MEBA Plans

The MEBA Plans are the backbone of our union. They aren't always what brings new members into the union, but more often than not they are what keeps the members and their hard earned experience in our pool. This keeps our talent high and is what allows us to demand industry high wages and work rules.

Plan Financial Health

I have worked hard over the last 7 years, along with others in the administration, to get appropriate increases to contributions to stabilize them while managing the Plan expenses. These efforts have paid off, as all of our Plans are positioned well financially, despite the current COVID economics.

Pension Plan

The Pension Plan will always have pressure to meet the required investment returns the Trustees have set. Luckily, the assets are well diversified, with the cornerstone being the Hall of States building in downtown Washington DC. That property generates outstanding rent revenue and appreciation, and has weathered the Pension Plan through the 2008 recession and otherwise. I don't see the 11.7% required contribution going away ever; however, many of our contracts--especially the West Coast contracts--have it completely shifting over to the employers in the next few years.

Medical Plan

The MEBA Medical Plan is well funded, but always faces vast increases in costs well above inflation. This is largely due to prescriptions and specialty drugs. The Trustees have been able to manage these increases and keep them well below what the plan actuaries have predicted. This has allowed increases in plan coverage in areas like well-baby visits, chiropractic and physical rehab visits, flu shots, and many other areas, all while maintaining the fund balance. While other health plans may always seem to be taking things away, our plan continues to improve and adapt. Future officials will need to keep increasing medical contributions to maintain the strength of our Medical Plan as medical costs in general continue to soar. It is also absolutely essential we maintain retiree health coverage; it is a cornerstone of unions and why many members stay to achieve a full retirement.

Training Plan

The Training Plan had only a year or two of funding left when I first became a Trustee in 2014. Again the administrations worked to steeply increase contributions while slashing costs at the school. All of the Calhoon school employees shared in this effort to do more with less. The school now looks as good as ever and finally has a balanced budget. It even recently installed a fire fighting rig to be able teach basic safety and firefighting courses on our campus, and sell the surplus time to other unions.

Vacation Plan

The Vacation Plan is essential for member wellbeing and freedom, as it allows members to bank vacation and convert overtime so they can work when they want to, and go on long vacations when they so choose. It also can be used to extend medical coverage when necessary.

Transparency and Fairness

The JEC helps the union maintain our hiring hall system, which ensures transparency and fairness in our job call process. The AMC is the joint industry lobbying group of the employers and the MEBA, educating and advocating for maritime efforts on Capitol Hill. The Money Purchase Benefit and 401k Plan are managed by the Trustees to ensure our members have access to good fund choices with low expense ratios.