Insurance Union-ity Through Committee Eric Wenckowski-Director of Human Resources Christopher Kontney-Director of Facilities and Business Services

Background 12,000 students About 2,100 employees 5 comprehensive high schools and 2 alternative schools Self-insured All employee groups are District 211 employees Union-teachers/teacher assistants, support staff, and O & M Non-union-administration, food service, and transportation All employees groups have same insurance options

Insurance Plans All individuals have access to same plans at the same employee costs Pre 2006-one plan for all 2006-non-union groups had access to 5 plans 3 PPO 1 HMO 1 HSA 2008-all groups had access to 5 plans 2014-dropped most expensive PPO, added a plan with a $750 deductible, changed HMO offered to new employees

Rising Insurance Costs Teacher Union Insurance Liaison Spoke directly to Union Board Met quarterly Point person for Union insurance questions Negotiated the 2008 teacher contract Realized changes were needed Started work on plan options for next contract

What does the committee do? Speak with insurance brokers Reviews actual claim history Designs plans Increase wellness opportunities Educates employees Assist with open enrollment

Bringing more Groups to the Table Other bargaining groups had the same insurance “bargained” into their contract Reality-based upon the teachers’ plan Bargained inclusion on committee- O&M 2012, Support Staff 2013

Benefits of Inclusion in Committee They now sit on the committee Give them a voice at the table Can hear their needs, concerns, ideas They can answer the questions Insurance is not a factor in the bargaining process Collaborative nature leads to less adversarial relationships