I work for the School District of Indian River County. I am a Support Staff employee and my position falls under the CWA Bargaining Unit. The majority of Support Staff employees are the lowest paid employees in the School District.
On December 4, 2012, the IRC School Superintendent (Fran Adams) and the School Board (Carol Johnson, Karen Disney-Brombach, Claudia Jimenez, Matthew McCain, and Jeffrey Pegler) voted unanimously to offer the CWA Bargaining Unit Support Staff employees healthcare plan options that are more expensive than all other employee plans. The healthcare plans are the same, but Support Staff employees are paying $97.88 more per paycheck ($195.76 more per month).
Due to these higher premium rates, many Support Staff employees are now finding it difficult to afford medical care. Not only are we paying higher premiums, but many of us could no longer afford the Blue Choice Preferred Plan and a! re now in the Catastrophic Healthcare Plan paying a much higher deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. The Support Staff employees in the Catastrophic Plan are now paying more for co-pays for doctor visits, prescriptions, lab work, diagnostic tests, and hospital and/or outpatient services.
CWA Bargaining Unit Support Staff employees do NOT make the salaries that Teachers and Administrators make. Support Staff are hourly wage employees. Support Staff employees are paying healthcare premiums that are HIGHER than what ALL other IRC School District employees pay for the same plan. Please contact Fran Adams for a better, affordable, more equitable healthcare plan.
Signed,
Harry Davis
