GE Sets Health Care Increases

IUE-CWA local union officers representing workers at General Electric Co. are planning the union’s response to GE’s decision to raise workers’ costs in one of its health care plans, effective January 2003.

In a series of meetings with GE management, IUE-CWA negotiated reductions in the cost increases for active and retired employees covered by the Health Care Preferred plan.

However, GE unilaterally announced it will impose a package of premium and hospital visit cost increases next year.

The HCP plan is a separate health care benefit plan that is not included in the national contract. While GE must bargain with IUE-CWA to alter the HCP, the company can impose cost hikes and other changes if no agreement is reached. IUE-CWA members have the right to strike when changes are made.

GE’s action, as well as bargaining goals for next year’s negotiations, will be among issues local officers will take up at IUE-CWA’s GE Conference Board meeting in October.

“For a company as profitable as General Electric to shift additional costs onto workers and retirees is outrageous,” IUE-CWA President Ed Fire said, calling the action “pure unadulterated greed.”