Sign-up and post on Iberkshires today.It's Free!
Already a member? Log In
45°  H- 45%
The Berkshires online guide to events, news and Berkshire County community information.           
Saturday November 7, 2009
 Make us your homepage!
 

Sports


High School Football
11-07-09 - Hoosac Valley beats Drury.
More photo's on Monday
Thursday, Nov. 06

Boys' Soccer: State Vocational Championship Game
McCann Tech 3, Keefe Tech 2

Girls' Soccer: State Vocational Championship Game
Blackstone Valley 8, McCann Tech 0
Fall Basketball Clinics

Election

Barrett Reflects on Accomplishments with Capital News 9
Alcombright's Victory Speech

Which election's more important?
Pittsfield
North Adams
Neither, nothing will change
  
pollcode.com free polls

Trying to remember who won what and why? All the information is right here.

Daily Digest


This is Jake
He's been lost in Pittsfield for weeks but frequently sited. He was last seen heading toward the fire station on Peck's Road. He's tired, dirty and needs seizure medication. He's chipped. If you see him, call Julie at 413-537-5616, the vet 24/7 at 413-499-2820 or animal control at 413-448-9700.
How Much is Heating Oil this Week?
It's breaking $2.50 but still cheaper than gas.
Thanks to Gabriella Bond for sharing her memories of the Quincy Street house torn down last week.
Send press releases and announcements to info@iberkshires.com. Need to contact someone at iBerkshires? Here's how.

What's Playing


The popular anime character "Astro Boy" searches for acceptance on the big screen.


'Serious Man':
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Confounded
Movie schedules and times

Obituaries

Alice R. Filiault, 87
Lucille Burt, 92
More obituaries
Mary M. Hanlon, 82
George F. Sarrouf, 73

Sales Fliers

 
 

 

Bazaars

Nov. 7:

VNA & Hospice, Community Room, North Adams

North Adams Elks
10-4; Nov. 8, 9-2
Crafters, Chinese auction, bake sale
For vendor information, Melanie at 413-743-5562.

Nov. 14

Berkshire Community Church, Richmond
10-4; Crafters, bake sale. Contact Evelyn Goggia at 413-445-5747

Lanesborough Elementary School annual Fall Craft Fair from 10 to 4. Free admission, huge variety of arts and crafts, raffles, food and more. Proceeds go to sixth-grade trip to Cape Cod.

Vendors can contact Deb at 413-738-5349 or debhutton@aol.com or Lori at 413-499-0065 or lorittod@yahoo.com to secure a spot.

Dec. 12-13

North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Contact Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.

Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here.

 Search: 
 for    
Enter a long URL
to make tiny:


Related Stories

 
Printer Friendly Version
   Recommend this story to a friend

Pittsfield, Union Talks Break Down Over Insurance Savings

Staff reports
iBerkshires/Berkshire News Network
08:21AM / Wednesday, September 24, 2008

PITTSFIELD — Negotiations for the city's 17 bargaining units to join the state's insurance plan broke down Tuesday over how to share the potential savings.

In a statement, union leaders expressed disappointment in the city's decision to abandon plans to enroll in the Group Insurance Commission and save the city and its employees an estimated $5 million in annual health care costs.

"We are extremely disappointed in the city's actions," said Scott Eldridge, president of the 596-member United Educators of Pittsfield and vice chairman of the committee of public employees formed to negotiate with city officials, in the statement. "The city has walked away from millions of dollars in annual savings. Money that could and should be spent on our public schools, roads and bridges, and other vital services."

However, Mayor James M. Ruberto told The Berkshire Eagle that the negotiations were about competitive benefits, "not splitting the pot."

"We had a chance to save city taxpayers $2.7 million, but the unions turned down an opportunity for all of us to save money," Ruberto to The Eagle.

The city and unions have until Oct. 1 to hammer out an agreement that would allow the switch from Blue Cross Blue Shield next fiscal year.

The state opened enrollment in the GIC to towns and cities last year to help with rising health insurance rates as part of Gov. Deval Patrick's Municipal Partnership Act. The GIC covers nearly 300,000 state employees, including the state college system.

North Adams' seven bargaining units have been clamoring to switch from Blue Cross Blue Shield to GIC, citing lower premiums and savings in the millions for the city. City councilors and Mayor John Barrett III said any decision would have to wait until next year — and after the proposal has been more thoroughly reviewed.

Barrett was concerned how the city's retirees would fare under the plan — sticking point for Pittsfield as well.

Union negotiators had proposed a 50/50 split of the proposed savings to support the increased costs to retirees; the city countered with a 70/30 split in Pittsfield's favor but would have reduced workers' share of the premiums to 15 percent.

Both sides said they were willing to go back to the bargaining table.

Information for this article was provided by the Berkshire News Network, Radio Stations WNAW/WUPE, news partners of iBerkshires.

Below is the statement from the public employee committee created to bargain with the city:

UNIONS DISAPPOINTED WITH CITY’S DECISION TO WALK AWAY FROM MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN HEALTH CARE SAVINGS

 

PITTSFIELD – Union leaders today expressed disappointment in the city’s decision to abandon plans to enroll municipal employees in the state’s health insurance system – which has the potential to save the City of Pittsfield and its employees an estimated $5 million in annual health care costs.

 

Negotiations between city officials and union leaders over whether Pittsfield employees should enroll in the Group Insurance Commission broke off earlier today when the two sides split on the issue of health care for retirees.

 

“We are extremely disappointed in the city’s actions,” said Scott Eldridge, president of the 596-member United Educators of Pittsfield and vice chairman of the committee of public employees formed to negotiate the GIC option with city officials. “The city has walked away from millions of dollars in annual savings – Money that could and should be spent on our public schools, roads and bridges, and other vital services.

 

“What is most disappointing is that the city took the position that the savings should be split evenly between the employees and the city,” Eldridge added.  “We made an offer that did that, which the city rejected and then followed up with a proposal to keep nearly 70% of the savings at the expense of the retirees.” 

 

City officials and representatives from the city’s 17 public employee unions and a retiree representative began meeting in August to discuss the option of enrolling city employees in the Group Insurance Commission, which provides benefits to more than 294,000 employees statewide. Negotiations ended today after city officials rejected the latest proposal presented by the public employees unions.

 

The public employee committee’s most recent proposal would have maintained retiree benefits without any additional premium costs. The plan put forth by city officials required retirees to pay up to $420 more a year in insurance premiums and significantly more in co-payments and deductibles.

 

“It is our hope that representatives for the city will return to the table and resume negotiations for joining the GIC,” said Pamela Delmolino, who is chair of the public employees committee and president of the Pittsfield Federation of School Employees, Local 1315, School Secretaries Union. “This is a worthwhile pursuit, but we can’t strike a deal at the expense of our retirees, who are our most vulnerable citizens.”

 

Union leaders representing 1,500 Pittsfield municipal employees formally voted in August to establish a public employee committee, an important step toward coalition bargaining. A law, signed by Governor Deval Patrick last year, allows local unions and their communities to jointly determine whether membership in the GIC would best serve employees and reduce health insurance costs.

 

Research done by a Boston-based health care consulting firm and the Pittsfield City Council Ad-Hoc Health Insurance Committee estimates that there was a potential $5.2 to $5.6 million annual savings by enrolling city employees in the Group Insurance Commission.

Your Comments
Post Comment
No Comments


Top Stories...
@theMarket: Back to the Future, Again
REGIONAL - The last two weeks stocks have consolidated, exhibiting greater volatility with the S&P...
Plunkett, Target Team Up for Library Makeover
ADAMS - Recent economic realities have resulted in a decline in fundraising resources, so the...
North Adams Illustrator Has Big Picture in NYC
NORTH ADAMS - Book illustrator Jana Christy's biggest tome to date — the 15-foot high "Dream Big" — was...
Break-ins Shake Up Stamford Residents
VERMONT - Townspeople are demanding better communication after a number of daytime break-ins here...
The Independent Investor: Finally, a Handout for the...
NORTH ADAMS - Granted, a $6,500 tax credit may not seem like much in the grand scheme of things.


iBerkshires.com Text Ads
www.iberkshires.com
www.Nelanda.com
www.berkshirejobs.com
www.berkshireads.com
Advertise on iBerkshires.com



Essentials
Berkshire Nightlife
Berkshire Photos
Berkshire Wallpaper
Class Reunion Page
Columnists
Dannyoart.com
Get Lunch Specials
Home & Garden
Movie Times
Obituaries
Randy Trabold
Weddings

Enter your email address below to receive our FREE iBerkshires.com Newsletter

| Home | A & E | Automotive | Business | Community News | Dining | Lodging & Travel |
| Real Estate | Schools | Sports & Outdoors | Berkshires Weather | Berkshires Map |
Advertise | Recommend This Page | Help
Contact Us | Privacy Policy| User Agreement
Execution Time: 631 ms