Members Urged to Join the 'A' Team

The IBEW established a fraternal death benefit association in 1922 in response to high electrocution rates, and insurance companies refusing to insure the lives of electrical workers or making premiums unaffordable. The original purpose was to provide the named beneficiary of a deceased Member a sum that might permit our Member to be interred in a dignified manner. That fraternal death benefit association (The Electrical Workers Benefit Association) was later merged, in January 1992, with the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund, following convention action.

‘A’ Members Have Security

  • Only ‘A’ Members participate in the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund
  • Named beneficiaries of ‘A’ Members may receive a $6,250 death benefit if death occurs by natural causes or $12,500 for those who die accidently.
  • ‘A’ Members require six months IBEW membership for their beneficiary to receive the death benefit.
  • Beneficiaries of retired ‘A’ Members may also be eligible for a death benefit between $3,000 and $6,250, determined by the amount of pension benefits received before their death. However, this amount never falls below $3,000.
  • ‘A’ Members placed on pension with the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund, cease dues payments to their local.
  • ‘A’ Members, who meet the qualifications for pension, may also receive a monthly benefit from the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund.
  • Currently, ‘A’ Members pay $15 toward their participation in the fund. Plan trustees have reported that, after three-and-a-half years, ‘A’ Members receiving a pension benefit from the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund have already surpassed their total contributions to the fund during their years as active ‘A’ Members.
  • ‘A’ Members (for example) who reach age 65 and successfully apply for pension after 20 years of participation in the fund will receive a monthly benefit in the amount of $90 (20 years X $4.50/per year of membership) for the remainder of their life. More than 20 years of participation results in a proportionate increase in the pension rate.
  • ‘A’ Members with 20 years or more of membership and who meet the qualifications for pension, may apply for early retirement between the ages of 62-64, but will experience a 6.66% reduction in monthly payments for each year or part thereof that they are under the age of 65 at the time they begin to receive a benefit.
  • Active ‘A’ Members, as well as those who are receiving a benefit from the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund, continue to receive the newspaper, The Electrical Worker.
  • Half of all IBEW Members hold ‘A’ membership, but ‘A’ membership is now available to all IBEW Members.

A description of the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund is contained within Article XI of the IBEW Constitution, available online at www.ibew.org/members/pensionbenefitfund/ArtXI_041207.pdf

For IBEW Members holding ‘BA’ membership, the dues payments do not include the portion attributable to the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund. As a result, those who hold ‘BA’ membership leave employment upon retirement, ceasing payment of union dues, are not eligible to request an application for pension from the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund, and their survivors are not eligible to receive a death benefit.

‘A’ Membership is Open to All

There are only two steps required to change your membership from ‘BA’ to ‘A’. When contacting your local union, request and complete a Form 124 (Beneficiary Designation Form) designating your beneficiary for death benefits. Second, your local union will request a $2 admission fee and an amount that is equal to the difference between ‘BA’ and ‘A’ membership dues for your first month as an ‘A’ Member. Effective January 1, 2013, monthly dues are $30, with $15 attributable to the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund.

All individuals currently holding ‘BA’ membership with the IBEW are encouraged to consider the advantage of the benefits associated with changing their membership to ‘A’. All the facts about ‘A’ membership and the forms to join up are available online.

Please call Local 254 with any questions you have about converting your membership.