Employee Benefit Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Components of benefit expense

The components of the expense consisted of the following:

	For the years ended December 31,
(in thousands)	2014			2013			2012
Service cost	$	85		$	79		$	104
Interest cost	25,539			23,732			25,830
Expected return on plan assets, net of expenses	(23,481		)	(21,501		)	(22,520		)
Amortization of actuarial loss	2,861			4,192			3,586
Curtailment/Settlement losses	—			—			664
Total for defined benefit plans	5,004			6,502			7,664
Multi-employer plans	393			407			467
Withdrawal from GCIU multi-employer plan	4,100			—			—
SERP	896			2,335			956
Defined contribution plans	11,739			11,379			10,538
Net periodic benefit cost	22,132			20,623			19,625

Changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income (loss)

Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) were as follows:

	For the years ended December 31,
(in thousands)	2014			2013		2012
Current year actuarial gain/(loss)	$	(75,527	)	$	52,063	$	(30,761	)
Amortization of actuarial loss	2,861			4,192		4,246
Amortization of prior service cost	—			—		4
Total	$	(72,666	)	$	56,255	$	(26,511	)

Schedule of assumptions used

Assumptions used in determining the annual retirement plans expense were as follows:

	2014		2013		2012
Discount rate	5.08	%	4.27	%	5.29	%
Long-term rate of return on plan assets	5.25	%	4.65	%	5.30	%
Increase in compensation levels	2.0	%	3.3	%	3.3	%

Assumptions used to determine the defined benefit pension plans benefit obligations were as follows:

	2014		2013		2012
Weighted average discount rate	4.23	%	5.08	%	4.27	%
Increase in compensation levels	N/A		2.0	%	3.3	%

Schedule of employee benefit plan assets and obligations

The following table presents information about our employee benefit plan assets and obligations:

	For the years ended December 31,
	Defined Benefit Plans						SERP
(in thousands)	2014			2013			2014			2013
Accumulated benefit obligation	$	620,623		$	503,500		$	15,261		$	14,593
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	504,571		$	570,219		$	14,872		$	15,920
Service cost	85			79			—			—
Interest cost	25,539			23,732			638			749
Benefits paid	(24,708		)	(24,806		)	(810		)	(804		)
Actuarial (gains)/losses	115,136			(64,653		)	561			662
Curtailments/Settlements	—			—			—			(1,655		)
Projected benefit obligation at end of year	620,623			504,571			15,261			14,872
Plan assets:
Fair value at beginning of year	456,591			472,417			—			—
Actual return on plan assets	63,090			8,911			—			—
Company contributions	74			69			810			2,459
Benefits paid	(24,708		)	(24,806		)	(810		)	(804		)
Curtailments/Settlements	—			—			—			(1,655		)
Fair value at end of year	495,047			456,591			—			—
Funded status	$	(125,576	)	$	(47,980	)	$	(15,261	)	$	(14,872	)
Amounts recognized in Consolidated Balance Sheets:
Current liabilities	$	—		$	—		$	(1,048	)	$	(832	)
Noncurrent liabilities	(125,576		)	(47,980		)	(14,213		)	(14,040		)
Total	$	(125,576	)	$	(47,980	)	$	(15,261	)	$	(14,872	)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss consist of:
Unrecognized net actuarial loss	$	191,757		$	119,091		$	9,632		$	9,343

Schedule of pension plans with an accumulated benefit obligation and projected benefit obligation in excess of plan assets

Information for pension plans with an accumulated benefit obligation and projected benefit obligation in excess of plan assets was as follows:

	As of December 31,
	Defined Benefit Plans				SERP
(in thousands)	2014		2013		2014		2013
Accumulated benefit obligation	$	620,623	$	503,500	$	15,261	$	14,593
Projected benefit obligation	620,623		504,571		15,261		14,872
Fair value of plan assets	495,047		456,591		—		—

Schedule of allocation of pension plan assets by asset category

Information related to our pension plan asset allocations by asset category were as follows:

	Target allocation		Percentage of plan assets as of December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
US equity securities	10	%	11	%	10	%
Non-US equity securities	15	%	15	%	16	%
Fixed-income securities	70	%	70	%	69	%
Other	5	%	4	%	5	%
Total	100	%	100	%	100	%

Plan assets measured using the fair value hierarchy

The following tables present our plan assets using the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2014 and 2013:

	December 31, 2014
(in thousands)	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Equity securities
Common/collective trust funds	$	128,189	$	—	$	128,189	$	—
Fixed income
Common/collective trust funds	343,462		—		343,462		—
Real estate fund	21,661		—		—		21,661
Cash equivalents	1,735		1,735		—		—
Fair value of plan assets	$	495,047	$	1,735	$	471,651	$	21,661

	December 31, 2013
(in thousands)	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Equity securities
Common/collective trust funds	$	122,851	$	—	$	122,851	$	—
Fixed income
Common/collective trust funds	312,626		—		312,626		—
Real estate fund	19,534		—		—		19,534
Cash equivalents	1,580		1,580		—		—
Fair value of plan assets	$	456,591	$	1,580	$	435,477	$	19,534

Reconciliation of Level 3 assets

The following table presents a reconciliation of Level 3 assets held during 2014 and 2013:

(in thousands)	Real Estate Fund
As of December 31, 2012	$	17,766
Unrealized gains/(losses)	1,768
As of December 31, 2013	19,534
Unrealized gains/(losses)	2,127
As of December 31, 2014	$	21,661

Schedule of multi-employer plans

The following table summarizes the two plans we deem significant:

		Pension Protection Act Zone Status			Contributions of the Company
Pension Fund	EIN/Pension Plan Number	2014	2013	FIP/RP Status Pending/Implemented	2014		2013		2012		Surcharge Imposed	Expiration Date of Collective Bargaining Agreement
CWA/ITU	13-6212879	Red	Red	Implemented	$	126,453	$	116,295	$	126,205	NA	2015
GCIU	91-6024903	Red	Red	Implemented	$	80,972	$	99,594	$	117,131	Yes	2016