Lake-Lehman unions battle district over health plan [The Citizens’ Voice, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.]

May 18--Lake-Lehman teachers and support staff unions fired back against the school board this week for changing their health insurance without their permission.

School board members voted Monday to notify the Northeast School Districts Health Trust the district would be leaving the trust as a cost-saving measure in June 2013, and in the meantime, would only use the trust to provide vision and dental insurance.

The district will instead purchase health insurance through Britt Trumbower of Bear Creek-based Small Business Insurance Services Inc.

On Tuesday, the Lake-Lehman Education Association and the Lake-Lehman Educational Support Personnel Association each filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, followed by a pair of grievances.

On Thursday, the unions filed an injunction in Luzerne County Court to try to stop the district from making the changes. Judge David Lupas denied it, but scheduled a hearing for 9:30 a.m.June 6 during which the district will have to show cause why the unions should not get an injunction.

"We're very pleased that the judge understood you need irreparable harm for an injunction and he didn't see any at this point," district Solicitor John Audi said.

But John Holland, the teachers' Pennsylvania State Education Association representative, said it's not a major victory for the district.

"All it means is we are having a hearing in 20 days instead of five days," he said.

The unions contend the district can't withdraw from the trust or make changes to their insurance without their consent. Holland said the district violated the terms of agreement for both contracts, state labor law and the health trust contract.

By unilaterally changing the terms and conditions of employment, the district is engaging in an unlawful lockout, Holland said. He said the unions are prepared to take appropriate action.

District officials say changing from the trust to the new plan will save $1 million and give the teachers coverage equal to or better than what they have now.

Their contract requires the district to provide comparable benefits, but does not state that the district has to stay with the health trust, Audi said.

He said the teachers union would not even consider the new plan, even though it features no co-payments and free generic prescriptions.

"One has to ask why -- what is the union's objection to getting comparable coverage while saving the district $1 million?" Audi said. "That's the million-dollar question, no pun intended."

Adopting the plan would also prevent some employees from losing their jobs, he said. Lake-Lehman is facing an about $1.8 million, and district officials are considering staff cuts or furloughs to save money.

"It's just such a win-win they're turning down," Audi said.

Not so, according to Holland. He calls the plan "disastrous to the employees" and predicts premiums will go through the roof after the second or third year.

"Now they're trying to force an inferior plan down the throats of the staff," Holland said.

"This crisis would not exist if the district had not acted in an underhanded manner. If the district were truly interested in working out an agreement with the association, they should have approached the association months ago."

[email protected], 570-821-2072

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