Fresno Teachers Union, School District Reach Tentative Contract Agreement
The Fresno Teachers Association and the Fresno Unified School District last week announced that they have reached a tentative contract agreement that would increase health insurance costs for teachers, the Fresno Bee reports (Kennedy, Fresno Bee, 5/2). Last month, the teachers union said it would temporarily pay more for health care in 2004 because of the school district's $40 million budget deficit. Currently, employees pay $10 a month for health benefits, as well as deductibles of $100 per individual or $200 for a family, $10 copayments for doctor visits and $8 and $5 copays for brand-name and generic drugs, respectively. The current plan has no cap on health benefit expenses (California Healthline, 4/16). Under the tentative agreement, teachers' monthly premiums would increase to a maximum of $70 for a family, doctor visit copays would increase to $15 and prescription copays would increase to $20. The school district had requested a maximum premium of $90 a month, $25 doctor visit copays and up to $25 for prescription copays. The agreement keeps retirees' benefits largely unchanged and establishes a committee comprised of union members and administrators to review and monitor health insurance. The compromise must be approved by the school board and ratified by the teachers union, as well as four other employee unions whose contracts are dependent on the agreement, the Bee reports (Fresno Bee, 5/2).
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