Section XIII: Notice of Participant's Rights

As a participant in this Plan you are entitled to certain rights and protections under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). ERISA provides that all Plan participants shall be entitled to:

Receive Information About Your Plan and Benefits

1. Examine, without charge, at the Administrative Office and at other specified locations, such as worksites and union halls, all Plan documents, including insurance contracts, collective bargaining agreements and a copy of the latest annual report (Form 5500 Series) filed by the Plan with the U.S. Department of Labor and available at the Public Disclosure Room of the Employee Benefits Security Administration.
   
   
2. Obtain, upon written request to the Administrative Office, copies of documents governing the operation of the Plan, including insurance contracts, collective bargaining agreements, and copies of the latest annual report (Form 5500 Series) and updated summary plan description. The Administrative Office may make a reasonable charge for the copies.
   
   
3. Receive a summary of the Plan's annual financial report. The Joint Board is required by law to furnish each participant with a copy of this summary annual report.
   
   
4. Obtain a statement telling you whether you have a right to receive a pension at normal retirement age, age 63, and if so what your benefits would be at normal retirement age if you stop working under the Plan now. If you do not have a right to a pension, the statement will tell you how many more years you have to work to get a right to a pension. This statement must be requested in writing and is not required to be given more than once every twelve (12) months. The Plan must provide the statement free of charge.

Prudent Action by Plan Fiduciaries
In addition to creating rights for Plan participants, ERISA imposes duties upon the people who are responsible for the operation of this Plan. The people who operate your Plan, called "fiduciaries" of the Plan, have a duty to do so prudently and in the interest of you and other Plan participants and beneficiaries. No one, including your employer, your union, or any other person, may fire you or otherwise discriminate against you in any way to prevent you from obtaining a pension benefit or exercising your rights under ERISA.

Enforce Your Rights
If your claim for a pension benefit is denied in whole or in part, you must receive a written explanation of the reason for the denial, and you have the right to have the Plan review and reconsider your claim, as described elsewhere in this booklet.

Under ERISA, there are steps you can take to enforce the above rights. For instance, if you request materials from the Plan and do not receive them within 30 calendar days, you may file suit in a Federal court. In such a case the court may require the Trustees to provide the materials and pay you up to $110 a day until you receive the information, unless the materials were not sent because of reasons beyond the Trustees' control. If you have a claim for benefits which is denied or ignored, in whole or in part, you may file suit in a state or Federal court. If it should happen that Plan fiduciaries misuse the Plan's money, or if you are discriminated against for asserting your rights, you may seek assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor, or you may file suit in a Federal court. The court will decide who should pay court costs and legal fees. If you are successful, the court may order the person you have sued to pay these costs and fees. If you lose, the court may order you to pay these costs and fees, for example, if it finds your claim is frivolous.

Assistance with Your Questions
If you have any questions about your Plan, you should contact the Administrative Office. If you have any questions about this statement or about your rights under ERISA, or if you need assistance in obtaining documents from the Administrative Office, you should contact the nearest office of the Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, listed in your telephone directory or the Division of Technical Assistance and Inquiries, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20210. You may also obtain certain publications about your rights and responsibilities under ERISA by calling the publications hotline of the Employee Benefits Security Administration.