Workers Agree to Higher Health Premiums
Members of a union representing Sacramento County workers on Sunday voted to approve a tentative contract agreement that would increase workers' contributions to health insurance premiums over the next five years, the Sacramento Bee reports. The tentative agreement now goes to the county board of supervisors for consideration.
Members of the Operations and Maintenance Unit of Stationary Engineers, Local 39, will begin paying 20% of health insurance premiums under the tentative agreement. Workers' contributions will be phased in over five years, with the county continuing 100% coverage of health premiums in the first year of the tentative contract.
Wages also will increase over five years from 22% to 34%, depending on inflation.
About two-thirds of union members participated in the vote, with about 73% of participating members voting in favor of the tentative agreement, according to business agent Bill Kelly.
The union represents about 1,100 garbage, parks, animal care, traffic signal and janitorial workers.
Four of the 18 unions representing Sacramento County workers have reached contract agreements. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 146, which represents about 700 county health care workers, remains on strike (Kollars/Weiser, Sacramento Bee, 9/18).