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Northwest Vacation Plan Merging with Southwest Plan

The Boards of Trustees of the Southwest Carpenters Vacation Trust and Northwest Carpenters Vacation Trust have determined it is in the best interest of their respective trusts, their plan participants, and beneficiaries, to merge the Northwest Trust into the Southwest Trust.

Over the past several months, Vacation contributions have been redirected to the Southwest Trust through modifications to local Collective Bargaining Agreements. When contributions are made to the Southwest Trust, you become a participant, and the rules of the Southwest Trust will govern the distribution of your benefits.

To receive benefits as a participant in the Southwest Trust, you must be enrolled. New participants will be provided with plan information and enrollment materials by the Southwest Trust through its administrator, Carpenters Southwest Administrative Corporation (CSAC).

Vacation contributions collected by the Northwest Trust and transferred to Qualstar Credit Union will be retained there for registered Qualstar members. However, Vacation funds held for participants who are not Qualstar members will be transferred to the Southwest Trust on July 31, 2024. After the date of this transfer, participants will have access to the transferred Vacation funds for lump sum distributions provided a request form is completed. Future contributions will be available for distribution in accordance with the rules of the Southwest Trust Vacation Plan.

Non-Qualstar members/participants who do not want vacation funds moved to the Southwest Trust have two choices:

  1. Withdraw Vacation Plan funds from Qualstar —
    • Visit a Qualstar office in Everett, Renton, Federal Way, or Tacoma.
    • Call Qualstar at (800) 848-0018 to request a check by mail (ID verification required).
  2. Keep Vacation Plan funds at Qualstar —
    • Become a Qualstar member by completing a membership application. This can be done online but must be completed before July 31, 2024. Request a debit card for access to 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs and 5,600 shared branches nationwide.

To enroll with the Southwest Trust or to learn more about this change, visit https://www.carpenterssw.org/vacation/ or contact the Carpenters Southwest Administrative Corporation at (213) 386-8590.