Coalition of Oak Ridge Retired Employees (CORRE)
Working for Fair, Equitable, and Competitive Benefits
For Former K-25, Y-12, and ORNL Employees
P. O. Box 4266
Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-4266
April 12, 2007
Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker
Representatives Lincoln Davis, John Duncan, and Zach Wamp
Request for Your Assistance in Re-Drafting DOE N351. 1
The Coalition of Oak Ridge Retired Employees (CORRE) requests your assistance in obtaining changes to DOE Notice N 351.1, which would implement new DOE policies on the management and administration of pensions when it is finalized and becomes a DOE order. In particular, there is a need to incorporate clarifying and defining language in the notice to provide guidelines for fair treatment of DOE contractor retirees who receive their benefits from defined benefit (DB) pension plans implemented by their contractors. This is extremely important and urgent, as most of the 100,000 retirees of DOE contractors retired under defined benefit plans.
CORRE’s comments on DOE N 351.1 are attached to this letter, and provide the changes that are needed to establish criteria and guidelines to be used by DOE in managing and administering DB plans. These criteria would go a long way toward removing the subjectivity and neglect now involved in administering DB plans, and toward implementing a fair system for treatment of retirees across the DOE complex. We will also be providing these comments directly to DOE in response to their recent invitation in the Federal Register for comments on DOE N 351.1.
We would remind you of why these criteria are needed in the DOE notice. According to DOE, 45 defined benefit plans and 37 defined contribution plans serve approximately 100,000 retirees and another 100,000 current employees and future retirees of DOE contractors in 20 different states. At best, DOE has a spotty, disinterested, and blemished record in managing these plans in a consistent and prudent manner that recognizes the history, implied promises to retirees, and underlying premises of the contractors who put these plans in place for "their" employees. Surely, a consensus should be sought among the representatives and senators of these states (and their colleagues) to see that appropriate changes are made. The current situation requires a Congressional solution, and we are asking members of our Tennessee delegation to take the lead to get this accomplished and to get closure on an issue so important to so many people in Tennessee and the other 19 states.
Please let us know what you will do to have these criteria and guidelines implemented in DOE Notice 351.1 and in DOE and among its contractors. We appreciate your support and look forward to an early reply.
By copy of this letter, we are requesting the managers of operating contractors for DOE in Oak Ridge to support these changes, as they are in the interest of both retirees and employees of their operations.
Sincerely,
David E. Reichle
President, CORRE
DER:MHR
Attachment - Comments on DOE Notice N 351.1
Copies to :
Mr. Gerald G. Boyd, Manager, DOE-ORO
Dr. Jeffrey Wadsworth, Director, ORNL
Mr. George Dials, President and General Manager, BWXT Y-12
Mr. John Burleson, General Manager, Wackenhut
Mr. Mike Hughes, President and General Manager, Bechtel Jacobs
|
