lives in Nashville, TN. ​He worked for several companies, including Roadway Express, for 27 years, including YRC. He is Teamster Retirees Local Union #480 Vice President in Nashville, TN.

Steve Baribeau—Steve is an Advisory Board member who lives in St. Paul, MB. He worked for six trucking companies for 37 years before retiring from YRC in 2014. Steve was elected President, with three other co-chairs, of the Minnesota Committee to Protect Pensions. This Committee also joined the State Retirees Council of the AFL-CIO.

Dennis Kooren—Dennis is an Advisory Board member who lives in Fargo, NC. After serving as an officer in the US Army, Dennis worked at UPS for 30 years. He is the chair of the Fargo Moorhead Committee to Protect Pensions and was instrumental in forming the Bismark and Sioux Falls SD Committees. He is also a current member of the US Global Leadership Coalition.

Bobbie Hanner - Bobbie is an Advisory Board member and she and her husband, Dale, live in Summerfield, NC. Bobbie is NUCPP Recording Secretary and assists the Membership Committee and works on special projects, as well as being a member of the NC Committee to Protect Pensions. She worked 16 years at American Express, 6 years at Local 391, and retired after 11 years as a state employee.