Unions protect Heath Care benifits

From the Globe, we learn that the one major contributor to our budget woes here in Framingham and around the State, is the refusal of Unions to enroll in the States Group Insurance Commission. According to Mass Tax Payers Foundation and Boston Municipal Research Bureau, if all the towns and cities were to be consolidated into the Group Insurance, 1 billion dollars a year could be saved by 2018.

The GIC saves taxpayers money in two ways, requiring employees, retires and elected officials to pay more out of pocket dispenses. It also allows changes in health care plans without union barging.

The Bill that was passed in 2007 allowing communities to adopt the GIC program had one catch, it required a 70% vote by the union representatives before a community could join, giving the biggest unions, veto power.

Since it's inception, 10 communities, school districts and charter schools have joined, the second year 15 more and as of July 1, Hopedale and Brookline have joined.

Two bills pending allowing Towns to adopt the GIC without Union approval are still in committee and have been labeled as "too controversial".

While the majority of average citizens have had major increases in their health care cost and premium increases, Unions have shown little understanding of how their benefits are causing communities to look for ways to rein in the cost to the taxpayers. This is the price we pay now, for allowing powerful self interest to dictate policy in our community and resist money saving measures in health care costs. Town leaders must show the tax payers, that they feel our pain and negotiate in collective bargaining, a common sense plan to drive down health care costs.