Retirees react to new MLB pension deal

[metrotheme]

http://www.examiner.com/baseball-history-in-new-york/retired-new-york-baseball-players-react-to-mlb-s-new-pension-deal

It looks like the 870 or so retirees that are in the pension gap will be receiving payments for their service. While it is not a true pension, it's something. Read former player reactions to the settlement.

[novakjr]

I'm kind of on the fence about this one. Sure, it's nice that they're getting something. BUT if I work a job for less than 5 years does that mean I deserve a pension from that company? No! Just move on to the next job. It's not like these guys weren't able to do anything else just because they played baseball. Personally, I don't get vested into the pension through my union for 5 years(less than a year to go, yay!). Why should these guys be any different? Granted, I will agree that minor league service should have been counted towards their 5 years though.

[metrotheme]

I think the fact that they changed the vesting requirements from 4 years to 1 day in 1980 made for the big "rub" here. It could have easily been retroactively fixed when they made the agreement in 1980.

[Exhibitman]

I'm kind of on the fence about this one. Sure, it's nice that they're getting something. BUT if I work a job for less than 5 years does that mean I deserve a pension from that company? No! Just move on to the next job. It's not like these guys weren't able to do anything else just because they played baseball. Personally, I don't get vested into the pension through my union for 5 years(less than a year to go, yay!). Why should these guys be any different? Granted, I will agree that minor league service should have been counted towards their 5 years though.

The short answer is that they are precisely the same as you: their union achieved a pension plan for these employees through collective bargaining, same as yours. The longer answer is that your position is an intellectually dishonest one given that you vest in a pension after "only" 5 years of work. Why do you "deserve" a pension for five years but ballplayers don't deserve them for four years? Or are you merely envious that they now vest in four years whereas you need five? A lot of us don't have pensions at all; does that mean we should be resentful of your pension because you can have one after "only" five years of work? After all, why don't you just move on to the next job? It's not like you cannot do anything else. Perhaps you should tell your union rep to ask management to raise the pension vesting threshold from five years to twenty years, just so it can be a reward for a career rather than a stop-over.

[novakjr]

The short answer is that they are precisely the same as you: their union achieved a pension plan for these employees through collective bargaining, same as yours. The longer answer is that your position is an intellectually dishonest one given that you vest in a pension after "only" 5 years of work. Why do you "deserve" a pension for five years but ballplayers don't deserve them for four years? Or are you merely envious that they now vest in four years whereas you need five? A lot of us don't have pensions at all; does that mean we should be resentful of your pension because you can have one after "only" five years of work? After all, why don't you just move on to the next job? It's not like you cannot do anything else. Perhaps you should tell your union rep to ask management to raise the pension vesting threshold from five years to twenty years, just so it can be a reward for a career rather than a stop-over.

That was a sarcastic yay! Personally, I'd rather not have anything to do with our pension. It's a complete mess, and I'll never see anywhere near what I will ultimately put in. Yes, I have to pay into the pension, there's absolutely no choice in the matter. Did these guys? The way our credit years work is a complete nightmare as well. Anyways, I'm not in the business for the pension. I'm in it because it's a well paying job. Now, not to go all political here, in case anyone's wondering I'm as close to the most non-union minded, union guys that you'll find...