By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 school board approved a tentative agreement with the custodians’ union after a series of executive sessions Monday night.
The board included the following revisions to the Service Employees International Union contract:
• a 3 percent wage increase
• removal of language that requires the district to provide the state insurance plan
• adding language to the vacation and sick leave policy regarding leave start date and proration
• adding shift differentials
The agreement would be for one year, and the board requested the union respond by noon Thursday.
The district hopes to leave the state insurance plan that is administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield in favor of Aetna. Blue Cross Blue Shield has increased the district’s premiums by $1.4 million during the last two years. District officials hope by leaving the state plan the district can garner more competitive insurance bids and have more flexibility in the future.
The state plan makes it difficult for districts to receive bids from outside insurers, because it does not provide claims histories.
The Aetna plan would provide equal benefits and cost employees less out of pocket.
SEIU and Hays NEA raised concerns about the quality of services under Aetna, access to providers and the seven-year waiting period the district would have to get back into the state plan.
However, the SEIU and Hays NEA sent a letter to the district on Aug. 28 that said the district could be subject to legal action if it changed its provider. The SEIU contract specifically requires the district to provide the state plan.
Esau Freeman of SEIU said in an email today he planned to meet with member of the custodians’ union tonight.
Representatives of the custodians have met with Gallagher Group, which was hired to review the district’s insurance plan.
Freeman said he would take that information to the custodians tonight.
Freeman said in the email the union members are willing to consider the removal of the state insurance provision from the contract.