Health Ins and union contracts

[catsmtrods]

Some of you know I work for a major oil company and belong to a union. I know I know but its a private union. Since I was hooked into this union when the little hometown company I worked for was bought out buy this big international company 17 years ago I figured I'd go for shop steward as I wanted to be involved with decisions that affected my life. So I have been involved in negotiations. Been in negotiations for the last 3 weeks. We have enjoyed a premium health care plan for all this time. No deductible, very small copay and any Dr we choose. Dental and eye too. That and it is totally paid by the company. Its a very good plan! That was a big issue with the company this time around and I understand that the cost is way up. So we agreed to a 3 year contract with no raises for the first 2 years and a 3% raise in the last year in order to keep our plan. We also had to agree to a copay in the last year of $32 a week for the family plan. Now it goes to ratification and I'm thinking the young guys aren't going to like it. I sure don't want to strike! I thought we did good in this climate to keep the plan but young uns need the $$! Any words of wisdom from you folks I could use on the young folk? We did negotiate in an opt out plan for $300 a month! I don't understand their problem? Do you think I screwed them over?

[JohnnyReb]

Tell them to think twice before striking. Think about how long they will have work after the strike to make up any loses if they are out a week, 2 weeks, a month or longer.

Have seen people vote to strike for a higher wage than company was offering, win the amount of raise they wanted, work 3 years at the new rate and still lost money. They would have been better off with the company offer or even with no raise. Work the medical issue into some form of how long they have to work to make up any loses if they strike or don't take the agreement you all have arrived at.