Difft benefits for mgrs/confid. ees

jds

Our company consists of managers, confidential employees (not management and not in a bargaining unit) and union. We are self-insured for health insurance. Pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement, we provide family coverage at a blended rate (meaning everyone pays the same regardless of whether single or family). The agreement provides an amount to be contributed by the company, with the remainder paid by the employees. The cost of coverage is increasing dramatically. We want to provide an employee-only option to keep the costs down for those who don't need family coverage or who can get their families covered at less cost elsewhere, but our unions won't agree to it. Is there anything wrong with offering this employee-only option to management and confidential employees who are not covered by the collective bargaining agreement?

Don D

Unless you have some state law wrinkle, there's nothing that prohibits it. Our company is self insured with a union as well. Our bargaining unit employees pay $20 weekly for Health, dental and vision coverage whether a family of one or twelve. Our other employees have all coverages provided at the company's expense with no waiting period. Quite a nice benefit. But, I am wondering why the union would not embrace a change that would allow its members to have coverage at lower cost? Either they're dense or I am! x:-)

jds

Thanks for your response. To answer your question, YOU aren't dense!!! x:-)

Robert Kaiser MO

You can have different benefit schemes and options for union and nonunion employees. Bob

Janet

Our company tried to sell a more attractive medical plan to our union EE's but, for reasons I won't even attempt to get into here, the union rejected it. So, we put all of our non-union EE's on the more attractive plan and they love it. For once, the non-union EE's got a good deal.

Don D

Our most recent negotiations were in February. The company proposed three basic packages and negotiations soon reduced them to two - Each an all-or-nothing, take-it-or-leave-it package with no mixing and matching between the two. Of the remaining two, the one we pushed offered a 2%, 2%, 2% raise during the three year contract plus a $1250 signing bonus at inception. But this option required that they agree to elimination of double time language on weekends. Even though we don't work weekends, ever, they rejected that package and instead took the other package which was a 1%, 2%, 3% raise with no bonus, but they still get to hold on to the language about double time, although its not possible. Go figure. A few weeks into the contract word got out on what their leadership rejected and the list of members withdrawing membership continues daily. The mentality is 'whatever the company seems to be pushing will get a knee-jerk rejection'. Unions, more than we'll ever know, have given up some sweet deals simply because the company proposed them.

ritaanz

Exactly. It is, "oh yeah, we'll show you."

Janet

Amen!