The risks to companies of pension promises had become obvious in the 1970's, when the stock market went nowhere.

It's no secret that some companies don't want to pay more to support their pension promises.

When one company in such a plan goes out of business, the surviving companies have to make good on its pension promises.

The plan would require companies to put more money behind their pension promises and give workers more information about the security of their pensions.

He said the agency now faced $96 billion worth of risk from companies that are "reasonably possible" to default on their pension promises.

But that body will guarantee only about two-thirds of United's pension promise.

The corporate executives contend that because the pension promise is guaranteed by the company, they should have sole control over how the assets are invested.

I intend to press for legislation that will hold companies to their pension promise.

Those companies say they are unable to generate enough cash to have any reasonable hope of making good on their pension promises.

Many of these expensive pension promises were made over the strong objections of the city.