Summary Plan Description

• Important Information about the Plan
• Highlights of the Pension Fund
• Definitions
• Answers to Questions About your Pension Plan
• About the Plan
• About Participation
• About Pension Credits and Years of Vesting Service
• About Breaks in Service
• About Pension Benefits
• About Forms of Benefits payable After Retirement
• About Survivor Benefits Before Retirement
• About Applying for a Pension
• About Appeal of Denial of Benefits
• About Retirement
• Statement of Rights Under Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974

To All Participants:

The Trustees of your Pension Plan are pleased to present you with this website describing the Plan benefits.

This booklet provides an up-to-date explanation of the Pension Plan provisions. It summarizes the official text of the Pension Plan (which is not included with this booklet).

You will notice a number of very significant benefit improvements and changes in the Pension Plan since the last booklet printing, including:

• At the time the last booklet was printed, the accrual rate was $35.00 per pension credit. It is now $43.50 per pension credit.
  
  
• An improvement was made to the benefit payable to the surviving spouse of an eligible participant who dies prior to retirement.
  
  
• Effective July 1, 1999, if you meet the Plan’s requirements, you can now retire on a Deferred Pension from the Plan with five (5) Years of Vesting Service.
  
  
• You can earn Special Service Credits for calendar years after 1999.
  
  
• The rules for working after retirement were changed.
  
  
• New claims and appeals rules were adopted.
  

We urge you to read this entire booklet and to show the booklet to your family. Your pension is one of the most important parts of your retirement planning. It is important that you and your family be aware of your pension and survivor benefits.

The Trustees are proud of the success we have achieved in providing security to employees who retire after devoting many years to our industry. We realize that a large part of this success is due to the hard work and cooperation of the union, employers and employees, and we appreciate their efforts.

If you have any questions about your pension benefits or your rights under the revised Plan, please call or write the Fund Office.

Sincerely,


BOARD OF TRUSTEES


The Pension Plan itself is a legal document which sets forth the precise eligibility requirements and types and amounts of pension benefits in technical language. It is the exact text of the Pension Plan, rather than the general description in this booklet which governs your entitlement to benefits. If there is a conflict between this general description and the actual Pension Plan Document, the provisions of the actual Plan Document will control. If you would like a copy of the Pension Plan Document, please call or write the Fund Office.

May 2003