Pensions and other postretirement benefit plans

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Pensions and other postretirement benefit plans

NOTE 9 — Pensions and other postretirement benefit plans

We, along with our subsidiaries, have various defined benefit retirement plans, including plans established under collective bargaining agreements. Our retirement plans include the Gannett Retirement Plan ("GRP"), Newsquest and Romanes Pension Schemes in the U.K. ("U.K. Pension Plans"), and other defined benefit and defined contribution plans. We also provide health care and life insurance benefits to certain retired employees who meet age and service requirements.

Retirement plan costs include the following components:

	Three months ended
	September 30, 2020					September 29, 2019
In thousands	Pension			OPEB		Pension			OPEB
Operating expenses:
Service cost - Benefits earned during the period	$	693		$	27	$	159		$	—
Non-operating expenses (Other income):
Interest cost on benefit obligation	20,670			580		737			22
Expected return on plan assets	(39,573		)	—		(937		)	—
Amortization of actuarial loss (gain)	(26		)	15		(39		)	9
Total non-operating expenses (benefit)	$	(18,929	)	$	595	$	(239	)	$	31
Total expense (benefit) for retirement plans	$	(18,236	)	$	622	$	(80	)	$	31

	Nine months ended
	September 30, 2020					September 29, 2019
In thousands	Pension			OPEB		Pension			OPEB
Operating expenses:
Service cost - Benefits earned during the period	$	2,078		$	79	$	476		$	—
Non-operating expenses (Other income):
Interest cost on benefit obligation	61,803			1,740		2,210			67
Expected return on plan assets	(117,940		)	—		(2,812		)	—
Amortization of actuarial loss (gain)	(80		)	44		(117		)	27
Total non-operating expenses (benefit)	$	(56,217	)	$	1,784	$	(719	)	$	94
Total expense (benefit) for retirement plans	$	(54,139	)	$	1,863	$	(243	)	$	94

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, we contributed $19.6 million and $5.7 million to our pension and other postretirement plans, respectively. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic our GRP in the U.S. has deferred certain contractual contributions and negotiated a contribution payment plan of $5 million per quarter starting December 31, 2020 through the end of the September 30, 2022. Additionally, $11 million in minimum required contributions for the 2019 plan year, as required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"), have been deferred until January 1, 2021.