Lansing’s new police contracts limit retiree health care


Lansing's new police contracts limit retiree health care

CLOSE

LANSING – City officials and the union representing Lansing police officers have ratified new contracts the city said will help it address long-term legacy costs.

Mayor Andy Schor’s office said the three-year contracts preserve “competitive” wages for officers but eliminate retiree health-care benefits for officers hired after Nov. 1, 2019. Instead, officers hired after that date will get a retiree health-care savings account.

Non-supervisory members of the Capital City Labor Program ratified the agreement Oct. 18, while supervisory members approved it Oct. 25, according to resolutions passed by the City Council on Monday night.

The contracts took immediate effect and will expire June 30, 2022.

Schor announced the agreement in a five-paragraph news release that did not include any details on wage rates, working conditions or other benefits.

City Clerk Chris Swope said a copy of the contract was not available on Monday night. On Tuesday, Deputy  Mayor Samantha Harkins said the newspaper needed to file file a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain a copy. The newspaper filed the FOIA request, but has not yet received the contract or additional details.

Schor said the contract also allows officers who are eligible for retiree health benefits to opt in to a retiree health-care savings account.

In addition, eligible officers who retire after July 1, 2020 will have health-care coverage that “mirrors active officers,” the release said.  

“These changes to retiree health care are significant, and they allow us to continue to provide important benefits for our police officers in a way that is more affordable for the city,” Schor said in the news release.

Lansing is among Michigan cities required to submit plans to the state to correct significant shortfalls in funding for pensions and retiree health care coverage. In its plan, submitted in November 2018,  the city projected to have police and fire retiree health care 40% funded by 2035. One of its corrective actions was to reduce costs through collective bargaining.

Sarah Lehr contributed to this report. Contact Ken Palmer at (517) 377-1032 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.

Read or Share this story: https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2019/10/29/lansings-new-police-contracts-limit-retiree-health-care/2502238001/


Source link

MENU

Back
Widgets on side panel

Don’t miss

Translate »