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<blockquote data-quote="PiedmontSteward" data-source="post: 1194084" data-attributes="member: 42270"><p>I have mixed feelings regarding our health care going into a Taft Hartley plan -- you're absolutely right that the plan trustees, without negotiating or otherwise consulting the members, can reduce our benefits. However, this is boilerplate language in probably every Taft Hartley health and welfare plan across the country and is essential to the long-term survivability of the plans in case of catastrophic events -- mass layoffs across multiple industries due to economic down-turns, etc. -- that could lead to the plan becoming insolvent. However, I feel this gives us better leverage in several areas: </p><p></p><p>In case of a future strike, the union could continue our health insurance without the individual locals or IBT being required to divert money from the strike fund to cover COBRA payments as almost occurred in 1997. TeamCare already has 18 months in reserves -- I hope this doubles with the addition to 140,000 new Teamsters being enrolled in the plan. That is an <strong>enormous</strong> influx of revenue, especially considering many of the covered part-timers that UPS contributes money on behalf of rarely utilize their insurance. </p><p></p><p>Hopefully, it takes health care "off the table" for future contracts. In my opinion, it's a lot easier to hold the line on gross H&W contributions instead of a myriad of levels of benefits. </p><p></p><p>On the flip side, however, I believe that it's a mistake that existing C6 members will not receive the same level of benefits as the "new" TeamCare members. While a full-timer can afford to pay more out of pocket, they should have the same level of benefits as a part-timer especially if we're in the same plan. </p><p></p><p>You're absolutely right about UPS becoming a very different company since going public -- look what they're doing to their managers' health insurance <strong>right now</strong>. Additionally, UPS has made it clear they will want a two-tier wage system in the future; my local president mentioned that UPS tried to raise hell about retiree health insurance in the final hours of the '08-'13 negotiations and this was ample foreshadowing of their attempts in '13-'18 negotiations to go after us on health care. They tried to slip in a two-tier system in the final hours this time around and I think this will be the major issue going forward in the future. UPS isn't satisfied with the de facto two-tiered wage system we have now and many, many companies are jamming this down the throats of their unionized workforces - Crystal Sugar, GM, Verizon, AT&T, Cooper Tire, and many more - either via ending pension contributions (in lieu of 401k contributions) for new hires or a two-tiered wage system.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="PiedmontSteward, post: 1194084, member: 42270"] I have mixed feelings regarding our health care going into a Taft Hartley plan -- you're absolutely right that the plan trustees, without negotiating or otherwise consulting the members, can reduce our benefits. However, this is boilerplate language in probably every Taft Hartley health and welfare plan across the country and is essential to the long-term survivability of the plans in case of catastrophic events -- mass layoffs across multiple industries due to economic down-turns, etc. -- that could lead to the plan becoming insolvent. However, I feel this gives us better leverage in several areas: In case of a future strike, the union could continue our health insurance without the individual locals or IBT being required to divert money from the strike fund to cover COBRA payments as almost occurred in 1997. TeamCare already has 18 months in reserves -- I hope this doubles with the addition to 140,000 new Teamsters being enrolled in the plan. That is an [B]enormous[/B] influx of revenue, especially considering many of the covered part-timers that UPS contributes money on behalf of rarely utilize their insurance. Hopefully, it takes health care "off the table" for future contracts. In my opinion, it's a lot easier to hold the line on gross H&W contributions instead of a myriad of levels of benefits. On the flip side, however, I believe that it's a mistake that existing C6 members will not receive the same level of benefits as the "new" TeamCare members. While a full-timer can afford to pay more out of pocket, they should have the same level of benefits as a part-timer especially if we're in the same plan. You're absolutely right about UPS becoming a very different company since going public -- look what they're doing to their managers' health insurance [B]right now[/B]. Additionally, UPS has made it clear they will want a two-tier wage system in the future; my local president mentioned that UPS tried to raise hell about retiree health insurance in the final hours of the '08-'13 negotiations and this was ample foreshadowing of their attempts in '13-'18 negotiations to go after us on health care. They tried to slip in a two-tier system in the final hours this time around and I think this will be the major issue going forward in the future. UPS isn't satisfied with the de facto two-tiered wage system we have now and many, many companies are jamming this down the throats of their unionized workforces - Crystal Sugar, GM, Verizon, AT&T, Cooper Tire, and many more - either via ending pension contributions (in lieu of 401k contributions) for new hires or a two-tiered wage system. [/QUOTE]
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