15-B Insider -- February 2005

Republican leaders in the House and Senate have commissioned a study to justify moving all of the approximately 260,000 public school employees in Michigan from their collectively-bargained health plans to a new state government-run health plan with lower levels of benefits and higher out-of-pocket costs. The study, paid for with $250,000 of taxpayer dollars, is expected to be finished by July 1, 2005.

The study is clearly a waste of taxpayers’ dollars as GOP legislative leaders are already moving forward with their plans to gut collective bargaining and force all school employees into a plan operated by state government. Legislation has already been introduced to create a state-run plan and to deny school employees the right to collectively bargain their health benefits. Senate Bills 55 and 56 were introduced January 25^th. Both bills are sponsored by Senate Republican Majority Leader Ken Sikkema (R-Wyoming) and Senate Appropriations Chair Shirley Johnson (R-Royal Oak).

These bills will create a state health plan for school employees and removes the right to collectively bargain health care benefits from the Public Employee Relations Act (PERA). PERA has protected collective bargaining rights for public school employees for almost four decades.

Under the bills, benefit levels, coverage, deductibles, co-payments, out-of-pocket costs and prescription drug coverage would all be determined by a committee comprised of six political appointees (two appointees by the Senate Republican Majority Leader, two by the Republican House Speaker, and two by the Governor.

 For more than three years, state funding for our public schools has been stagnant or worse. School districts and school employees have been forced to do more with less. Working with their special interest group allies, Republican legislative leaders are looking this year to balance the state budget on the backs of school employees! They want to force us all into a state government-run health care plan with fewer benefits and higher out-of-pocket costs.

 School employees have paid for the health care benefits they have today many times over at local bargaining tables. They have bargained in good faith for more than four decades. This raid will likely cost Michigan schools many of their most experienced, prepared and tested teachers.

MEA members (and many allies) throughout the State are gearing up to oppose this State seizure of school employee benefits and assault on the traditional collective bargaining process. If you’d like to help, contact your local leaders or Uniserv Director to volunteer to help locally. The 15-B office is encouraging members to attend Lobby Day on February 23^rd in Lansing. This is your opportunity to talk directly to your representative. Please contact the office for more information. MEA will continue to update your local leaders as they receive more information on these bills.