Health care is leading to a "stalemate" in talks between the City of St. Paul and the two largest city employee unions, leaders of AFSCME say.
AFSCME members rallied Jan. 12 outside City Hall to demand a health care plan equal to that provided to other city bargaining units. In particular, they want the city to pay a larger part of the cost of family coverage.
Negotiations have been under way since last fall between the city and AFSCME Local 2508, representing clerical employees, and AFSCME Local 1842, representing technical workers. The two locals represent a little more than 1,000 city workers. The contract covering the two groups expired Dec. 31.
"We worked with the city last spring and we agreed to accept co-pays (on health insurance)," Local 1842 President Robin Madsen said. "They're hefty co-pays. We've already done our part."
The negotiators are close on wages and some other contract provisions, but "we've hit a stalemate at this point in time on this issue (health care)," she said.
High cost = hardship
Participants in the rally described the hardship caused by the high cost of family health care coverage. One worker said she had to seek public assistance to cover her daughter's health care because she could not afford the plan offered by the city.
The high cost of health care is making it difficult to recruit and retrain employees, said Tom Ferrara, recreation director at a center in the city's North End. Seven rec leaders, who work directly with youth, have left his rec center in just nine months, he said.
"The city used to have hundreds of applicants for these positions," he noted. "Now if you clear the criminal check you're hired."
AFSCME Business Representative Kurt Errickson estimated it would cost about $30,000 a year to provide the coverage AFSCME is seeking.
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Health care is leading to a “stalemate” in talks between the City of St. Paul and the two largest city employee unions, leaders of AFSCME say.
AFSCME members rallied Jan. 12 outside City Hall to demand a health care plan equal to that provided to other city bargaining units. In particular, they want the city to pay a larger part of the cost of family coverage.
Negotiations have been under way since last fall between the city and AFSCME Local 2508, representing clerical employees, and AFSCME Local 1842, representing technical workers. The two locals represent a little more than 1,000 city workers. The contract covering the two groups expired Dec. 31.
“We worked with the city last spring and we agreed to accept co-pays (on health insurance),” Local 1842 President Robin Madsen said. “They’re hefty co-pays. We’ve already done our part.”
The negotiators are close on wages and some other contract provisions, but “we’ve hit a stalemate at this point in time on this issue (health care),” she said.
High cost = hardship
Participants in the rally described the hardship caused by the high cost of family health care coverage. One worker said she had to seek public assistance to cover her daughter’s health care because she could not afford the plan offered by the city.
The high cost of health care is making it difficult to recruit and retrain employees, said Tom Ferrara, recreation director at a center in the city’s North End. Seven rec leaders, who work directly with youth, have left his rec center in just nine months, he said.
“The city used to have hundreds of applicants for these positions,” he noted. “Now if you clear the criminal check you’re hired.”
AFSCME Business Representative Kurt Errickson estimated it would cost about $30,000 a year to provide the coverage AFSCME is seeking.