current ups health ins. may move to union ins??

[sortaisle]

The end of April? My calendar says March 28th...


He was referring to the letter saying that negotiations were going to resume the weeks of the 15th and 22nd of April.


My understanding of health insurance in my center is that PTers are provided for by IBT. Or, you know... our Teamster local. I'm still not well-versed in these union semantics.

It's different in every region. My pt plan is UPS and I'm in the Western Region.

 

[jibbs]

He was referring to the letter saying that negotiations were going to resume the weeks of the 15th and 22nd of April.

Ahh, if I had read the letter immediately I probably would've gotten that. Eh, I'm used to looking stupid every now and then.

 

[Catatonic]

My issue with this is the statements by hall in the past about walking away if this wasn't done by March 31. So now it's the end of April, he's quickly losing his credibility from myself and many others. And I've always had great faith in his ability to negotiate in the past. Now back to the Tiki Bar for a Yuengling and making a plan for tonites pub crawl.

Ken clarified what he said (or was it what he did not say or was it meant to say) on last Sunday's conference call.

 

[barnyard]

My issue with this is the statements by hall in the past about walking away if this wasn't done by March 31. So now it's the end of April, he's quickly losing his credibility from myself and many others.

You need to reread that statement.

Hall said, "If the current proposal is on the table March 31, we are walking away till it is pulled off the table."

UPS pulled the proposal on Monday.

re read the above until you understand it.

The current proposal for the Teamsters to take over the healthplan was 1 of the 3 proposals Hall and the Teamsters made last week. UPS chose this one and the Teamsters have to go over the plan they proposed and figure out how much it will cost, so they know what UPS will have to pay. This is all going to be a guess based on past practice.

The problem with that is that no one knows how much health care costs are going to go up in the next 5-7 years (length of contract has yet to be made public. I am betting 7.)

My prediction, made in another post, is that the Teamsters will take over healthcare, costs will go up and within 2 years, members will be told that we have to pay something to maintain coverage. Either through a monthly premium or higher copays or something.

Bottom line for UPS and shareholders is that they will have a known liability on their books, not a nebulous "you pay the health insurance bill, whatever that is."

I am thinking the contract will be done before tax day. Probably within 3 days of sitting back down.

 

[Jackburton]

You need to reread that statement.

Hall said, "If the current proposal is on the table March 31, we are walking away till it is pulled off the table."

UPS pulled the proposal on Monday.

re read the above until you understand it.

The current proposal for the Teamsters to take over the healthplan was 1 of the 3 proposals Hall and the Teamsters made last week. UPS chose this one and the Teamsters have to go over the plan they proposed and figure out how much it will cost, so they know what UPS will have to pay. This is all going to be a guess based on past practice.

The problem with that is that no one knows how much health care costs are going to go up in the next 5-7 years (length of contract has yet to be made public. I am betting 7.)

My prediction, made in another post, is that the Teamsters will take over healthcare, costs will go up and within 2 years, members will be told that we have to pay something to maintain coverage. Either through a monthly premium or higher copays or something.

Bottom line for UPS and shareholders is that they will have a known liability on their books, not a nebulous "you pay the health insurance bill, whatever that is."

I am thinking the contract will be done before tax day. Probably within 3 days of sitting back down.

That's what I was saying in an earlier post, I just don't have the articulation.

 

[barnyard]

That's what I was saying in an earlier post, I just don't have the articulation.

I may not have gotten to your reply when I replied.

I read the statement and darn near blew up. Someone on the internets were wrong and I HAD to correct it.

Over half the vitriol over the contract would be eliminated if people would read and remember all the statements made by the folks negotiating the contract.

 

[brown metal coffin]

So with the health care in the hand of the union; does that mean that now there is a lot more "wiggle room" for UPS to discuss pension contributions, raises, job creation, etc with the health care nut out of their back yard. Surely UPS will have to contribute something to the union for the cost but it will be substantially less than them doing it themselves.

 

[P700slave]

Im feeling either way we gettin screwed on this deal.

 

[ajblakejr]

The Bama care is revealing new surprises every week and I believe I read it correctly; regardless of coverage provider, company will pay a 65.00 fee per employee -with or without health insurance.

 

[barnyard]

Surely UPS will have to contribute something to the union for the cost but it will be substantially less than them doing it themselves.

Not exactly.

UPS has said that in order to get the share price up, they needed 'unknowns' off their balance sheet. By having the Teamsters take care of health care, UPS will be paying a known amount over the term of the contract. Presumably, Hall will negotiate an amount that will pay for coverage for us. If rates go up more than what is negotiated, someone will be on the hook for the difference. Will it be UPS??? I doubt it.

 

[barnyard]

Im feeling either way we gettin screwed on this deal.

That is my feeling.

I am betting that this will settle the contract.

I am also betting that a couple of years down the road, we will be paying something or choosing a less comprehensive health care package.

Either way, it achieves the goal UPS set down at the start of negotiations, "have hourlies pay for a portion of their health care coverage."

 

[brown metal coffin]

Not exactly.

UPS has said that in order to get the share price up, they needed 'unknowns' off their balance sheet. By having the Teamsters take care of health care, UPS will be paying a known amount over the term of the contract. Presumably, Hall will negotiate an amount that will pay for coverage for us. If rates go up more than what is negotiated, someone will be on the hook for the difference. Will it be UPS??? I doubt it.

Good Point and the plot thickens because the union has slammed their hand on the table pointed their finger towards UPS and said in a stern voice; we are not paying a dime for health care. Now that it seems that the union will be running the health care will they still sing that same tune with such certainty 2 years from now with climbing out of control costs. Also as conspiracy theory goes; could company be handing this time bomb over to the union thinking that this thing will impolde from within possibly creating such a financial hardship for the teamsters that they go bankrupt. Then could UPS end up breaking the union at its most vulnerable point that way? A little far fetched possibly but anything can happen now a days...

 

[Jackburton]

Good Point and the plot thickens because the union has slammed their hand on the table pointed their finger towards UPS and said in a stern voice; we are not paying a dime for health care. Now that it seems that the union will be running the health care will they still sing that same tune with such certainty 2 years from now with climbing out of control costs. Also as conspiracy theory goes; could company be handing this time bomb over to the union thinking that this thing will impolde from within possibly creating such a financial hardship for the teamsters that they go bankrupt. Then could UPS end up breaking the union at its most vulnerable point that way? A little far fetched possibly but anything can happen now a days...

A reduction in benefits isn't paying a dime.

 

[Brownslave688]

Im feeling either way we gettin screwed on this deal.

That is my feeling.

I am betting that this will settle the contract.

I am also betting that a couple of years down the road, we will be paying something or choosing a less comprehensive health care package.

Either way, it achieves the goal UPS set down at the start of negotiations, "have hourlies pay for a portion of their health care coverage."

So I can assume you'll be voting no. Barnyard?

 

[barnyard]

So I can assume you'll be voting no. Barnyard?

Cannot say until there is a contract on the table.

Rather than say anything, unlike others, I will wait until there is a completed agreement before I say yea or nay.

 

[InsideUPS]

This was posted on the Teamster's public website:

http://www.teamster.org/sites/teamst...e_march_28.pdf

In national negotiations, we focused on healthcare.
Today the Company proposed moving all employees that are currently in the Company health insurance plan into a Union plan.

My question is do you think this is good or bad? I'm not quite sure yet. However, as ken said they have to evaluate this proposal, so it still is just idea right now

IMHO, this decision is a serious compromise on the part of our Union negotiating committee to reach a quick settlement on this contract. Each Local across the country will be left to negotiate their individual health care plans. While in some area Locals, healthcare coverage may be good, other areas and Locals may have very poor coverage in the form of co-pays, high deductibles, unknown increases, etc.. In other words, there will be NO CONSISTENCY or ASSURANCE in the level of coverage on a NATIONAL level. Also, what about retiree healthcare coverage?....

If this is one of the "Creative Solutions", I say VOTE NO on the contract.....at least until we are ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN about what type of healthcare insurance we ALL will be receiving during the DURATION of our new contract.

While the full-time employees at our Local currently have excellent health insurance with a local healthcare insurance plan, that plan is to be re-negotiated at the end of our current contract.... ANYTHING could happen in the "Local" re-negotiations of the FT healthcare. I was personally informed by the BA that negotiates the FT healthcare plan at our Local, that he will no longer be able to maintain the same level of benefits at the end of this contract. One of our FT employees had a serious out of state accident costing over $1 million dollars....... This single employees name kept coming up between the BA and the Hospital Insurance Plan that covers our Local UPS Teamsters. In other words, these local plans simply do not match the insuring power of a UPS backed plan.

In summary, there are simply WAY TOO MANY UNKNOWNS down the road IF we vote to let the UNION control our healthcare on a Local by Local basis. Allowing our Union to take over our insurance is going to be like all of us simply signing over a BLANK CHECK to our Union....


UPS Teamster CHECK#1001
Just Got Screwed Street Date: August 1, 2013
Like Always, Washington DC

Pay to the Order Of : Teamster Local XY

In the Amount Of : $____________________________


Signature: I JUST GOT IF YOU SEE K'd

 

[quamba 638]

Yeah this seems too risky for us to take over. And unwelcome risk. Why play with fire? UPS sounds like its getting what they want with healthcare, what's the trade off?

I bet our dues will go up to cover the uncertain costs. Then, technically, we wouldn't be paying for healthcare. Kinda like robbing Peter to pay Scott.

 

[oldupsman]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I was always to the understanding that PTers were covered by UPS an FTers were covered by Teamsters. Is this only depending on your particular local?

I always thought this was the case as well. At least that is the way it is under our local.

Our Teamster health care plan is excellent for those who were asking.

I've had UPS health care since 1976. Never paid a dime for coverage in my 32 years as a fulltimer. When I retired I had a to pay a whole
50.00 a month for the same coverage. Covered myself and my wife. And it far surpassed any Teamster plan I've see.
As a retiree I'm certain I'm going to get screwed in this deal but I really can't complain since I've had it so good for so long.
​

 

[quamba 638]

http://m.autoblog.com/2011/05/31/ups-testing-plastic-trucks-that-cut-weight-by-1-000-pounds-w-vi/