Being a full-time educator, I receive $768 as my state-allocated monthly health benefit. A legislator, considered a part-time state employee (works roughly 60-120 days), gets $850 a month funding — for the whole year. Now the state wants to change all that.
The new plan strips the right of unions to bargain our choice of health care providers. It will cost the state $45 million in new expenditures. It forces all members of the Washington Education Association to be placed into a new insurance group — yet to be created.
I admit that I am fortunate to have good health care. It has been something that has been bargained long and hard for by leaders in my union. I am forever indebted to those who worked so hard on my behalf. However, why must the state go in and try to fix something that isn’t broken?
I urge everyone to contact your local legislators and tell them to kill state Senate Bill 6442. It’s bad for me and for the state.