Honeywell plans to cut healthcare for 4,700 retirees
It is a continued effort by the company to cut the benefits, an effort that was stymied by a temporary injunction filed by the
Since retiring in 1997, he's fought off cancer twice, including lung cancer most recently in 2016. When doctors did biopsies on Kepler's left lung, they found that exposure to asbestos and chemicals at work may have contributed to the cancer. Since finding out his coverage will be terminated, Kepler has taken steps to join a class action lawsuit against Honeywell.
"It's not a matter of if (the cancer) comes back, but when," Kepler said. "If it does, it's kind of a death sentence."
Kepler and five other retirees or retiree spouses interviewed by the Tribune were all told throughout their careers that they would have healthcare and prescription coverage from their employer for the rest of their lives. Now in retirement, the former employees say they won't be able to afford all of their prescriptions or medical procedures, without the insurance.
"It just doesn't seem right to me," Kepler said. "When you're working, and you're young, you don't really need insurance unless you have some kind of catastrophe. It's when you get older, when your body starts falling apart, that's when you need it. Now all of a sudden we reach that point, and they're taking it away from us."
Honeywell spokesman
Sayres declined to share how much money the company expects to save from terminating the benefits.
"Between the retirees and losing the jobs here, it's like a double whammy on me," Suher said. "Got a lot on my plate. I haven't slept well, I can tell you that much."
Sayres didn't confirm the location of the facilities, but said Honeywell is "considering two strategic moves" adding that "there is no immediate job impact at this time."
According to the letter from Honeywell, the move to eliminate coverage was made possible by a
But the five-year collective bargaining agreement signed by UAW workers after a 10-month lockout ended in 2017 doesn't include a clause regarding retiree healthcare or prescription benefits. Previous agreements did.
"That was something the union accepted and it was ratified by the members," Sayres said.
Former
"We were instructed that we couldn't talk about retiree benefits," Treder said. "I feel for the retirees. A lot of them came to the line when they were locked out. The way it looks, it looks like we just bargained away all their retirement benefits. We didn't do that. Not once did we talk about it. It wasn't my choice, we were just told we're not talking about retiree benefits and so we never did."
On Monday, Local 9 representatives,
At
Suher said he hopes the union is able to stop the termination of the benefits, but added that he thinks Honeywell won't stop there.
"I've never seen a company like this that would rather cut your throat in a heartbeat to save a nickel," Suher said. "Ever since the lockout, it's the worst place I've ever worked."
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