Yeah, about that union health plan: GM Cuts Off Health Care to Strikers as Tension Escalates

[Hassin Bin Sober]

Bernie Sanders is correct. Medicare For All.


If you want to keep your employer health plan you can keep it. Until your employer wants to squeeze you.


https://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2019/09/gm-cuts-off-health-care-to-strikers-as-tension-escalates/

GM Cuts Off Health Care to Strikers as Tension Escalates

General Motors Co. cancelled the health-care plans for thousands of striking workers and while the move was not unexpected, the company didn’t formally notify the United Auto Workers of the move, ratchetting up tensions in already stressful confrontation.
“We understand strikes are difficult and disruptive to families. While on strike, some benefits shift to being funded by the union’s strike fund, and in this case hourly employees are eligible for union-paid COBRA so their health care benefits can continue,” GM said in a statement.

The UAW had asked GM for a clarification on the health-care issue, but GM moved to cut off the plans before it notified the UAW’s GM Department.

[PoliticAverse]

1. Yet another example of why health insurance should be separate from employment. n/r

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Watch for breaks in service to be

implemented if this strike goes beyond a couple weeks. Going to get damn nasty. Pension contributions will be next.

[corbettkroehler]

4. I Wish You Were Wrong! (n/t)

[Wellstone ruled]

24. Looking more like Labor Walk outs of old.

But this time the Employer has loaded up the media with their Brooks Brothers Suits. Thinking about the last few months before GM closed those plants in Ohio and Mich. Remember they hired several Hundred Temps and gave them overtime up the ying yang while Rank and File were told to stop complaining,you got a job.

Said this before,GM is moving to a Wholesale Jobber Model. They could give a rats ass about their Union Labor force. Make it in China or Mexico or some other Country under a Licensing agreement or joint partnership and import it or what ever as long as they do not have to be responsible for any product liability.

The Insurance Cancellation is just the beginning,they are running the clock on the Unions Treasury hoping to cause a collapse.

[Bradshaw3]

3. Tough one for those pushing the line that MFA will cost us the election

Because we can't carry the rust belt due to all those union members who just love their insurance. Aww, it was just another false meme anyway from some nervous Biden supporters.

[corbettkroehler]

6. You're So Right - Skeptics And Cynics Decry MFA As A "Political Loser" - They're Clueless

My reply: cowardice is a political loser!

[thesquanderer]

8. Yes, MFA should play a lot better in the rust belt after this move.

People scared of losing their current employer-based insurance because of MFA need to see that they're currently in the precarious position of being able to lose that insurance at any time, on the whim of their employer. If people are scared of change, MFA is what can actually assure them stability.

[Bradshaw3]

10. Yeah if they think their insurance is forever, ask about pensions

From companies that went belly up and then reformed, leaving pensioners out in the cold.

[JI7]

5. they are in the Senate right now, why haven't they seriously tried to pass it

[thesquanderer]

9. Republican filibuster stops it dead in its tracks. As would a Trump veto. (n/t)

[TwilightZone]

16. In the Senate?

Donald Trump, through Mitch McConnell, decides what gets addressed in the Senate. That's been rather well established.

[corbettkroehler]

7. Official Sanders 2020 Campaign Statement On "Cruel Attack On Striking Workers"

[Quackers]

11. As someone else mentioned, the problem here is the UAW doesn't want Medicare for All.

They want to keep their employer offered insurance.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

13. Is there anything stopping the company from picking up all or part of the employee portion?

Companies “gross up” bonuses to cover taxes all the time.

There’s no reason the union couldn’t negotiate something like that. Added bonus: the coverage is better and it’s cheaper.

[IronLionZion]

15. Ironically, GM wants Medicare for all

so does Ford, Chrysler, and other large companies that have plants in countries that have single payer. It's cheaper and easier for employers to pay the tax.

[TwilightZone]

17. I haven't seen any of them take a public stance.

From a recent article in the Detroit News:

"GM said it does not have a public stance on a single-payer system. The Detroit automaker spends about $900 million for its 48,000 hourly employees and their 69,000 dependents covered under the employer-provided health-care program, spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan said in a statement. FCA and Ford declined to comment."

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/2019/09/10/medicare-all-auto-workers/2055366001/

Also, Ford UAW employees would probably be the least likely to support M4A if their benefits remain the same. From the same article:

"Ford Motor Co.’s UAW employees pay zero dollars in deductibles and monthly premiums, according to the Dearborn automaker’s negotiations fact guide. Their total contribution is 3% of all health-care costs compared to 33% in the greater auto and transportation sector. Workers' contributions at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and GM are similar."

That's just UAW employees, of course. Ford has a lot of non-union employees here and elsewhere.

[IronLionZion]

18. They've publicly supported Canada Medicare

https://www.healthcare-now.org/blog/the-big-three-automakers-push-for-single-payer/

[TwilightZone]

19. That was seventeen years ago.

A lot has changed in 17 years. I wouldn't presume that a letter urging Canada to keep its existing healthcare system 17 years ago means that they support M4A now.

None of the links to the letter appear to be functional in that particular link. The article was written in 2012 and noted that the letter was 10 years prior at the time.

Here's a link to a story from the time of the actual letter:

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2002/october/canadian_auto_works_.php

[IronLionZion]

20. It would save them costs, so they probably support it more now

The UAW are the ones who don't support it because they like their employer plans

[TwilightZone]

21. We can't assume that based on a 17-year-old letter.

They took a public stance in 2002 regarding a system that was already in place. Assuming that that automatically translates to M4A support in the US in 2019 would be a bit presumptuous, especially since they have yet to take a public stance.

[Perseus]

12. Yeap, all those people are loving their "private insurance" now. oh wait, GM is taking it away.

This is another reason why Universal Healthcare is a must. GM just gave another reason, corporations can use it as leverage to hurt people who do not agree with them.

So now, no matter how much a few of these people may love their "private insurance", where is the love? Its gone! Who can they love now? GM just took it away from them, and that is what they do, corporations will find a new insurance to save money, covers less and there is nothing one can do to keep that insurance love of your life.

All this talk about "people love their private insurance" is nothing but crap. you may love it, but be aware that your employer can take it away from you whenever they want.

[a kennedy]

14. This FAWKING pisses me off......

[crazytown]

22. Not so much "gold standard" health care

when you are at the mercy of those who have the gold. Medicare for All would make it easier to strike. Can't have that.

[Uncle Joe]

23. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread Hassin Bin Sober.