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.

A ratification vote of the membership will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, January 16 on the tentative agreement on heath care costs.

The vote will be held from 12:30–1:30 p.m. and 5:00–6 p.m. in the Executive Conference Room upstairs. Members are encouraged to arrive at the start time for a discussion.

Members must be in good standing to be eligible to vote. If you have any questions about your eligibilty please email the guild office at office@albanyguild.org.

Under the agreement, the union members would pay $43.90 a week, up $6.14 or 16.3 percent, from the current $37.76. That includes both the year over year premium increase and a share of the company reimbursement.

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

The Guild’s bargaining team is recommending a yes vote.

The Guild and Company reached a tentative agreement on health care Tuesday, with a ratification vote of the membership to be held next week.

The Guild’s bargaining team is recommending a yes vote.

Under the agreement, the union members will pay $43.90 a week, up $6.14 or 16.3 percent, from the current $37.76.

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

“We know any increase in health care costs is difficult for our members when we’ve gone so long without a raise,” Guild President Tim O’Brien said. “But we worked with the Company to closely scrutinize the numbers and to bring it to something more manageable.”

A vote will be held on the Company premises. The exact date will be determined later this week. We will share details as soon as we have them.

The Guild and Company met Thursday to continue discussing health care costs for 2013.

The parties agreed to go off the record in hopes of working out their differences. They will meet again Tuesday.

The Guild will provide details as soon as we are able.

Guild negotiators continue to bargain over health care costs for 2013, and those talks will now continue into January. Employees will still have health coverage with Blue Shield.

The Company responded to the Guild’s proposal of Wednesday by moving only slightly. The Company wants members to pay 23 percent of the costs of reimbursing its share of the deductible. The Company originally estimated that number at $600,000, and on Thursday dropped it to $585,000 while admitting that number is still inflated.

The Times Union also proposed language that said if employees are overcharged, it would reimburse the excess charges but not until September 1, 2014.

Guild negotiators said that amounted to a 21-month, interest-free loan from employees to the Company. The Guild also said the reimbursement raised a host of questions including whether the company would repay people who had left the newspaper, people hired midyear, and whether taxes would be withheld from any payment.

The Company attorney responded to the questions by threatening to withdraw that part of the proposal — allowing the Company to overcharge members and pocket the money. If the estimate proved too low, the Company would want members to pay more.

“Our proposal was much simpler,” Guild President Tim O’Brien said. “Members would pay a share of actual costs. That way, there is no need to worry about what to do with any overpayment or shortfall.”

The most recent year for which all claims are in is 2011. The Company had said $515,000 was reimbursed that year.  On Thursday, the Company said it missed a bill and the number was $528,134. The Guild asked for documents supporting the new number.

The union withdrew its proposals to cap increases in future years. Both parties kept the proposal of phasing in the added costs at 50 percent for 2013, but the Guild dropped its proposal to phase the rest in at a rate of 10 percent a year in subsequent years. The Guild kept its proposal to have the company share in the first $750 of medical costs, and we lowered a proposed signing bonus for agreeing to the changes to $750.

During the discussion, the Company said it gives exempt employees who have a Flexible Savings Account a $250 annual contribution. Guild members are being asked to accept sharing the health care costs the same way managers do.

The parties agreed to meet again Thursday, January 3. The Guild was represented by O’Brien, Treasurer Marianne Mahr, Secretary Mark Hempstead, Chief Steward Brian Nearing and International Representative Jim Schaufenbil.