ELYRIA – The Elyria Schools teachers union shot down a proposal that would have employees paying more for their health insurance, and the rejection now forces the district to come up with nearly $1 million before July 1.

About 150 members of the Elyria Education Association voted against the proposal Tuesday, said Superintendent Paul Rigda. The final tally was not available Tuesday.

The support staff union – about 40 members of which also showed up to vote on the proposal – heard the results of the teachers` union vote while caucusing and decided not to take a vote since their limited numbers would not have made a difference, Rigda said.

The proposal would have had the district`s more than 900 employees contributing about 12.5 percent of the total health care cost.

Currently, the district offers a three-tier health care program where individuals pay $10 per month – 2.5 percent  of the total cost – and have a $250 deductible.

Employees carrying either a child or spouse on the insurance with them pay $20 a month, and family plans are $30 per month. The family deductible is $500.

The proposed pay structure would have increased the $10 monthly contribution for an individual to $52.43 and the $20 or $30 monthly contribution to $132.43 per month per family.

Elyria Schools is a self-insured district that spent roughly $7.5 million on health care for its employees in 2008, but that figure is expected to jump to more than $8 million by July 1, the deadline for the insurance to be renewed, Rigda said. The district was hoping the teachers and staff would pick up the extra cost, given the state of the school system`s finances.

“The cost of insurance is so high now that it`s very difficult for a school district to pay the brunt of it,” he said, “We`ll still be paying the brunt, but we can`t pay 100 percent anymore. You can`t expect the district to close schools and lay people off and expect this.”

Rigda blamed the EEA`s new leader, Sarida Volante, who was recently elected union president, for convincing teachers to vote down the plan and placing the burden on the school district. At the request of the union, Rigda did not attend the meeting at the high school where Tuesday`s vote took place, but said an insurance representative who was there told him Volante read a prepared statement asking the teachers not to approve the proposal.

“We cannot allow this to happen – what the leadership wants – which is to fund the health care program on the back of the kids and parents,” he said. “The community trusts us, and we have levies to pass and renewals to pass. I think the average person has to pay something significant for their health care anymore.”

Volante did not return a message left at her home Tuesday seeking comment.

The increase would have placed Elyria employees on par with others across the state and country, school officials said.

Gary Taylor, the district`s director of human resources, said the average employee contribution in the area is between 15 percent and 17 percent. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average public-sector employee picks up 10 percent of their health care benefits with their employer covering the remaining 90 percent.

In order to come up with the extra money, Rigda said he expects raises for the teachers totaling to be wiped out and perhaps other cuts.

“If they`re not going to pay for their health care, we have to come up with that money somewhere,” he said.

Contact Adam Wright at 329-7129 or awright@chroniclet.com.

Contact Lisa Roberson at 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com.

---

Print this story
Report an inappropriate comment

---

In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement and discussion guidelines.

Need help? Email Us.

---