In March 2010, engineer John Olafson got into a disagreement with the engineers' union at Swedish Medical Center over a pension plan. Olafson was not a member of the union but was forced to participate in the union’s implemented Central Pension Fund.

"I'm forced into a Central Pension Fund I don't want anything to do with," Olafson said last year.

"I feel like I'm not being heard by the union I'm represented by but not a member of."

Despite not being a dues-paying member of Local 286, and therefore not getting a vote in any union matters, Olafson is still subject to its labor agreements under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

The Central Pension Fund was taking $250 from each of his paychecks to put towards a pension plan he didn’t want.

“They are taking food out of my kids' mouths as far as I'm concerned," Olafson said.

Our previous coverage on this issue sparked a debate and now, ten months later, the union’s dues paying members voted to reduce the withholdings.

On Friday, January 7th, Local 286 union members voted to reduce withholdings from 8 percent down to 3 percent.

The reduction proposal was ratified with a vote of 27 in favor, 13 against.

“It is my personal belief that the article initiated conversations that enabled the members to take a closer look at the pension and make an educated choice as to how they want to manage their future investments,” Olafson said.

Olafson said initially people reacted negatively toward Olafson for speaking out about this issue but through dialogue more and more people started to side with him.

“I manage my pension elsewhere and this reduction puts more money in my pocket now. And I need the money now,” Olafson said.