What About that Continuing YRT Strike?

Bacchus wrote:

Whats wrong with a 50/50 cost for health benefits?  This isn't a leading question, I really want to know as i have no experience in the issue

Unionized workers bargain health insurance plans of various kinds (life insurance, drugs, semi-private hospital, ambulance, vision care, dental plans, etc.) with employers. They've done so for decades. They try to get the best benefits they can, with the least deductible, the highest maximums, etc. Then, the employer generally goes and finds an insurance carrier and pays the premiums. That doesn't mean the worker doesn't pay anything - they're paying deductibles, excess over maximums, non-insured services - depending on what they bargained.

50/50 goes one step further - bargain a plan, then the workers pay half the cost, in addition to all the rest.

That wouldn't be bad, if this were 1850 instead of 2011, and if comparable unionized (and many many non-union) workers weren't doing far better than that.

It would be pretty devastating in the U.S., where unionized employers have drastically higher premiums to pay than comparable companies in Canada - because there's no public health care there, so they have to pay for all the stuff that's paid here through general government revenues.

It seems even the transit contractors recognize they're bottom feeders here, because they've apparently offered to go up to 75/25 within a few years (don't know all the details).

Having said that, I'm not really enamoured of the notion of debating the merit of workers' demands or employers' offers when workers are in struggle. They've stopped work for almost three months, so I figure they've got a good reason to do so. The issue is how the workers' movement and its allies can best mobilize to support each group that finds itself in such positions.

THanks Unionist. I suspected it was something like that. You also forgot that benefits are a taxable benefit, which means the workers also pay income tax on it.

Bacchus wrote:

You also forgot that benefits are a taxable benefit, which means the workers also pay income tax on it.

Not in Canada. Dental plans and extended health insurance (drugs, ambulance, semi-private, vision care, etc.) are taxable to the employee only in Québec. Life insurance is taxed everywhere, but it's obviously not one of the high-cost items. Salary-replacement plans are of course taxable throughout (sick leave, short and long term disability), except where premiums are paid by employees, but that's the exception in a unionized environment.

I don't know enough about the YRT story to know exactly which benefits are 50/50, but I assume they mean drug, dental, etc., which would not be taxable in Ontario.

I live up here, I'll see what I can find. I know these guys are working at it. Take a look at their video for the Canadian Labour Congress. Vote for "One Paycheck Away"(sic)

http://oneminutemessage.canadianlabour.ca/#

Here's some close to the ground awareness:

http://poverty-awareness.blogspot.com/2012/01/good-morning-vietnaaaaam-t...

There's a myriad of private interests. Do I need to say more? Multiple companies and bargaining units I believe. Wholly irreedeemable if you ask me. Unless they hold out but it's hurting people big time. They need more support.

Thanks for getting this going NDPP. I was afraid to get involved.

http://www.yorkregion.com/news/article/1280807--update-viva-workers-reje...

Quote:

The region’s move was timed to discourage members voting today, Mr. Kinnear said, and also reasserted the union is willing to negotiate around the clock and would return to work immediately if the contractor agreed to binding arbitration.

Quote:

York Region chairperson Bill Fisch's statement on today's vote

It’s not surprising Viva drivers did not accept a fulsome offer from York BRT Services today. It is, however, disappointing as this is a fair and immediate opportunity to end the suffering of riders deprived of service for far too long, and also of the drivers who have been without employment for more than 12 weeks.

At the direction of their union leadership, Viva drivers will now continue to strike over a very narrow margin between demands and offers – a margin that is likely to be outweighed by their mounting personal financial losses.

The contractors and unions have had ample time to reach resolution, but continually fail to commit to dedicated negotiations. There remains no urgency whatsoever on either side. This shows an utter disregard for the membership served by the unions and to the ridership left in the cold.

The region’s position to intervene in negotiations has not changed, but we will explore all measures to begin restoring service to riders in the continued absence of negotiations.

Last week, the region introduced 10 Viva buses onto YRT Route 99 and, yesterday, we terminated our First Canada contract in order to source a different provider to begin restoring service. We have also tasked both Miller Transit and York BRT Services to submit a proposal for increased service during the strike period. We will await the results of these submissions and move ahead in the best interests of all York Region residents.