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The
2009 newsletter
coming online soon!
General Membership Meeting
When: Tuesday, January 13th at 5:30
Where: Lane County Public Service Building Harris Hall
Stewards Meeting
When: January 13 at 5:30 during General
Membership Meeting
Where: Lane County Service Building Harris Hall
Bargaining
Session Update
Please click on the above link to view
to read all of the bargaining updates.
The County would like to force AFSCME
members to the health benefit plan that management is currently on.
In our last mediation session the County’s bargaining team stated to
the mediator that the Board of County Commissioners told the
County’s bargaining team it was an unanimous decision by the BCC to
move in that direction. But now we’re hearing that the BCC may not
have said that.
The County wants AFSCME members to buy their
COLA’s (Cost Of Living Adjustment / Increase) by subscribing to a
lower benefit medical plan. The County has stated that the different
medical plan would save the County on average between the two plans,
$33.79 each month for each AFSCME employee. The minimal savings to
the County is put directly on the backs of our members with possible
huge increases to members out of pocket expenses.
The tables below summarize the differences in
benefits between the two medical plans, AFSCME's current plan and
the new plan that the County is proposing. Tables one and two are
the same plan but the difference between the tables has to do with
whether the services are provided within Pacific Source’s service
area and whether the physician and or hospital/clinic are on Pacific
Sources preferred provider list. The first two tables is the plan
that the majority of AFSCME employees are on
Take a look at the tables below and you decide by
casting your vote on the survey, is taking the County’s latest offer
worth drastically lowering our benefits in our current medical plan?
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Table 1
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AFSCME
Traditional / Preferred Provider Plan
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County Proposed
Traditional / Preferred Provider Plan
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Annual Deductible
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$125 Per Person / $375 Per family max
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$100 Per Person / $300 Per Family max
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Maximum Annual Out of Pocket
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$500 Per
insured
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$1,500 per insured / $4,500 max per family
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Prescription Drug Plan
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$100 deductible per insured then member pays 20% of the
first $2,000 of eligible prescription charges. Maximum $400
annual out of pocket per member.
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Co-pay per prescription of $15/30/35 at pharmacy. Mail order
45 day supply for 1 month co-pay and 90 day supply for 2
month co-pay. No cap
on out of pocket expenses.
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Table
2
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AFSCME
Non-Participating (out of service area) Provider
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County Proposed
Non-Participating (out of service area) Provider
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Annual Deductible
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$125 Per Person / $375 Per family
80% after deductible up to $2,500
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$100 Per Person / $300 Per Family 80% after deductible up to
$7,500
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Maximum Annual Out of Pocket
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$500 Per
insured
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$1,500 per insured / $4,500 max per family
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Prescription Drug Plan
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$100 deductible per insured then member pays 20% of the
first $2,000 of eligible prescription charges. Maximum $400
annual out of pocket per member.
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Co-pay per prescription of $15/30/35 at pharmacy. Mail order
45 day supply for 1 month co-pay and 90 day supply for 2
month co-pay. No cap
on out of pocket expenses.
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Table
3
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AFSCME
Prime Managed Care
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County Proposed
Prime Managed Care
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Annual Deductible
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$20 per visit co-pay
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$10 per visit co-pay
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Maximum Annual Out of Pocket
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$1,000 per insured
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$1,000 per insured
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Prescription Drug Plan
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$100 deductible per insured then member pays 20% of the
first $2,000 of eligible prescription charges. Maximum $400
annual out of pocket per member.
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Co-pay per prescription of $15/30/35 at pharmacy. Mail order
45 day supply for 1 month co-pay and 90 day supply for 2
month co-pay. No cap
on out of pocket expenses.
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FAQ-
BARGAINING
Frequently
Asked Questions
The Bargaining
Team responds to Members' questions on the status of contract
negotiations
Q. What is the purpose of the survey?
A. The Bargaining Team wants to know if
members would accept a contract that included changes to the current
medical benefits. The Bargaining Team is checking in with members
because maintenance of the current medical benefits was the number
one response in the pre-bargaining survey last spring. The survey is
not a vote for a contract or for a strike. The results will be used
to provide direction to the Bargaining Team.
Q. What is mediation?
A.
Mediation refers to
assistance by an impartial third party in reconciling our contract
negotiations between the County and our Local. Presently the
State of Oregon Mediation and Conciliation Service has
provided the impartial third party mediator. The County and
the Local bargaining teams are separated into different rooms and
the mediator presents the County’s proposal to the
Union and vice versa, our Union proposal to the County.
The traditional face to face bargaining does not occur when in
mediation.
Q. What was the last proposal the Union
presented to the County?
A. On Dec. 2 the Union proposed the
following changes to the current contract sections on Wages and
Benefits:
- 3 Year Contract retro to July 1, 2008
- Year 1 COLA- 3.9%
- Year 2 COLA- 3%
- Year 3 COLA- 3%
- Maintenance of Current Benefits
- A temporary 5% increase in wages for specific
job classifications in IS until the comprehensive salary study
is completed an implemented on July 1, 2009
- Maintain the status quo for the working
conditions of the Juvenile Counselors (earn their current TM
rate, maintain flexibility of workday/workweek, not be eligible
for overtime or comp per existing agreement.)
Q. What was the last proposal the County
presented to the Union?
A. On Dec. 2 the County proposed the
following changes to the current contract sections on Wages and
Benefits:
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3 Year Contract retro to July 1
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Year 1 COLA- 3%
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Year 2 COLA- = to CPI with max of 3% and min of
2%
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Year 3 COLA- = to CPI with max of 3% and min of
2%
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Reduce health insurance benefits to that of the
non-rep employees
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$500 one time health insurance conversion bonus
Q. Did the County's last proposal include
the 5% temporary wage increase for employees of the IS department?
A. The County's last proposal did not
include the 5% temporary wage increase for employees of the IS
department. The Bargaining team is not sure if the County
accidentally did not include it or if the County has dropped it from
the offer. It has been in all previous offers from the County.
Q. Some prescriptions are not available at a
pharmacy and must be ordered from a specialty pharmacy through the
mail. How are these covered in the non-rep plan the County proposed?
A. ...researching this question
Q. Will the health insurance plan that non-rep
employees (Management and Commissioners) have be a hardship for
AFSCME members?
A. Absolutely. If our members use the
same benefits under our current plan they will experience a
significant increase in cost for those same services. Folks
who have retired will suffer significantly in the pharmaceutical
plan change. This was proven in an arbitration where the Union
fought and won to preserve our members' rights.
Health Benefits Comparison
How do our Health Benefits compare with other Unions in Lane County?
Please click on the link: LC Health Benefits Comparison.
LC
Benefits Comparisons
Remember to
check our website frequently, our electronic bulletin board, for
bargaining updates and other vital information.
Training & Meeting Opportunities
Training Opportunities
LERC Training
(Labor Education and Research Center)
More Info
LERC - AFL-CIO Summer School
August 8th - 10th
Eugene - U of O
More Info
Contact Lori
if you are interested.
Contract in PDF
Bookmarked Form
Download
AFSCME General Membership 2005-2008
Contract.
Requires Acrobat Reader.
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