It may be a bad sign of things to come as teachers in Detroit Michigan fight against a proposed change in the structure of their health care. Teacher strikes are technically illegal, but a four day walk-out was prompted by discussions of changing the health insurance contract that teachers there are accustomed to. For many years MESSA, or the Michigan Education Special Services Association, has been the union-affiliated agency which has provided an insurance pool for most of the state’s teachers. There has been discussion that the insurance coverage is overpriced and the state would be better off shopping around for a new contract. However, teachers feel that the good health insurance coverage they have is one of the few perks of being a teacher and that if they lose the coverage they are accustomed to, they are likely to wind up with less coverage. Do you think that a teacher’s strike will prevent the change from happening? Is this type of thing going to be epidemic in our country as the reform movement continues? Check out other health insurance news today at www.HealthInsuranceForum.net, an insurance forum for consumers.
Reform movement? I think it is just that we are realizing we can’t afford the deals unions have negotiated for their high priced benfits anymore. Time have changed. The fact that they react to merely shopping for a better rate tells it all. They don’t care what the other party has to pay as long as they get the best. Not even willing to consider that the other party may be able to deliver the same benefits for a lower cost. The fact that the unions, especially the NEA, vote democratic as a block should be and interesting challange for the new administration. Fighting an entitlement mentality will not be easy.
Yes, I’m sure a strike will help prevent this change from happening. I’m sure keeping the teachers happy is more important than saving a few dollars.