Health-Benefits
Consultation Continues;
Guild
Unit Council Slate to Take Office on November 1
More information sought on health-care
changes
Today the
Guild met with Time Inc. Human Resources representatives on the proposed 2005
health-care changes. Though many of the Guild’s previous questions have been
answered, others still require further clarification, and a few additional
ones were posed at today’s meeting.
A few clarifications
Some questions and contradictions
discussed in On Time #4 (September 10) have been cleared up by the company:
*There is
actually one improvement in the 2005 United Healthcare (UHC) point-of-service
plan: surgery would be covered at 90% instead of the current 80% (Oxford’s
coverage would remain at 100%). HR had previously indicated that surgery would
remain at 80%.
*Contrary to
its initial chart, 2005 premiums for employees making $100,000 would go up
across the board rather than remain at 2004 levels for Employee Only and
Employee + 1 coverage.
In other
words, almost no one will be spared an increase. The earlier information from
management contained typos on these items.
There are
very complicated premium caps based on at least four factors: salary, type of
coverage, percentage of premium paid by the employee, and health plan chosen.
After a Guild question on caps, HR said it will try to figure out the caps for
the two big carriers, UHC and Oxford.
*The company
clarified that all retirees are paying the current employee drug co-pays and
will be paying the new, increased ones (as their current proposal stands).
Earlier the company had told the Guild that some retirees had been
grandfathered at lower rates.
The next steps
New York
Guild President Barry Lipton told the company’s representatives that the
Guild would be retaining a benefits expert to assist us in the talks. With the
aid of this expert, the Guild will evaluate the answers we’ve gotten from
the company and formulate suggestions for altering the plans.
The Guild
expects that it will take several more meetings with Time Inc. to arrive at a
final plan. We will keep you posted on this vital issue.
Final Guild Unit Council Slate
At 5 p.m. today the Unit Council slate
officially became the list of Guild officers and Unit Council members for the
2004-2007 term, which begins on November 1.
Here is the list for the new term:
Unit Chairperson:
Alex Blanco, Sports Illustrated*
1st Vice Chairperson:
John Shostrom, Sports Illustrated*
2nd Vice Chairperson:
Lyndon Stambler, People*
Secretary:
Beth Passaro, Picture Collection*
Treasurer:
Bill Doares, People*
Membership Chairperson:
Alex Blanco
Grievance Chairperson:
Edith Fried, Fortune*
3rd Vice Chairs:
Edith Fried
Bill Hooper, Archives*
Charlie Lampach, Time*
Florence Nishida, People
Margot Roosevelt, Time
Linda Wachtel, Sports Illustrated
Other Unit Council Members
Martha Bardach, Time
Jon Brown, Fortune
Corliss Duncan, Time
Larry Gallop, Sports Illustrated
Jill Jaroff, Sports Illustrated
Jim Lello, People
Jeanne McDowell, Time
Peter McGullam, Time
Viveca Novak, Time
Jeff Ressner, Time
Angel Reyes, Sports Illustrated
Mary Shaughnessy, People
Jenny Speicher, Fortune
Terry Stoller, Time
Peggy Terry, Sports Illustrated
Peter Tylus, People Group
Amanda Vender, Time
* Denotes nomination to the
Representative Assembly as well.
# # # # # # #
09/29/04