UPS / Teamster Early Negotiations: Why so long to present Healthcare Issue?

TUT

Well-Known Member
How are the Teamsters giving in? Do you have any idea of the bargaining power the Union would have when shopping for healthcare for their 250K members? Do you have any proof that a Teamster plan offers inferior benefits to those of a company plan? Co-pays and deductibles are minimal and work to keep our collective healthcare costs down. A $10 doctor's office co-pay is neglible but a $100 ER co-pay makes people think twice before seeking emergent care.

The numbers shared here per week are not anything special, that is very "industry standard rates" for companies with a lot less employees. It's also amazing how many of these companies and one's of great size are self-insured.
 

CaptainObvious

Well-Known Member
In the past two negotiations, UPS and the union also began early and arrived at new agreements well before the existing agreements expired.


Someone correct me if I'm wrong here. But the only contract I can remember coming to a early agreement on is our current contract 2008-2013. Not sure about anything prior to the 1990 negotiations since I wasn't around before that time.
 

Atomic_Smurf

Well-Known Member
The 30/60/90 was before the Union offered to take over the healthcare for those hourly employees currently on the company plan. The company has agreed to this proposal in principle and now the Union is crunching the numbers. If agreed to the company will continue to pay the union what it currently pays towards healthcare and the 30/60/90 will go away.

This change won't happen overnight---there would have to be a transition period (Jan 1st, 2014?)---and there may be co-pays and deductibles but I am confident that we won't be asked to pay for any portion of our healthcare premiums.

Not only is 30/60/90 still on the table, but according to halls March 28th letter, the proposal for the Teamsters to take over our healthcare is from the company... UPS would love to wash their hands of the mess that Obamacare is making of our healthcare & our union is hesitant to accept for obvious reasons.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Not only is 30/60/90 still on the table, but according to halls March 28th letter, the proposal for the Teamsters to take over our healthcare is from the company... UPS would love to wash their hands of the mess that Obamacare is making of our healthcare & our union is hesitant to accept for obvious reasons.

The proposal was the "creative solution" Hall alluded to.

Think about it for a minute----if the Union takes over the healthcare why would UPS still insist that we pay for a portion of the premium?
 

babboo25

Banned
If union takes over health insurance will you still have coverage when you retire? My steward says we wont, scary thought. In my opinion hall shouldnt have said we wont pay a penny. We have great insurance and I would pay for it. Just not $90wk, would pay $20wk. Would have to be $20 for length of contract. If we walk over insurance public opinion wont be in our favor and thats bad for business. $20wk and 20% discount on stock or partial 401k match, just an idea.
 

pretender

Well-Known Member
How are the Teamsters giving in? Do you have any idea of the bargaining power the Union would have when shopping for healthcare for their 250K members? Do you have any proof that a Teamster plan offers inferior benefits to those of a company plan? Co-pays and deductibles are minimal and work to keep our collective healthcare costs down. A $10 doctor's office co-pay is neglible but a $100 ER co-pay makes people think twice before seeking emergent care.

I do not disagree, but are you saying that the Teamsters can get us a better price than what the company spends to self insure?

I am trying to keep an open mind, but I have a lot of concerns/questions (most of which have already been mentioned):

1) If UPS retains responsibility for healthcare, we at least will know what the cost will be for the length of the contract.

2) Why does it appear as though the union is so much better at handling healthcare dollars than pension funds??

3) I do not want to have to change doctors/dentists if they do not belong to the new network.

4) How does this affect retirees? I assume we will be taken into the union plan. Are we going to continue to pay $50, $200, $400, or whatever per month? I actually think that this could be a good thing--I suppose it is possible that our premiums would go away. More likely, when the time inevitably comes that members will have to pay a portion of their premiums, are they going to go to the retirees who are already paying (and on a fixed income), or to the active employees who are making $80,000 per year?

I actually think that this is a brilliant move on the part of UPS (whether they proposed it, or called the union's bluff). In future contracts, it places the onus on the union to decide between increased wages or healthcare dollars. In reality, this is the way it is now, but it will be impossible for the union to claim that the company is inflating the cost of healthcare, when they will know the actual numbers.
 

brownmonster

Man of Great Wisdom
Our local 344 handles our pension and health care. The past several years some of the money allocated for our pension has been diverted to the healthcare side to keep the costs down. I would rather see a higher deductible or bigger co-pays rather then paying more for the insurance up front. Basically charge the ones using it rather then the ones who may not.
 

Atomic_Smurf

Well-Known Member
;
The proposal was the "creative solution" Hall alluded to.

Think about it for a minute----if the Union takes over the healthcare why would UPS still insist that we pay for a portion of the premium?
At that point UPS won't care what portion of the bill we pay. It will be in the Unions hands. And I agree that this is a "creative solution" but Hall clearly stated that it was the company's proposal. No need to spin or lie about it.
 
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Atomic_Smurf

Well-Known Member
Our local 344 handles our pension and health care. The past several years some of the money allocated for our pension has been diverted to the healthcare side to keep the costs down. I would rather see a hthat's what I would be afraid ofigher deductible or bigger co-pays rather then paying more for the insurance up front. Basically charge the ones using it rather then the ones who may not.
Taking money out of the pension fund to prop up healthcare.That's what I would be afraid of.
 
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