GCC/IBT Benefits

• Pensions: GCC/IBT members participate in one or more of four strong retirement funds:
• GCC Employer Retirement Fund
• GCC Supplemental Retirement and Disability Fund
  (of the United States and Canada)
• Graphic Arts Industry Joint Pension Trust
• Inter-Local Pension Fund
• Emergency and Special Defense Fund: With Conference approval, this fund helps participating local unions when their members are forced out on strike or are locked out of their workplaces. An unusual feature in the GCC/IBT's defense fund is its provision of "sacrifice" benefits for members who have been discharged due to actions on behalf of the Conference or local union, such as refusal to cross a GCC/IBT picket line.

• Scholarships:The 2005 winners of the Anthony J. DeAndrade Scholarships will be the last recipients of awards from the GCIU scholarship fund. The DeAndrade fund will, however, continue to fulfill its obligations to the 2005 winners and to winners from previous years.

  Per the merger agreement with the Teamsters, the children of GCC/IBT members may be eligible to apply for the Teamsters' James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund awards. Go to the Teamsters website for more information on the Teamster scholarships.

  Children of GCC/IBT members also may apply for Union Plus scholarships.

• Graphic Communicator: The GCC/IBT's official publication is mailed to the home of every member and retiree who wishes to receive it. The award-winning, 16-page color newspaper, which is published six times a year, covers events important to GCC/IBT members, including news about the Conference and GCC/IBT local unions. It also covers topics important to working families – the economy, legislation, safety and health, women's issues, trade concerns, international events, and union activities in the United States and Canada.

  The Graphic Communicator welcomes submissions of news and photos from GCC/IBT local unions. Make sure to include the names and union titles, if any, of all persons in photos. Also list a contact person, phone number, and best times to call with the submission. Send submissions to the Graphic Communicator, Managing Editor, 1900 L St., NW, Washington, DC 20036.

• Benevolent Trust Fund: The Benevolent Trust Fund (BTF) is an option for many GCC/IBT members to help defray funeral expenses. Members may send an e-mail to request information on BTF benefits or to request a form to update beneficiary information. To send an e-mail, go to the "Contact GCC" page and fill out the form .

• Union Plus: GCC/IBT members and their families enjoy a broad package of consumer discounts from Union Plus. Benefits available to GCC/IBT members include the Union Plus Credit Card, Legal Service, Union Member Mortgage & Real Estate, Union Driver & Traveler, Loan Program, Union Member Life Insurance, Union Member Dental Program, and Union Family Savers, which offers discounted car rentals, flower delivery, theme park packages, and more.

• Graphic Communications National Health and Welfare Fund: Local unions in the United States will want to explore the exciting new options to subscribe to competitively priced medical, dental, prescription drug, employee assistance, vision, and other plans offered by this fund. Also offered are life, accidental death and dismemberment, and state disability income insurance benefits. This fund is open to all GCC/IBT local unions, employers and individual jointly trusteed funds. For more information, select the link above.

  GCC/IBT members who have medical benefits through the Graphic Communications National Health and Welfare Fund – or GCC/IBT locals that are considering joining the fund – can get a convenient, up-to-date listing on the Web of preferred providers in the Blue Cross Blue Shield CareFirst network. Go to the Blue Cross Blue Shield website to find preferred providers in your area. Or phone 1-800-BLUE (2583) to find a provider in the CareFirst network.

• Disaster Relief Fund: This fund, which relies on member donations, was created to assist GCC/IBT members and their families who are the victims of floods, tornados, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. Donations should be sent to the GCIU Disaster Relief Fund, c/o Graphic Communications Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 1900 L St., NW, Washington, DC 20036.
• Contracts & Research: Members–through their local union officers–are afforded access to the largest wage and fringe benefit database in the industry. Information from these databases can help local unions in organizing and contract bargaining campaigns through comparisons with other shops and companies, as well as trends in collective bargaining contracts. Also available is assistance with statistical research on cost-of-living indexes, unemployment and employment statistics, and other economic information. The department also provides local unions with corporate research and company profiles.
• Training and Education: GCC/IBT members can study for journey status or update their technical skills through Graphic Arts Institutes or apprenticeship programs operated by GCC/IBT local unions. The schools use up-to-date technology, including desktop training equipment, and instructors are experienced experts in their areas. For members who do not have access to the schools, GCC/IBT offers apprentice training in web press using on-line and other formats. For more information, contact your local union or select the following link to go to the GCC/IBT's Distance Education website.
• Safety and Health: GCC/IBT currently is running train-the-trainer programs in safety and health that were funded by a grant from the U.S. Labor Department and developed in conjunction with The Labor Institute. Also available from the Conference is guidance on issues relating to workers' compensation, substance abuse, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.