United Airlines’ termination of pension plans
Re: “Ax falls on United pensions,” May 11 news story.
Thanks to Judge Eugene Wedoff’s decision, United Airlines has become the largest pension defaulter in the country’s history. Last week, the judge allowed United to dump hundreds of thousands of United employees’ retirements and in many cases security down the drain. With rising costs for prescription drugs, housing and gasoline, United retirees will be receiving much less, adding to a growing class of older Americans living below the poverty level. How will these individuals survive?
Julie Kazimer, Westminster
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Re: “United workers upset on pensions,” and “‘No regrets,’ fired Fiorina says of her 5 years at H-P helm,” May 11 business news stories.
That was indeed a telling juxtaposition of articles on the front page of the May 11 business section. The article on United describes some of the likely fallout of the airline’s termination of its pension plans. One worker cited in the article, a 30-year employee, will have his pension cut from $3,000 a month to $1,700.
The article immediately below, meanwhile, reassures us that former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina’s “soul is intact” following her termination from H-P earlier this year. That’s a relief. Her take for five years at the head of H-P: $188.6 million. Reports published elsewhere indicate Fiorina’s severance package for her five-year tenure (during which the company’s stock price dropped 50 percent) amounts to roughly $42 million, with a further $200,000 per year pension.
It’s nice to know that Fiorina is “at peace” with her situation. Perhaps she should now inquire about working for United where, if nothing else, she could gain a perspective on how the other half lives.
John Simpson, Littleton
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Legislature’s record on environmental issues
Re: “The statehouse’s go-to Dem,” May 11 news story.
The Post wrote that “some (environmentalists) felt betrayed that (House Speaker Andrew) Romanoff didn’t use the power of his majority to push their agenda.”
That statement is unfounded. No one in the environmental community feels betrayed. Both Speaker Romanoff and Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald’s strong leadership resulted in a productive legislative session for the environmental and public health community. Their guidance helped produce important victories that will increase energy efficiency, water conservation, and decrease harmful air pollution by rejecting federal rollbacks to the Clean Air Act. Their reasoned judgment and dedication to the betterment of Coloradans’ quality of life should be a marker for all of our state, regional and local decision-makers.
Matt Baker, Denver
The writer is executive director of Environment Colorado.
James Dobson and the Senate filibuster
Re: “Compromise foreign to Dobson,” May 12 editorial.
I strongly commend The Denver Post for its editorial castigating James Dobson and Focus of the Family for their unwarranted and ignorant attacks on U.S. senators who are attempting to find compromise on the federal judges nominated by President Bush.
Dobson is off the deep end, and has been there for years. His irrational ranting on this and many other issues that he perceives to be solely the purview of far right-wing Christians greatly exceed the definition of demagoguery.
Jerry L. Colness, Aurora
