Table Talk August 25, 2015

Hennepin County’s wage proposal is essentially a repeat of 2013. In other words, 1% COLA for top pay employees. Only steps for the rest of the employees. We have not agreed to any of it.

On health insurance, the County is proposing premiums for singles: increase of $10 per month for each year. So in other words - at the end of the proposal (3 year contract) employees with single coverage will be paying $30 dollars more per month for health insurance.

Family coverage doesn’t get hit as hard; the County did not specify a dollar amount for family premium increases. All family plans could increase 4% in 2016.

Prescription co pays would all increase by $5.00.

Most members in the standard plan would see significant changes of providers move from Tier I to Tier II.

The County indicated a desire to shift retirees to MNSure instead of staying on the County’s health plan. Employees who were hired before 2008 and meet the qualifications for retiree insurance would have to get this insurance from MNSure under the County’s first proposal.

The Union made several proposals to help with workloads, staffing and overall morale, but the County did not respond.

The County proposed a bonus system where a director could select employees to receive a bonus that is not subject to any review process. The Union feels these funds would be better allocated in the general wage proposal.