Norwalk teachers union president slams NPS leadership, promises to fight for union members’ pocketbooks

NORWALK, Conn. — The plan to switch employees to a different health insurance plan was expected to save Norwalk Public Schools $7 million, Norwalk Federation of Teachers President Mary Yordon said Thursday.

“NPS needed careful leadership and timely sensitive actions in order to make this change work, and that was lacking,” she wrote in a letter to union members. NFT will refuse an increase in premium share costs over what was bargained for in the recently negotiated teachers union contract, she said.

Negotiations will resume, NPS Media Relations Specialist Emily Morgan said.

On Wednesday, NPS announced that it would not be reducing its health insurance costs, as it had hoped. Although teachers had agreed to switch from the State’s insurance carrier, Connecticut Partnership 2.0, other bargaining units refused.

The full letter Yordon sent union membership Thursday:

“Last year, many expressed that their entire raise was absorbed by the increase in cost of insurance. The NFT bargained over the summer to move to a plan that will save the district $7 million dollars, roughly.  A significant reduction in cost seemed to balance out the nuisance and disruption of changing plans, as long as we continued to receive quality care. We did not want to change insurance but it was important to reduce costs as we headed into the difficult budget year.

“We learned yesterday that the district is choosing not to move the teachers into the HSA plan, even though they could, due to what appears to be their failure to provide meaningful solutions for the other bargaining units. These other union colleagues are entitled to make their choices based on what was offered to them. NPS needed careful leadership and timely sensitive actions in order to make this change work, and that was lacking.

“Many NFT members are asking, Now what? Our agreement calls for renewed bargaining over insurance if the HSA plan is not adopted. That is what we will do. The district expects us to not only remain in the State Partnership Plan, but also accept a higher portion of costs of that more expensive plan. I believe the NFT has an obligation to refuse an increase in premium share costs over what was bargained for the HSA plan. We will work towards an agreement that best protects our members’ pocketbooks and continues a high level of medical care.”

Morgan responded:

“In the last contract negotiations, the Board of Education agreed with the NFT in good faith to explore whether it would be possible to move district employees out of the State Partnership Plan to a High Deductible Health Plan at lower cost.  Any such move, however, was not required unless all the other bargaining units would agree to make such a move.  Moreover, no other union could be forced to join the HDHP plan because their contracts all provide for the State Partnership Plan.

“In accordance with that agreement with the NFT, the district commissioned an experienced and objective health insurance consultant to independently manage a Request For Proposal (RFP) process. This independent third party review included a detailed analysis of the cost to the district and cost to the employees, as well as an analysis of any potential disruption of covered services. The independent third party consultant then presented the cost analysis to the union leaders, as well as directly to some union members as their leaders requested.

“With that information in hand, each union deliberated amongst its members, and each bargaining unit independently proceeded with a vote.  With the exception of the NFT, every union representing district employees determined that the move to a High Deductible Health Plan was not in the best interest of their members and voted to reject the proposed change.

“The overwhelming employee sentiment against the move ends the matter as to the other bargaining units.  As to the NFT, the Board is not permitted to leave the State Partnership Plan with only the teachers.  Accordingly, in accordance of the NFT contract, the Board will now negotiate with the NFT over the health insurance plan to be provided to teachers in the coming school year.”

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