I woke up early so I could attend today's bargaining meeting that was open to the public. I don't think that the experience was good for my blood pressure. From the long opening recap (I like to skip those on Netflix) to the condescending explanations to the not-very-veiled threat, this meeting had me boiling.
Before I let out some of my stored steam, I should note that I am only speaking for myself through my own limited understanding of the situation. Should people with better experience on the subject read this, they can correct any of my misconceptions. Here are some of my takeaways:
1) The district's negotiators want us to pay. That expression was used over and over through the discussion. In one speech, "you will pay" was almost a refrain (e.g. If you lower your premium, you will pay a higher deductible) with no mention of the district taking measures to alleviate the cost burden that has been shifted to the employees.
2) Speaking of which, a major takeaway is that the district has REALLY shifted the burden of healthcare to the employees. I keep hearing how the cost of healthcare is increasing for everyone; well, that's not true for the district. In fact, the district is paying millions less towards its employee healthcare than it did two years ago. Meanwhile, the price of that healthcare has increased in that time. Thus, not only are employees paying more for healthcare due to rising costs, but we are paying more due to the district shifting the responsibility on us.
3) Another item made clear is that the district WANTS the cap to come into effect so that the cost burden stays on the shoulders of its workers. The comment was made that if the district took the plan offered by the unions, the cap would probably not be reached ... like that's a BAD thing. The point of the cap should be to keep the district from being crushed by a sudden and rapid rise in premiums. Instead, the district is looking to keep the cap in place at a rate that ensures it will be activated, penalizing its workers (note the first two takeaways).
4) The district is going to further punish its employees for not already bowing to their will and swallowing the swill it has offered. Before the second recess, the district's lawyer made certain to point out a bullet point from their proposal: employee's health premiums will rise sharply next month (by $300 a month) if an agreement is not reached. While the rise in premiums was only stated for those still on the traditional plan, a similar rise is on the horizon for the high deductible plan as well (remember, the board did not keep premiums low on those who switched to the high deductible despite the district saving over a million dollars from those people making the switch).
It used to be that districts covered the healthcare costs of their employees. To help with district money issues, employees began to share some of the costs of those healthcare expenses, only to have the district more and more sacrifices from them. The district bargainers have complained about how much the union's proposals would cost the district, citing millions of dollars. Yet, it should be noted that they ignore the fact that those same costs would have to come from its workers instead.
I do not believe that the district's bargaining team are bad people. I believe that they are looking for ways to cut costs in the district and save for future disasters. However, they operate from a position of fear and distrust (they hired a lawyer at the beginning of this bargaining term almost two years ago). The faculty, staff, and district should be standing together against the short-sighted troglodytes that lead our borough and state governments. Imagine if we had come to an agreement at the start and had been able to rally together and use the same time spent in this bargaining to petition our government for funding our children's futures. Imagine if the district turned its lawyer's focus towards securing the funding that the borough and state should be sending our way.
I think that's what makes me the angriest of all.
Before I let out some of my stored steam, I should note that I am only speaking for myself through my own limited understanding of the situation. Should people with better experience on the subject read this, they can correct any of my misconceptions. Here are some of my takeaways:
1) The district's negotiators want us to pay. That expression was used over and over through the discussion. In one speech, "you will pay" was almost a refrain (e.g. If you lower your premium, you will pay a higher deductible) with no mention of the district taking measures to alleviate the cost burden that has been shifted to the employees.
2) Speaking of which, a major takeaway is that the district has REALLY shifted the burden of healthcare to the employees. I keep hearing how the cost of healthcare is increasing for everyone; well, that's not true for the district. In fact, the district is paying millions less towards its employee healthcare than it did two years ago. Meanwhile, the price of that healthcare has increased in that time. Thus, not only are employees paying more for healthcare due to rising costs, but we are paying more due to the district shifting the responsibility on us.
3) Another item made clear is that the district WANTS the cap to come into effect so that the cost burden stays on the shoulders of its workers. The comment was made that if the district took the plan offered by the unions, the cap would probably not be reached ... like that's a BAD thing. The point of the cap should be to keep the district from being crushed by a sudden and rapid rise in premiums. Instead, the district is looking to keep the cap in place at a rate that ensures it will be activated, penalizing its workers (note the first two takeaways).
4) The district is going to further punish its employees for not already bowing to their will and swallowing the swill it has offered. Before the second recess, the district's lawyer made certain to point out a bullet point from their proposal: employee's health premiums will rise sharply next month (by $300 a month) if an agreement is not reached. While the rise in premiums was only stated for those still on the traditional plan, a similar rise is on the horizon for the high deductible plan as well (remember, the board did not keep premiums low on those who switched to the high deductible despite the district saving over a million dollars from those people making the switch).
It used to be that districts covered the healthcare costs of their employees. To help with district money issues, employees began to share some of the costs of those healthcare expenses, only to have the district more and more sacrifices from them. The district bargainers have complained about how much the union's proposals would cost the district, citing millions of dollars. Yet, it should be noted that they ignore the fact that those same costs would have to come from its workers instead.
I do not believe that the district's bargaining team are bad people. I believe that they are looking for ways to cut costs in the district and save for future disasters. However, they operate from a position of fear and distrust (they hired a lawyer at the beginning of this bargaining term almost two years ago). The faculty, staff, and district should be standing together against the short-sighted troglodytes that lead our borough and state governments. Imagine if we had come to an agreement at the start and had been able to rally together and use the same time spent in this bargaining to petition our government for funding our children's futures. Imagine if the district turned its lawyer's focus towards securing the funding that the borough and state should be sending our way.
I think that's what makes me the angriest of all.
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