3/07/2003
Team to return to the bargaining table on March 12
The negotiation session scheduled for March 5 was postponed due to scheduling
conflicts. The PS&T contract team will hold the next meeting with negotiators
from the Governor's Office of Employee Relations on Wednesday, March 12 when
both sides ask questions about the conceptual proposals each has placed on the
bargaining table.
Coordinated bargaining continues, health insurance hot issue
In every round of bargaining, health insurance is always a hotly debated and
contested issue. This one will be no different. With the proposals in the state
budget to reduce the state contribution for retiree health insurance and to
change the way that sick leave credits are applied to retiree health insurance
premiums, our battle to assure no significant changes to health insurance will
be a contentious and difficult.
While we have faced similar challenges in past contracts, the negotiations
environment has changed dramatically. At one point, virtually all of the unions
representing state employees provided prescription drug coverage themselves
though a benefit fund. Instead of negotiating benefits, they negotiated a state
contribution to be used to provide the benefits. One by one, the unions opted
out of this model and instead opted for the prescription benefits provided by
the state under the NYSHIP plan. (PEF opted out during the 1991-95 contract). As
of this January, for the first time, all state employees are receiving the same
benefit and are paying the same premiums and co-pays, at least for prescription
drug coverage.
Since all employees now have the same coverage, we think that there may be an
opportunity for the unions to stand together and negotiate these benefits from a
united front. To that end, we have sent a letter to all of the other state
unions asking them to meet with us to discuss a coordinated approach to
negotiating health benefits. We will update our progress on this important
front.
Dependant Care Advantage Account/Sunset of Employer
Contribution
From the desk of Robert Carrothers, Director PEF Contract Administration
Since 2001, state employees who enrolled in the Dependant Care Advantage Account
(DCAAccount) to pay for dependant care expenses on a pretax basis have also
received a small employer contribution to their DCAAccount to assist with such
expenses. Moneys to fund that benefit were set aside in Article 42 of the
1999-2003 Agreement with the State.
With the April 1, 2003 conclusion of the term of the 1999-2003 Agreement, monies
to fund the employer contribution to the DCAAccount will no longer be available.
The sunset of this benefit will not affect employees who have already enrolled
in the DCAAccount and received the employer contribution for 2003. However,
employees who enroll in the DCAAccount with a Change in Status (CIS) form after
April 1, 2003 will not receive the employer contribution to their DCAAccount for
2003.
Any bargaining unit member who returns from leave of absence, registers a school
age child for summer day camp, or has any other eligible Change in Status
triggering entitlement to enroll in the DCAAccount before April 1, 2003 should
immediately enroll to receive the employer contribution. To get the contribution
employees must submit a CIS form to the DCAAccount before April 1, 2003.
While the employer contribution to DCAAccounts sunsets after April 1, 2003, the
DCAAccount itself will not. Bargaining unit members who must pay for dependant
care expenses in order to work can still achieve significant savings by paying
for those expenses on a pre-tax basis through the DCAAccount. Bargaining unit
members who are interested in additional information should be encouraged to
visit the DCAAccount website,
www.flexspend.state.ny.us, or call the DCAAccount hotline at 1-800-358-7202
and press 2.
If you have any questions about this memo, please contact Contract
Administration at 800-342-4306, ext 223.