Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust
multiemployer plan · Teamsters Western Conference · Seattle, WA
Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust is essentially fully funded: 94% funding ratio — assets of $55.6B against actuarial liabilities of $59.1B. Fully funded status is the regulatory target most plans aim for; getting there usually requires sustained investment returns plus disciplined sponsor contributions.
Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust is a multi-employer pension plan sponsored by Teamsters Western Conference — a collectively-bargained plan covering workers across multiple employers in the same industry or union. Multi-employer plans are PBGC-insured but under a different (and historically less-funded) program than single-employer plans. The plan remains active — accruing new benefits for current employees and accepting new participants. Among private-sector single-employer plans, the active status is increasingly rare as employers freeze accruals while continuing to fund existing obligations; public-sector plans are more often still actively accruing.
On scale, Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust is a mega-plan: $55.6B in assets serving 634,861 participants (231,353 active, 375,895 retired). Plans this large dominate the U.S. pension landscape and carry concentrated solvency risk. Participant mix skews toward retirees (375,895 retired vs 231,353 active) — a mature plan paying out more than it accrues. Mature plans need stable investment returns plus sponsor contributions to keep the funded ratio steady; the cash-flow profile is increasingly net-negative. Annual cash flows: $3.5B in sponsor contributions versus $3.2B in benefit payments. Investment performance over the most recent year ran 6.2%, against the plan's assumed long-term return of 7.0%.
On PBGC risk classification: low — the plan's funded status and solvency trajectory are favorable enough that PBGC intervention is not on the near-term horizon. Multi-employer plans like Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust have PBGC backing under a separate (and historically lower-funded) guarantee program. The 2021 American Rescue Plan provided substantial federal support to the multi-employer system, but long-term solvency varies plan-by-plan.
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filings and Boston College CRR Public Plans Database.
Funding History
What This Means for You
Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust is in excellent financial health at 94% funded. This means for every dollar the plan owes in future benefits, it has 94 cents in assets to cover it. This plan is also covered by the PBGC, providing an additional safety net. Participants in this plan have relatively low risk of benefit reductions.
Year-by-Year Funding
| Year | Assets | Liabilities | Funding Ratio | Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $55.6B | $59.1B | 94.1% | $3.5B |
| 2022 | $54.0B | $66.6B | 81.0% | $3.4B |
| 2021 | $52.3B | $62.3B | 84.0% | $3.3B |
| 2020 | $50.6B | $64.9B | 78.0% | $3.2B |
| 2019 | $49.0B | $61.2B | 80.0% | $3.1B |
Frequently Asked Questions
Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust is 94% funded, meaning it has 94 cents in assets for every dollar in future benefit obligations. This is considered healthy by actuarial standards.
Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust has 634,861 total participants, including 231,353 active employees and 375,895 retirees currently receiving benefits.
Yes, Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust is covered by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), which provides a backstop if the plan cannot pay benefits. The PBGC risk level is currently "low."
The Pension Health Score (0-100, A-F) measures a pension plan's financial strength based on funding ratio (50%), funding trend over 3 years (30%), and PBGC risk level (20%). Higher scores indicate more secure retirement benefits.
Pension Health Score is calculated from funding ratio, 3-year funding trend, and PBGC risk classification.