Pierce County – Nov. 24, 2009
Medical
Update
Local 17 meet with Pierce
County on Friday, November 20 regarding medical negotiations. The County agreed
we could consider Teamsters medical plan
as an option, but was unwilling to contribute any additional dollars towards
medical premiums rates regardless of which plan we participate in. Local 17,
along with other unions, have filed for mediation on the issue.
If no agreement is in place by January 1, 2010 the County will need to continue the current level of benefit or "status quo." Currently we do not have an agreement with the County on what is status quo with respect to the County's premium contributions. Local 17 along with other labor unions believe that our contract language states that the County must pay up to a maximum of $1,012.98 per month per employee to maintain status quo.
The County is taking the position that the status quo premium amount they are willing to pay is based upon the actual plan each employee is enrolled under in 2009, not the maximum stated in our contract. PERC (Public Employment Relations Commission) will be making a ruling on status quo issue in the coming weeks. This decision is crucial so that we can correctly determine the financial impact to the members.
At this time there will be no Benefit Open Enrollment period for Local 17 members, and you will not be allowed to change plans under status quo. During the period of Open Enrollment represented (union) employees will be ask to sign a payroll authorization form to grant permission to deduct the additional medical premium increases from your pay check to pay for the increased 2010 medical premium. The County indicated that employees unwilling to provide the payroll deduction could have a lapse in their insurance. The new payroll deduction will be effective January 1, 2010, until we reach an agreement at the bargaining table or we get a ruling from PERC on status quo.
Our next medical negotiations is scheduled for December 2.
The 2009
vs. 2010 premium rates are provided below to show how this is going to work:
The 2009
maximum premium the County has agreed to pay = $1,012.98
The
Actual 2009 premium rates are:
Regence
PPO: $1089.20
Regence
Selections: $1009.19
Group
Health: $857.92
Four Front: $961.27
The
Current 2010 premium rates are:
Regence
PPO: $1207.86
Regence
Selections: $1119.83
Group
Health: $921.40
Four Front: $1067.01
The
difference to you effective 1-1-10 would be:
Regence
PPO: $194.88 (includes the $76.22 you currently pay, which is calculated
from the $1,012.98 county maximum)
Regence
Selections: $110.64
Group
Health: $63.48
Four Front: $105.74
Layoff
Update
Local 17 met with Pierce County on Nov. 23, 2009 to discuss the layoffs in PALS, we were told that six would get layoff notices, depending on position in Public Works and whether anyone would be taking the layoff, we are uncertain about the bumping impact and final numbers. We continue to gather information on the survey and need your input now more than ever.
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