Members approve 2013 health care rate

Guild members approved the health care rate for 2013 by a 59-2 margin.

A little more than 120 members are on the company insurance, so the vote represents about half the membership who take company health care. Some colleagues were out sick or off Wednesday and notified the union leadership that they could not make the vote.

The members will pay $43.90 a week, up $6.14 or 16.3 percent, from the current $37.76. The company had originally started with a proposal that called for increasing the weekly payment by more than $9. By questioning the numbers, the union was able to reach an agreement for a lower rate.

The increase will take effect with the pay period that begins Monday, January 21.

The Blue Shield plan will remain unchanged, with the same $750 deductible paid by employees and the same 90/10 split when employees reach the top of the company share of the deductible. (That is $2,000 for a single person, $4,000 in a family plan.)

The Company also agreed to provide a monthly report of how much is paid out in reimbursements and to start the conversation on health care by October 1. Those two steps will help the Guild to prepare earlier for this discussion next fall.