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NRPC

"On January 14, 2009, Nortel Networks initiated financial restructuring under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) in Canada. Since then most of the company's assets have been sold off, no severances or retirement allowances have been paid, all medical benefits and life insurance have ceased and the province of Ontario has taken over the Nortel pension fund. The NRPC's major priorities are to ensure that Nortel retirees and former employees receive the maximum possible compensation for the benefits they have lost and to provide pensioners more favourable financial options when Ontario winds up the pension fund. We will do this through representation at the CCAA process and by seeking urgent action from governments to protect our rights as citizens and as Nortel creditors and by communicating our story to political leaders and the public nationwide."   

Don Sproule, Chairman NRPC 

From the Media

Nortel Insolvency Left Pensioners Suffering, Rep Says: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20120117/nortel-pensioner-rep-relates-financial-woes-120117/

Former Nortel Employees Focus on Recovering Funds While Court Case Begins in Toronto: http://www.cfra.com/?cat=1&nid=83788

CBC News Item re Nortel Execs: http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/TV_Shows/The_National/1233408557/ID=2184973648

Pension Funds Should be Recognized as Primary Creditors: http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/opinion/article/1465357

Finance Ministers Continue to Miss the Boat on Pensions: http://www.thetelegram.com/Opinion/Letters%20to%20the%20editor/2011-12-17/article-2840311/Finance-ministers-continue-to-miss-the-boat-on-pensions/1

Ottawa High Tech (3 articles): http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Tech+vanishing/5734309/story.html?cid=megadrop_story    http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Sizing+Ottawa+Tech+Industry+part+Blueprint+survival/5743346/story.html    http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/High+tech+generation/5769294/story.html   

 

 

 
Upcoming Events

If you move or pensioner, survivor, former employee dies --> see Help / Address and Personal Info Change

1 Oct thru 31 Mar - 2012 NRPC Membership enrollment period - log onto website and then check My Subscription under User Menu at the bottom left side.

1 Feb 2012 - Date by which votes on bylaw changes must be received

6 Feb 2012 - 1:30PM - Ottawa - Special General Meeting of NRPC to finalize the vote on bylaw changes  

 

Latest News (also see News)

(17/01) CTV Interviews with NRPC

View these interesting interviews with Anne Clark-Stewart and Mike Moorcroft of the NRPC: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20120117/nortel-pensioner-rep-relates-financial-woes-120117/ ...

(22/12) Nortel's Last Facebook Post

The following is taken directly from Nortel's facebook page. So sad to see the company that was so successful for so long finally hanging up the phone. This will be our last post on Facebook as we are nearing the end of winding down all opera...

(16/12) Members Asked to Vote on Bylaws

NRPC Members are asked to vote yes or no for proposed changes to the NRPC bylaws.  The changes, the voting process, and the associated Special General Meeting are described in the Members Only / Member News section. ...

(14/12) NRPC December Newsletter

Members can find the latest NRPC newsletter for December in the Members Only / Newsletters section. ...

(06/12) Nortel SEC Fair Fund

Recently, many former employees of Nortel have received postcards from GCG (Garden City Group) mentioning something called the Nortel SEC Fair Fund.  Although such post cards might look like junk mail, they appear to be legitimate requ...

(10/11) Replay of KM Webcast of 10 Nov 2011

Members can find information about seeing a replay of the Koskie Minsky webinar held on 10 November, 2011, describing the Claims Process by going to the Members Only / Member News / Webcasts section. ...

(01/11) New NRPC Privacy Policy

As we move into the next phase of the wind-up and claims process, the NRPC has made a small change to its Privacy Policy in order to better enable communication with organizations like Nortel, the Monitor Ernst & Young, and the Pension Plan Admin...

(01/11) Info for Former Employees with USA Service

Former Nortel employees who had service in the USA and may be entitled to benefits from the Nortel US should see the article under Members Only / Non-Residents. ...

Item of the Week

IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION FROM KOSKIE MINSKY LLP TO NORTEL PENSIONERS

This revised message is being sent to correct an inaccuracy that was contained in the first paragraph of the message you received previously, and also to provide an important clarification about the method of payment for some individuals.  

Important Clarification:  There are a small number of individuals who received their Pensioner Life distribution payment by direct deposit in mid-November. If you have already received a direct deposit payment for this interim HWT distribution on account of Pensioner Life, then you will not receive a cheque in December.  

If you are a Nortel pensioner who has not received a direct deposit payment from the Nortel HWT in the past, then any HWT distribution you receive will be paid by cheque.   

Nortel Pensioners - Cheques for Partial Payment of Pensioner Life Insurance Claims are Being Mailed

 

In November 2010, the Court approved a methodology for the allocation of the assets held in Nortel’s Health and Welfare Trust (HWT). In accordance with the court-approved methodology, pensioner Life Insurance (LIFE), LTD Life, LTD Optional Life and the Survivor and LTD Income Benefits will share in the assets of the HWT on a pro rata basis.  A small group of LTD employees challenged that decision and it was not until June 2011 that the challenge was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Canada making the way clear for a distribution for Pensioner LIFE.

Because of the August 2011 cutbacks in pensioner payments, the NRPC pushed for a year end payout for pensioners from the HWT. The first instalment from the assets of the HWT is now being mailed by E&Y as a cheque. We expect the bulk of these mailings (over 8,100 cheques) to happen this week, but some 600 are awaiting clearance and may take until December 16th to process. We will let you know when the last mailing has taken place.  We request that you wait until at least December 16 to contact E&Y if you do not have your cheque.

If on your Form A (in the claims package recently mailed to you by E&Y), you have an amount beside the line: “Pensioner Life (including ADB, if applicable)”, you should shortly be receiving a cheque for 20% of that claim amount minus withholding tax.

If you believe you have a valid claim for Life Insurance and it was not reflected in your Form A claims document, you should submit a Form C to E&Y. Please note that not all pensioners have Life Insurance claims.

As Nortel’s HWT proceeds to be wound up, we expect there will be a second and smaller distribution (~5 to 7%) from the HWT sometime in 2012. We will keep you apprised of developments.

The residual amount of your LIFE claim (total claim minus the two instalments from the HWT) will be a claim on the Nortel Canadian estate payable at cents on the dollar when the estate is settled (2012/13/1?).

Also note that the NRPC along with KM are working to remove the taxation of the Life Insurance benefits. If we are successful, you may have to re-file your 2011 income tax to recover taxes paid. Hold on to your tax documents. Again we will keep you apprised of developments.

Regards,

Communications Department
Koskie Minsky LLP

 
Nortel Pensioners - Cheques for Partial Payment of Pensioner Life Insurance Claims are Being Mailed

In September 2010, the Court approved an agreement by which the assets of Nortel’s Health and Welfare Trust (HWT) would be divided. Valid pensioner claims for Life Insurance (LIFE) would be shared on a pro rata basis with LTD disability income benefits and STB/SIB income benefit payments, among others.  A small group of LTD employees challenged that decision and it was not until June 2011 that the challenge was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Canada making the way clear for a distribution for Pensioner LIFE.

Because of the August 2011 cutbacks in pensioner payments, the NRPC pushed for a year end payout for pensioners from the HWT. The first instalment from the assets of the HWT is now being mailed by E&Y as a cheque. We expect the bulk of these mailings (over 8,100 cheques) to happen this week, but some 600 are awaiting clearance and may take until December 16th to process. We will let you know when the last mailing has taken place.  We request that you wait until at least December 16 to contact E&Y if you do not have your cheque.

If on your Form A (in the claims package recently mailed to you by E&Y), you have an amount beside the line: “Pensioner Life (including ADB, if applicable)”, you should shortly be receiving a cheque for 20% of that claim amount minus withholding tax.

If you believe you have a valid claim for Life Insurance and it was not reflected in your Form A claims document, you should submit a Form C to E&Y. Please note that not all pensioners have Life Insurance claims.

As Nortel’s HWT proceeds to be wound up, we expect there will be a second and smaller distribution (~5 to 7%) from the HWT sometime in 2012. We will keep you apprised of developments.

The residual amount of your LIFE claim (total claim minus the two instalments from the HWT) will be a claim on the Nortel Canadian estate payable at cents on the dollar when the estate is settled (2012/13/1?).

Also note that the NRPC along with KM are working to remove the taxation of the Life Insurance benefits. If we are successful, you may have to re-file your 2011 income tax to recover taxes paid. Hold on to your tax documents. Again we will keep you apprised of developments.

Regards,

The NRPC