2008 Woodie Awards
Full-time teachers paying more for health care
Money will come from paychecks
Diana Diroy
Date created: 11/22/04 Section: NEWS
- Page 1 of 1
Starting this January 2005, Skyline's full-time teachers will have more money taken out of their paychecks to pay for the planned increased health care costs.
"From the faculty's perspective, we're kind of scared because our salaries are ultimately going down," said Rick Hough, co-chair for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) at Skyline College.
Kaiser costs will increase 16 percent and Blue Shield, 24 percent, according to The Advocate, the newsletter of the AFT, local chapter 1493, which represents Skyline teachers.
This rise in costs is not imposed by the district itself, but from the union's benefit provider, the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).
"We've been using [CalPERS] for more than ten years," said AFT 1493 Co-president Joaquin Rivera. "They determine the rates for the plans. They negotiate with the health insurance companies."
The last negotiation resulted in this January's increase. So, why not pull out from CalPERS and find a new provider? Since negotiations were already made, it is actually too late to make the change this year.
According to The Advocate, "We need to be sure that any short-term benefits of leaving PERS won't be just that-short-term, leaving us in a worse position over the long haul."
The AFT has formed a task force with representatives from California School Employees Association and American Field Service to find other options.
"Right now the district and teachers union are trying to figure out what is best for both sides, and that is very difficult," Hough said.
While this task force looks for other options, it may be unrealistic to think that immense changes will happen soon. According to the newsletter, "The goal of the taskforce is to make recommendations that can be implemented on January 1, 2006."
As teachers wait for another year to come around, some share a sense of unfairness and do not look forward to their deducted paychecks.
"From the faculty's perspective, the district needs to figure out a way to pay the faculty staff's minimum health benefit amount that we are paying out of our pocket," Hough said. "However, they need to do that, they need to figure it out, and I certainly understand that that's not very easy."
Hough recommends that the cap, the amount the district is willing to pay, for one worker and two beneficiaries, would be raised to $925. "It would be great if teachers didn't have to pay for medical plans," he said.
"From the faculty's perspective, we're kind of scared because our salaries are ultimately going down," said Rick Hough, co-chair for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) at Skyline College.
Kaiser costs will increase 16 percent and Blue Shield, 24 percent, according to The Advocate, the newsletter of the AFT, local chapter 1493, which represents Skyline teachers.
This rise in costs is not imposed by the district itself, but from the union's benefit provider, the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).
"We've been using [CalPERS] for more than ten years," said AFT 1493 Co-president Joaquin Rivera. "They determine the rates for the plans. They negotiate with the health insurance companies."
The last negotiation resulted in this January's increase. So, why not pull out from CalPERS and find a new provider? Since negotiations were already made, it is actually too late to make the change this year.
According to The Advocate, "We need to be sure that any short-term benefits of leaving PERS won't be just that-short-term, leaving us in a worse position over the long haul."
The AFT has formed a task force with representatives from California School Employees Association and American Field Service to find other options.
"Right now the district and teachers union are trying to figure out what is best for both sides, and that is very difficult," Hough said.
While this task force looks for other options, it may be unrealistic to think that immense changes will happen soon. According to the newsletter, "The goal of the taskforce is to make recommendations that can be implemented on January 1, 2006."
As teachers wait for another year to come around, some share a sense of unfairness and do not look forward to their deducted paychecks.
"From the faculty's perspective, the district needs to figure out a way to pay the faculty staff's minimum health benefit amount that we are paying out of our pocket," Hough said. "However, they need to do that, they need to figure it out, and I certainly understand that that's not very easy."
Hough recommends that the cap, the amount the district is willing to pay, for one worker and two beneficiaries, would be raised to $925. "It would be great if teachers didn't have to pay for medical plans," he said.
