I think Mr. Hohmann's concern and passionate argument is somewhat misplaced. Yes, it's true that up until now, the transit workers have had a better health care and pension arrangement than many people. But what kind of argument is that? Does he or anyone else insist that everybody have the exact same lowest common denominator -- which in this case would be no health care coverage at all, like thousands of Minnesotans.Let's talk of fairness and parity for the majority of workers and taxpayers, rather than just the minority of transit workers currently out on strike.
I currently have significant deductibles associated with my family health/dental insurance, and co-pays accompany everything from prescription drugs to virtually all outpatient services, emergency visits, etc. Most workers are in the same boat. I have no employer paid pension plan, and no retirement health care plan. Many thousands of metro-area workers have even more restrictive health insurance coverage and no pension plan; and thousands have NO health coverage or pension plan, but are working taxpayers nonetheless. Why should these taxpayers be asked to shoulder the cost of better insurance/benefit plans for transit workers than they themselves enjoy?
The transit employees will soon be notified that their healthcare coverage will cease and they will be offered the opportunity to pick up their coverage under COBRA laws, at the current group rate. Most will be unable to afford to maintain that coverage, and will begin to shop around for alternate, more affordable coverage. They are in for sticker shock when they find what types of family coverage are available for $400-$500 per month; what deductible and co-pays are required, etc.
Most families struggle month-to-month making ends meet with rent/mortgage payments, utilities, car loans, various insurance payments, day care, kids education bills, and the like. They also try and save a bit for a rainy day and retirement. Why should the majority of taxpayers be asked to subsidize the relatively extravagant health and benefit programs of the minor population of transit workers? Where is the fairness and parity?
The outrageous cost of healthcare is an issue that transcends individual employment contracts, and it should be addressed at the appropriate state/federal level if fairness and parity are to be achieved.
Michael Hohmann
Linden Hills
Did transit workders have better health care and pension benefits than most workers? I don't know, but is that a measure we should be using? Moreover, we're talking about only a couple thousand workers, but whom have hard jobs which provide a valuable public service. Can we say the same for those people who don't have equal health benefits? Either transit workers are worth a bit more than a poor minimum, even if it is common or average, or it's not a useful argument.
Mr. Hohmann further writes "most families struggle" with the cost of living. If that's true, why is it? Are we taxpayers at fault? Most means more than 50%. That's a very large number. Is unemployment that high? Or are many of those people attempting to live beyond their means, creating their own problems? Is it the car payments on their SUVs, in which they make an average of 4.7 trips per day from the suburbs? Or is Mr. Hohmann mistaken, or using a red herring?
Mr. Hohmann calls the transit workers benefits "extravagant." While they are slightly better than the best benefits I've had in my numerous jobs, I can name lots of groups of people who have better benefits. Guess who they are? Elected officials. Appointed officials. Legislators, governors, and of course, executives.
What are the benefits made available to the board members of the Metro Council? Part-time, appointed, political patronage jobs shouldn't really get a full benefits package, should they? Do they? I wasn't able to find out today. Does anyone here know?
Despite all that, I do agree with Mr. Hohmann in principle: taxpayers should not be subsidizing luxury or extravagant benefits far above and beyond what is available to average workers in the workplace. The problem is deciding where that line is, in order not to cross it. Others have argued effectively that the current "average" for health care benefits among citizens is terribly low -- even Mr. Hohmann's remarks above point out that many have far less or nothing -- and shouldn't we be working to improve them everyone, instead of dragging transit workers down to the shameful mediocrity enjoyed by so many?
And why stop at health care and pensions? Frankly, I'm appalled at the extravagant offices bureaucrats at Hennepin County have, for example.
But this strike is not just about health care benefits, and even on that issue the union was willing to come back to the table and negotiate. We as taxpayers are subsidizing extravagant benefits for elected and appointed officials, benefits far above anything the transit workers get. If paying transit workers better benefits than the average worker bothers you as a taxpayer, the way we treat elected officials like royalty ought to really gall you.
[Incidentally, as someone who has worked in the health care industry the last 10 years on the management side, I can describe the primary problems with spiraling health care costs. One is simply out of control greed by health care companies, aided and abetted by the politicians they have so well paid off. It's not basic health care itself that's so expensive, but the middle men, profit mongering and extraordinary care.]
That leaves us with what appears to be an intentional plan to get the transit workers to strike made by the Pawlenty administration. To what end? Who is it good for? Certainly not the transit workers or their customers -- ordinary taxpayers like you and me who use the bus to get places.
Chris Johnson Fulton
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