LAUSD Pulls Back "Final" Health Benefits Offer

Click here to see more photos from our Picketlines!

All eight unions representing workers at LAUSD, including SEIU Local 99, are currently in coordinated bargaining with the District over our health care benefits. Our coordinated health care bargaining is conducted separately from our Local 99 contract negotiations. By bargaining together, we have the strength of over 100,000 union members working together to secure and protect our health care.

Bargaining Update: December 5, 2008:
At our multi-union health benefits bargaining session on December 2, 2008, LAUSD presented us with what they called their “official last offer.” It called for major cuts to our benefits.

In response, we geared up for demonstrations on December 10 and the District decided to pull back it’s offer. They agreed to go back to the bargaining table on December 16.



Bargaining Update October, 2008:
District's Solution: Health Care Cuts? Coordinated negotiations over our health care benefits began in August. So far, the only solution the District has suggested is to change and reduce our health care coverage to cut costs.

Unions' Proposal: Fund Our Health Care! Our Union Bargaining Team is proposing a multi-year agreement to ensure that the District continues to fund benefits at their current level. According to calculations by our Bargaining Team, LAUSD's added cost to maintain our benefits is about $43 million. That's only 1% of total compensation district wide!

We've further proposed that the District's health care contribution be considered as part of total compensation. That way these dollars will roll over from year to year and be a part of our compensation base.

Additionally, we've proposed that any savings in health care costs be put into our Health Benefits Committee Fund. This money would be used when cost increases cannot be met by the contribution from the District.

The District can afford it. LAUSD didn't pay one dime in added costs.

Informational Picketing
On October 28, hundreds of Local 99 members joined with union members from throughout LAUSD in early morning informational picketing. We let parents know how cuts to health care benefits will impact our communities and our students' learning. Click here to see photos from our informational picket lines.

The eight unions in coordinated bargaining with LAUSD are: Associated Administrators of Los Angeles, California School Employees Association, Los Angeles County Building & Construction Trades Council, Los Angeles School Police Association, Los Angeles School Police Sergeants & Lieutenants Association, Service Employees International Union SEIU Local 99, Teamsters, United Teachers Los Angeles



Frequently Asked Questions about our Multi-Union Health Care Benefits Fight
1. Why are the eight LAUSD unions bargaining together?
Thanks to a groundbreaking agreement reached in 2006, all eight LAUSD unions can bargain collectively and, if necessary, take action together on health care benefits. Bargaining together we have the strength of over 100,000 union members working collectively to secure and protect our health care benefits. We have been bargaining collectively on health care benefits for 2008 since August, 2008.

2. What are we fighting for?
We are fighting for the District to fully fund our health care benefits, and to keep the District from implementing cuts
to coverage or higher employee costs.

3. What changes does the District want ot make to our health care plan?
The District claims it can no longer afford to fully fund our health care benefits. LAUSD wants to cut our benefits and force employees to shoulder more health care costs by implementing higher co-payments, cutting coverage levels, changing our lifetime benefits plan, and implementing other unacceptable changes.

4. What have the unions proposed?
The unions have proposed:
A multi-year agreement to provide stability for up to three years.
A District contribution of the equivalent of 1% of payroll compensation each year for health care. (1% of total payroll is the equivalent of approximately $43,000,000)
Any annual savings to go into the health benefits committee reserve fund (to be used at the discretion of the Health
Benefits Committee to enhance benefits or cover increased costs.)
Health benefits contributions to be part of total compensation and as such cannot be rolled back or taken away.

5. Why should the District fully fund health care benefits?
Keeping our health care plan intact is a top priority for union members and should be a top priority for LAUSD also.
A solid benefits plan is key to attracting and retaining the best employees to work with our students. With LAUSD
employees facing a pay cut in the form of furlough days, keeping fully funded benefits is more important than ever
Even in these tough economic times, other L.A. County school districts have fully funded health care benefits.

6. What happens next?
We need your help to remind the District to do what's right and fully fund 2009 health care benefits. If negotiations
are unsuccessful, the next step is to declare an impasse and then meet with a mediator to tray to work out an
agreement. According to our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with LAUSD, the eight LAUSD employee unions
have a right to declare an impasse any time after October 1.

7. Will negotiations affect open enrollment and my benefits coverage?
Open enrollment will continue as planned. Your benefits coverage will continue as is, until negotiations are completed.
Elements of your 2009 health care coverage could change depending on the outcome of negotiations.

8. What can I do to protect my health care benefits?
Wear hyour Unions United for Healthcare button every day and your union t-shirt on Tuesdays. Contact your Steward or Union Representative for a button or tshirt. Stay informed by participating in meetings. Stay tuned for more information on upcoming actions.

Click here to download a flyer with the above information.