Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS THE NCCMP?
The National Coordinating Committee for Multiemployer Plans (NCCMP) is a non-partisan, non-profit membership organization founded in 1974 by a dedicated group of plan sponsors and multiemployer benefits plan professionals who were concerned about the lack of understanding of multiemployer plans by lawmakers as demonstrated during the enactment of ERISA. It is dedicated exclusively to the advocacy and protection of multiemployer plans, plan sponsors, their participants and their families. The NCCMP has achieved an unparalleled track record of results and is widely respected and recognized as the voice of multiemployer plans.

WHAT IS THE NCCMP'S MISSION?
Since 1974, the NCCMP'S mission has remained constant: to assure an environment in which multiemployer plans can continue in their vital role to provide benefits to working Americans with a minimum of regulatory or other interference.

HOW DOES THE NCCMP CARRY OUT ITS MISSION?
The NCCMP monitors, on a non-partisan basis, legislative, regulatory and legal developments from conception to implementation to enforcement. When a more proactive approach is required, such as when defined benefit pension plans were threatened by inflexible funding rules, the NCCMP actively engages the system to respond to developing needs. In every instance, the NCCMP strives to effectively represent the interests of multiemployer plans, sponsors and participants at every step of the way.

HOW DO THE NCCMP'S ACTIVITIES AFFECT MY PLAN?
By communicating with government officials, members of Congress and staff about the unique characteristics of multiemployer plans, the NCCMP has saved multiemployer plans hundreds of millions of dollars in regulatory and administrative costs. These savings enable your plan to remain financially secure and healthy, while providing enhanced benefits to plan participants. Moreover, by actively engaging the system, the NCCMP has successfully educated and persuaded legislators and rule makers to take the needs of multiemployer plans into consideration in framing the regulatory system under which our plans must operate.

WHAT IS THE NCCMP'S ROLE IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS?
TThe NCCMP maintains a strong presence on Capitol Hill. We have developed long-standing relationships with members of Congress, their staffs and the committees of jurisdiction over employee benefit plans. The NCCMP regularly testifies at congressional hearings, prepares written comments on legislative proposals, advises committee staff, supports positive legislation, proposes or seeks change to legislation that could adversely affect our member plans and actively opposes legislative proposals that would clearly harm our plans or participants. The NCCMP has also undertaken activities to initiate needed legislation when such actions were determined to be in the best interests of the plans, their participants and sponsoring organizations. NCCMP influences virtually every piece of employee benefit legislation for the benefit of multiemployer plans and their participants.

Among the most recent notable legislative successes was NCCMP's role as the major facilitator and coordinator of the activities of the Multiemployer Pension Plan Coalition. The Coalition brought together over 50 diverse organizations including labor unions, employer associations, large employers, plans, trade and advocacy organizations that enabled all stakeholders' interests to be reflected in one, unified compromise legislative proposal. The Coalition's proposal for relief from plan funding difficulties formed the basis for, and was largely incorporated into, the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA).

Similarly, needed technical corrections to the PPA identified after its enactment were incorporated into another legislative victory for our plans in the Worker, Retiree and Employer Relief Act of 2008 (WRERA) in response to the initial signs of the impact the world-wide financial crisis which began to develop in 2007 and 2008 had on plan solvency.

WHAT IS THE NCCMP'S ROLE IN THE REGULATORY PROCESS?
The NCCMP is actively engaged with federal administrative agencies including the Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and Health and Human Services as they develop and implement regulations affecting multiemployer benefit plans. Through regular formal and informal discussions, meetings, testimony and written submissions, the NCCMP provides agency officials with your unique perspective. On request we have also provided training assistance to federal agencies to help them better understand the nature and operations of our plans.

WHAT IS THE NCCMP'S ROLE IN THE JUDICIAL PROCESS?
The court system makes some of the most important decisions involving multiemployer plans - and the NCCMP is there. The NCCMP participates as amicus curiae in virtually all Supreme Court cases affecting multiemployer plans and in many precedent-setting courts of appeals cases. When a decision is not favorable to our members, the NCCMP is prepared to seek a legislative remedy.

WHO ARE THE NCCMP'S LEADERSHIP?
The NCCMP has a voluntary board of directors, representing plans, unions and employers chosen and known for their involvement with and commitment to multiemployer plans. In addition, the Board has created a Steering Committee comprised of a cross-section of our membership to provide immediate feedback to the staff on ongoing matters affecting the membership. The NCCMP professional and consulting staff who comprise the majority of the Working Committee, includes attorneys, actuaries, benefits experts and legislative representatives with vast multiemployer plan experience.

WHO ARE THE NCCMP'S MEMBERS?
The NCCMP has several membership categories under which plans, their sponsoring organizations and professional advisors may join. International Unions and National Employer Associations may join as Contributing Members. National and Large Regional plans that wish to have a more active role in the direction of the NCCMP may join as Sustaining Members. Contributing and/or Sustaining membership status is required for participation on the NCCMP Board of Directors and Steering Committee. Regular membership is available to all other local, regional and national multiemployer plans, local unions, employer associations and individual companies that sponsor multiemployer plans. Dues for regular members are determined by the size of the group. One membership can cover all benefit plans sponsored by the same participants.

Associate membership is available to fund professionals (including investment managers, consultants, accountants, actuaries, attorneys, administrators and other service providers) who support the goals and activities of the NCCMP and wish to be associated with the NCCMP as an indication of their commitment to the multiemployer marketplace. Associate members will receive all publications, Multi-Elerts®, and discounted conference registration fees.

NCCMP members represent national, regional and local benefit plans covering workers in the airline, building and construction trades, bakery and confectionery, clothing, entertainment, food and commercial, health care, hotel, building services, office and professional, maritime, mining, paper, retail, steel, textile, transportation and trucking industries.

HOW ARE THE NCCMP'S ACTIVITIES FINANCED?
The NCCMP wholly depends on membership dues for its income. One annual dues payment covers all related plans covering the same participants.

WE BELONG TO THE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION OF EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS. DO WE REALLY NEED TO BELONG TO ANOTHER GROUP?
ABSOLUTELY -- The International Foundation and the NCCMP each serve important, but quite different purposes, even though they both serve some of the same groups of plans. The International Foundation is an educational forum for all types of benefit plans (corporate, public and multiemployer), but it is prohibited by its own tax status from advocating or promoting legislation or regulations on behalf any particular group or viewpoint .

Conversely, the NCCMP is the only organization specifically created to act as an advocate on behalf of multiemployer plans. It is organized as a social welfare organization under the tax code and can, therefore, function as your "voice" before Congress and the regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over our plans; to influence, from your point of view, the laws and regulations that will govern multiemployer plans, before they become a reality. The NCCMP also educates members on critical matters of importance to plan fiduciaries, settlors, professional advisors and participants, conducting an annual educational conference, meetings for professional advisors directly with key staff and agency officials for its members.

HOW DOES MY ORGANIZATION BECOME A MEMBER?
Plans, plan sponsors and fund professionals interested in membership should make their request in writing to the NCCMP at the address shown below.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF NCCMP MEMBERSHIP?
In addition to ensuring that your voice is heard, NCCMP membership enables your plan trustees, administrators and professionals to receive NCCMP publications, educational/advisory materials and discount registration fees for the annual NCCMP Conference. It also provides an opportunity to participate in the NCCMP Lawyers and Administrators Advisory Committee.

CAN NCCMP MEMBERSHIP DUES BE PAID OUT OF PLAN ASSETS?
Yes. Membership in the NCCMP is a legitimate expenditure for a tax-exempt employee benefit fund. This opinion has been upheld by the Department of Labor during the course of a plan investigation which raised that specific question. Of course, each plan should check with its own professional advisors for a formal opinion regarding any matter requiring a legal interpretation.

WHAT IS THE EASIEST WAY TO KEEP TRACK OF THE NCCMP'S WORK AND MULTIEMPLOYER ISSUES GENERALLY?
Like many organizations, the NCCMP has moved away from the U.S. mails as the primary form of communication, primarily due to the lead time required to prepare timely information that members can use in communicating with their legislators. Therefore, we moved to a computer based communications system as our primary form of advising members of important pending issues. Additionally, we maintain a website for those members with computer access. The website address is www.nccmp.org. The website includes headlines derived from the World Wide Web that are of interest to multiemployer plan sponsors and fund professionals. In addition, the website contains information on pending legislation affecting multiemployer plans as well as NCCMP Multi-Elerts, all NCCMP comments to regulatory agencies, and amicus briefs filed with the courts. The site also contains a searchable database of historical archived items dating from the creation of the NCCMP.

IF WE HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS, WHOM DO WE CALL?
The NCCMP offices are located at 815 16th Street, N.W., Washington, DC. Please direct questions in writing to the attention of Executive Director Randy G. DeFrehn. Questions pertaining to membership dues or conference registration should be directed to the attention of Margaret M. Tobin, Membership Services Coordinator, at the above mail address, or by e-mail to nccmp@nccmp.org. You can also reach the NCCMP by telephone at (202) 737-5315, or by fax at (202) 737-1308.

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