An open letter from the NFLRA

[FredFan7]

bit.ly/S5YnNP

[mike]

To answer Millis's question, a grandfather scheme is not a fair and reasonable compromise. Unlike the other corporations Millis cites, the NFL is due for mass retirements in the near future and so maintaining a defined benefit plan is potential time bomb for the league financially because you will suddenly have a large pool of retired officials needing to be paid and not enough time to recoup that money through sound investment. Also, I doubt any official accepted a job in the NFL because they offered a defined benefit pension plan. In addition, how many young (under 5 years) officials actually made a choice on pension plans because of the NFL's defined benefit plan? A compromise can be reached for those officials on a case by case basis that will lead to an initially larger contribution by the NFL to the new defined contribution plan to cover for that difference. Moreover, I do not see officials voluntarily saying they are renouncing pension plans from other employment or the NFL so why should they be allowed to double dip?

[jljf]

Hey Mike. You sound like the NFL, asserting officials have a pension "from other employment" without one shred of evidence that any official does in fact have a pension, thereby creating an issue that may not exist just to muddy the waters. It is no one's business what any person earns (except the NFL knowing the gambling income of one of it's replacements who happens to be going into the hall of fame). Your referencing the grandfathering as a "scheme" is also an attempt to portray Millis' comments in a negative light. Your comment regarding mass retirements could be valid and is a good point for honest debate. Do you think the NFL doesn't have the money to honor it's obligations? Is the NFL using the money that it would save from the officials pension to pay its bills? Just how serious a "time bomb" can this be?