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For a brief transition period, the Plan is not required by law to report certain funding related information because such information may not exist for plan years before 2008. The plan has entered “not applicable” in the chart above to identify the information it does not have. In lieu of that information, however, the Plan is providing you with comparable information that reflects the funding status of the Plan under the law then in effect. For 2007, the Plan’s “funded current liability percentage” was 88.86%, the Plan’s assets were $288,587,001, and the Plan’s liabilities were $324,783,822. For 2006, the Plan’s “funded current liability percentage” was 90.57%, the Plan’s assets were $265,761,833, and the Plan’s liabilities were $293,426,637. 1-PH/2524704.4 2 Fair Market Value of Assets Asset values in the chart above are actuarial values, which are permitted to differ from fair market values. Market values tend to show a clearer picture of a plan’s funded status as of a given point in time. However, because market values can fluctuate daily based on factors in the marketplace, such as changes in the stock market, pension law allows plans to use actuarial values for funding purposes. While actuarial values fluctuate less than market values, they are estimates. As of September 30, 2009, the fair market value of the Plan’s assets was $273,954,396 (unaudited). As of September 30, 2008, the fair market value of the Plan’s assets was $268,456,393. As of September 30, 2007, the fair market value of the Plan’s assets was $315,613,194. Participant Information The total number of participants in the plan as of the Plan’s valuation date was 2,376. Of this number, 1,550 were active participants, 517 were retired or separated from service and receiving benefits, 74 were retired or separated from service and entitled to future benefits, and 235 were deceased participants whose beneficiaries are receiving or are entitled to receive benefits. Funding & Investment Policies The law requires that every pension plan have a procedure for establishing a funding policy to carry out the plan objectives. A funding policy relates to the level of contributions needed to pay for promised benefits. The funding policy of the Plan is to make contributions based upon participant hours worked and type of cargo handled, to be consistent with the minimum funding standard of ERISA and to adequately meet the estimated obligations of the Plan. Once money is contributed to the Plan, the money is invested by plan officials called fiduciaries. Specific investments are made in accordance with the Plan’s investment policy. Generally speaking, an investment policy is a written statement that provides the fiduciaries who are responsible for the plan investments with guidelines or general instructions concerning various types or categories of investment management decisions. The investment policy of the Plan provides for the assets to be invested in a manner consistent with the fiduciary standards contained in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder and applicable federal and state laws and regulations. All transactions undertaken on behalf of the fund must be in the sole interest of the fund and its participants. The target asset allocation is designed to provide a high likelihood of producing a rate of return sufficient to meet or exceed the Plan’s actuarial assumption. In accordance with the Plan’s investment policy, the Plan’s assets were allocated among the following categories of investments, as of the end of the Plan Year. These allocations are percentages of total assets:
Asset Allocations Percentage
1. Interest-bearing cash 0.03% 2. U.S. Government securities 3.96% 3. Corporate debt instruments (other than employer securities): Preferred 0.00% All other 11.03% 4. Corporate stocks (other than employer securities): Preferred 0.01% Common 28.23% 5. Partnership/joint venture interests 0.00% 6. Real estate (other than employer real property) 2.12% 7. Loans (other than to participants) 0.00% 8. Participant loans 0.00% 9. Value of interest in common/collective trusts 25.71% 10. Value of interest in pooled separate accounts 0.00% 11. Value of interest in master trust investment accounts 0.00% 12. Value of interest in 103-12 investment entities 0.00% 13. Value of interest in registered investment companies (e.g., mutual funds) 8.11% 14. Value of funds held in insurance co. general account (unallocated contracts) 5.84% 15. Employer-related investments: Employer Securities 0.00% Employer real property 0.00% 16. Buildings and other property used in plan operation 0.00% 17. Other 14.96% Critical or Endangered Status Under federal pension law a plan generally will be considered to be in “endangered” status if, at the beginning of the plan year, the funded percentage of the plan is less than 80 percent or in “critical” status if the percentage is less than 65 percent (other factors may also apply). If a pension plan enters endangered status, the trustees of the plan are required to adopt a funding improvement plan. Similarly, if a pension plan enters critical status, the trustees of the plan are required to adopt a rehabilitation plan. Rehabilitation and funding improvement plans establish steps and benchmarks for pension plans to improve their funding status over a specified period of time. The Plan was not in endangered or crucial status in the Plan Year. Right to Request a Copy of the Annual Report A pension plan is required to file with the US Department of Labor an annual report (i.e., Form 5500) containing financial and other information about the plan. Copies of the annual report are available from the US Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Public Disclosure Room at 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-1513, Washington, DC 20210, or by calling 202.693.8673. Or you may obtain a copy of the Plan’s annual report by making a written request to the plan administrator. 1-PH/2524704.4 4 Summary of Rules Governing Plans in Reorganization and Insolvent Plans The Pension Protection Act of 2006 requires the Plan to advise you of special rules that apply to financially troubled multiemployer plans, even if the Plan does not fit that description. The GSAILA Pension Plan is not financially troubled. However, for your information, the following rules will apply should the Plan become financially troubled. Federal law has a number of special rules that apply to financially troubled multiemployer plans. Under so-called “plan reorganization rules,” a plan with adverse financial experience may need to increase required contributions and may, under certain circumstances, reduce benefits that are not eligible for the PBGC’s guarantee (generally, benefits that have been in effect for less than 60 months). If a plan is in reorganization status, it must provide notification that the plan is in reorganization status and that, if contributions are not increased, accrued benefits under the plan may be reduced or an excise tax may be imposed (or both). The law requires the plan to furnish this notification to each contributing employer and the labor organization. Despite the special plan reorganization rules, a plan in reorganization nevertheless could become insolvent. A plan is insolvent for a plan year if its available financial resources are not sufficient to pay benefits when due for the plan year. An insolvent plan must reduce benefit payments to the highest level that can be paid from the plan’s available financial resources. If such resources are not enough to pay benefits at a level specified by law (see Benefit Payments Guaranteed by the PBGC, below), the plan must apply to the PBGC for financial assistance. The PBGC, by law, will loan the plan the amount necessary to pay benefits at the guaranteed level. Reduced benefits may be restored if the plan’s financial condition improves. A plan that becomes insolvent must provide prompt notification of the insolvency to participants and beneficiaries, contributing employers, labor unions representing participants, and PBGC. In addition, participants and beneficiaries also must receive information regarding whether, and how, their benefits will be reduced or affected as a result of the insolvency, including loss of a lump sum option. This information will be provided for each year the plan is insolvent. Benefit Payments Guaranteed by the PBGC The maximum benefit that the PBGC guarantees is set by law. Only vested benefits are guaranteed. Specifically, the PBGC guarantees a monthly benefit payment equal to 100 percent of the first $11 of the Plan’s monthly benefit accrual rate, plus 75 percent of the next $33 of the accrual rate, times each year of credited service. The PBGC’s maximum guarantee, therefore, is $35.75 per month times a participant’s years of credited service. Example 1: If a participant with 10 years of credited service has an accrued monthly benefit of $500, the accrual rate for purposes of determining the PBGC guarantee would be determined by dividing the monthly benefit by the participant’s years of service ($500/10), which equals $50. The guaranteed amount for a $50 monthly accrual rate is equal to the sum of $11 plus $24.75 (.75 x $33), or $35.75. Thus, the participant’s guaranteed monthly benefit is $357.50 ($35.75 x 10). Example 2: If the participant in Example 1 has an accrued monthly benefit of $200, the accrual rate for purposes of determining the guarantee would be $20 (or $200/10). The guaranteed amount for a 1-PH/2524704.4 5 $20 monthly accrual rate is equal to the sum of $11 plus $6.75 (.75 x $9), or $17.75. Thus, the participant’s guaranteed monthly benefit would be $177.50 ($17.75 x 10). The PBGC guarantees pension benefits payable at normal retirement age and some early retirement benefits. In calculating a person’s monthly payment, the PBGC will disregard any benefit increases that were made under the plan within 60 months before the earlier of the plan’s termination or insolvency (or benefits that were in effect for less than 60 months at the time of termination or insolvency). Similarly, the PBGC does not guarantee pre-retirement death benefits to a spouse or beneficiary (e.g., a qualified pre-retirement survivor annuity) if the participant dies after the plan terminates, benefits above the normal retirement benefit, disability benefits not in pay status, or non-pension benefits, such as health insurance, life insurance, death benefits, vacation pay, or severance pay. Where to Get More Information For more information about this notice, you may contact the ILA Employers Welfare Fund Office at (912) 233 – 0218, 10 Mersey Way, Post Office Box 1280, Savannah GA 31498-1280. For identification purposes, the official plan number is 001 and the plan sponsor’s employer identification number or “EIN” is 58-6106340. For more information about the PBGC and multiemployer benefit guarantees, go to PBGC’s website, www.pbgc.gov, or call PBGC toll-free at 1-800-400-7242 (TTY/TDD users may call the Federal relay service toll free at 1-800-877-8339 and ask to be connected to 1-800-400-7242). |
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