The employer and the union also agreed to consolidate various stipends that had been paid annually to certain members, which resulted in significant equity adjustments for food service and transportation positions.
Members maintained their current health insurance plan design with $5 and $15 co-pays on prescription medications and $15 for office visits, and held employees’ annual premium contributions to 13 percent for the first two years, and 14 percent in the final two years of the contract.
The union will allow the board to implement an optional health savings account (HAS), with premium cost sharing of 8 percent the first year, 9 percent in the second year and 10 percent in the third and fourth years. The employer will contribute 50 percent of the annual deductible to the HSA. A new provision in this contract provides that members who do not take the employer’s health insurance receive an annual waiver payment of $2,500 to $4,500 per year.
Negotiations were led by Sub-local 21 President John Virag, with support from UE Field Organizer John Woodruff.