The Northwest is one of a few areas in the country that has had no medical compensation through GTE/Verizon for early retirees. Prior to retiring with 31 years service, I talked to a supervisor in another state, where hourly retirees with 30 years service are 90 percent covered by medical insurance, and was guaranteed a job as soon as I could get there. I knew I was ready to retire but it just didn’t seem right to take the job, work a couple of days and retire just to get medical insurance.
When I retired, a group of us were told by the Northwest regional president that retirement benefits such as those described above were being phased out and no more were being offered. When I asked our IBEW Local 89 representative about it, they were not even aware that other areas had such benefits.
Beginning January 2000, active company employees no longer had to contribute to medical premiums. I have requested the premium breakdown, both in writing to the company, to the insurance commissioner’s office and the Department of Labor.
I received a letter from the insurance commissioner written to them from my insurance provider which states: “Mr. Gooch is correct in the fact that GTE negotiates the rates with HealthPlus and they requested that Premera rate the early retirees 50 percent higher than that of the active employees.”
I took a copy of this letter to my former union, Local 89, for their current negotiations. I have learned that the new offer gives the same benefits I was seeking.
I recently talked to Local 89 and asked if these new medical benefits would be extended to my retiree group and was told no. I can’t even get an explanation from the company about our charges without hiring an ERISA attorney. Where is the fairness in this?
Marysville
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