UANPF Reciprocity
The United Association National Pension Fund (UANPF) performs money-follows-the-man reciprocity as a fund signatory to the United Association Pension Fund Reciprocal Agreement.
To aid traveling members whose situations are not covered by money-follows-the-man reciprocity, the UANPF is also signed to the optional pro rata/partial pension addendum to the money-follows-the-man reciprocal agreement.
Money-Follows-the-Man Reciprocity
Cross Border Reciprocity with Canada
Since neither Canadian nor U.S. governmental authorities endorse cross border pension reciprocity, the United Association has set up a system where one pension fund in each country is the “home” pension fund for traveling members from the other country. This will help ensure that contributions made to a number of different “cross border” pension funds results in the payment of a pension benefit for the traveler and does not result in permanent breaks-in-service in a few different “foreign” pension funds for the traveling cross border member.
Since October 2004, the UANPF has been the home pension fund for Canadian travelers temporarily working in the U.S. (whether or not they are working in a Local Union jurisdiction covered by the UANPF). Since that same date, the UA Canadian Pipeline Industry National Pension Trust Fund has been the home pension fund for U.S. travelers temporarily working in Canada.
Upon reaching retirement age, and otherwise obtaining eligibility and applying for a pension benefit from the pertinent “cross border” home pension fund, cross border travelers will receive a pension benefit from that “cross border” home pension fund for at least their October 2004 and subsequent work for which contributions are received, and retained, by the “cross border” pension fund on their behalf.
Eligibility for a benefit from the “cross border” home pension fund is done by recognizing both the participant’s hours of contributory service in his home pension fund in his home country and his “cross border” home pension fund combined, under that “cross border” plan’s rules.
If a cross border traveler has at least 150 hours of service credit or contributory hours in his home pension fund and has at least 150 hours of contributions in his “cross border” home pension fund, he will be covered by the pro rata/partial pension addendum (although he must meet the qualifications for vesting and eligibility in the “cross border” pension fund using hours from both funds).
Following are the Canadian local funds who are signed to the optional pro rata/partial pension agreement with the United Association National Pension Fund, which allows the UANPF to recognize both funds hours on behalf of Canadian travelers.
If you are a Canadian traveler who has worked in the U.S. since October 2004, you should:
- Make sure your home Canadian pension fund is signed to the optional pro rata/partial pension agreement with the UANPF; and
- Make sure that all of the pension contributions made on your behalf in the U.S. have been reciprocated from the visited U.S. pension fund to the UANPF on your behalf.
U.S. Travelers Working in Canada prior to October 2004
Some pension funds in Canada and the U.S. had money-follows-the-man reciprocal agreements. Check with your home pension fund and the visited pension fund(s) in the other country to check on the status of any of these pension contributions.
