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Pension, Postretirement, and Postemployement Obligations | 6 Months Ended
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Mar. 26, 2017
Pension Postretirement And Postemployment Defined Benefit Plans [Abstract] |
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block] | PENSION, POSTRETIREMENT AND POSTEMPLOYMENT DEFINED BENEFIT PLANS We have several noncontributory defined benefit pension plans that together cover selected employees. Benefits under the plans were generally based on salary and years of service. Effective in 2012, substantially all benefits are frozen and only a small amount of additional benefits are being accrued. Our liability and related expense for benefits under the plans are recorded over the service period of employees based upon annual actuarial calculations. Plan funding strategies are influenced by government regulations. Plan assets consist primarily of domestic and foreign corporate equity securities, government and corporate bonds, hedge fund investments and cash. In addition, we provide retiree medical and life insurance benefits under postretirement plans at several of our operating locations. The level and adjustment of participant contributions vary depending on the specific plan. In addition, St. Louis Post-Dispatch LLC, provides postemployment disability benefits to certain employee groups prior to retirement. Our liability and related expense for benefits under the postretirement plans are recorded over the service period of active employees based upon annual actuarial calculations. We accrue postemployment disability benefits when it becomes probable that such benefits will be paid and when sufficient information exists to make reasonable estimates of the amounts to be paid. We use a fiscal year end measurement date for all of our pension and postretirement medical plan obligations. The net periodic postretirement cost (benefit) components for our postretirement plans are as follows:
PENSION PLANS | 13 Weeks Ended |  | 26 Weeks Ended |
(Thousands of Dollars) | March 26 2017 |  | March 27 2016 |  | March 26 2017 |  | March 27 2016 |
Service cost for benefits earned during the period | 21 |  | 49 |  | 42 |  | 98 |
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation | 1,349 |  | 1,515 |  | 2,698 |  | 3,030 |
Expected return on plan assets | (1,969 | ) | (2,174 | ) | (3,938 | ) | (4,348 | )
Amortization of net loss | 736 |  | 599 |  | 1,472 |  | 1,198 |
Amortization of prior service benefit | (34 | ) | (34 | ) | (68 | ) | (68 | )
Pension expense (benefit) | 103 |  | (45 | ) | 206 |  | (90 | )
POSTRETIREMENT MEDICAL PLANS | 13 Weeks Ended |  | 26 Weeks Ended |
(Thousands of Dollars) | March 26 2017 |  | March 27 2016 |  | March 26 2017 |  | March 27 2016 |
Service cost for benefits earned during the period | 9 |  | 16 |  | 12 |  | 32 |
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation | 110 |  | 156 |  | 232 |  | 312 |
Expected return on plan assets | (264 | ) | (331 | ) | (528 | ) | (662 | )
Amortization of net gain | (243 | ) | (273 | ) | (480 | ) | (546 | )
Amortization of prior service benefit | (365 | ) | (365 | ) | (730 | ) | (730 | )
Curtailment gains | (3,741 | ) | — |  | (3,741 | ) | — |
Postretirement medical benefit | (4,494 | ) | (797 | ) | (5,235 | ) | (1,594 | )
Amortization of net gains (losses) and prior service benefits are recorded as compensation in the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. In March 2017, we notified certain participants in one of our post employment medical plans of changes to their plans. These changes resulted in a non-cash curtailment gain of $3,741,000, which is recorded in gain on sales of assets and other, net in the Consolidated Statements of income and Comprehensive Income. These changes also reduced the postemployment benefit obligation by $5,158,000 and also reduced accumulated other comprehensive loss by $1,417,000. Based on our forecast at March 26, 2017, we do not expect to make contributions to our pension trust and postretirement medical plans for the reminder of 2017.

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- Definition Pension Postretirement And Postemployment Defined Benefit Plans [Abstract] + References No definition available. + Details
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