Cobleskill-Richmondville may review insurance costs after protesting teachers packed Monday night’s school board meeting.
About 80 strong, the teachers objected to a provision of the contract that has retirees pay more for their health insurance than they had previously.
Superintendent Lynn Macan said after the meeting that a few board members will talk with retiree representatives about “cost containment” for insurance.
Teachers’ union representatives said they weren’t aware of the change, and retirees at the meeting said they didn’t know of it till they received a letter from the school board last week.
The contract, signed just before the school year, has active teachers pay more for their health insurance.
However, the law also allows a district to have retired teachers pay the same as active ones, though districts don’t often include this provision, some said at the meeting.
Under earlier contracts, many retirees were paying nothing for their insurance.
Cobleskill-Richmondville Teachers Association President Richard Clements charged that the board never made it clear in negotiations that retirees would be included.
“From the start of negotiations, you said you were negotiating for present and future teachers,” Mr. Clements said. “You weren’t going after past retirees.
“This is the first time I’m hearing it. This is a betrayal to those people.”
School board President Dan Schulte said that the board “was up front” about health and pension costs and that “everyone was to be included, present and past.”
He added that the district can’t continue to carry rising pension and insurance costs without recipients contributing.
Taxpayers can’t continue to carry the entire burden, he said.
“This community is not just teachers,” Mr. Schulte said.
The school district’s letter shocked many in the audience. On a page titled “Recalculated Insurance Premiums,” it states that an individual retiree will now pay $47.47 per month.
It also states that the premiums became effective July 1, so retirees owe back premiums totaling $237.35.
Some in the audience noted that recent retirees had higher salaries––and therefore higher pensions––and will be able to pay the premiums.
Those who retired in the 1980s and earlier, however, had lower salaries and may not have the money to pay.
“Some people in nursing homes got this letter,” one teacher exclaimed.
Retired teacher Phyllis Cousins said she considered putting her dog to sleep in order to save on dog food and be able to pay the premium.
“If I put my second dog down, you’ll have your $47.47,” Ms. Cousins said. “Mind you, I’m not putting my dog down for your benefit.”
Current teacher Matt Germann pointed to the contributions longstanding teachers have made to the community.
“This district takes care of its community,” Mr. Germann said. “If you want quality current and future teachers, you have to take care of morale.”
Ms. Macan said afterwards that board members and retirees will look into alternatives that would lower costs for the approximately 200 teachers.
Adjusting the contract, however, probably won’t happen, she said.
Insurance and pension costs are expected to rise next year, and “the money has to come from someplace.
“I recognize the tenuous economic times,” Ms. Macan said. “It’s a very difficult balancing act now and in the future.”