GE workers plan strike over increased health costs
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Manufacturing News, Source : TheManufacturer.com
Published : 06 Jan 2003 21:27
Due to a recent spike in the share of medical costs to be paid by its employees, workers at General Electric are planning a strike at the national level.
Nearly 20,000 workers are expected to participate in the strike, saying they will not tolerate the company’s plans to increase their fees for doctor visits and health-related costs from $500 to $700 a year and an increase in co-payment fees of nearly 40%, stated Gary Sheffer, a GE spokesman.
We are going to strike, make no mistake about it, said Art Smith, chair of the International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine, and Furniture Workers/Communications Workers of America Conference Board. It’s not going to be lengthy or open-ended; it’ll be a matter of days, Smith said.
The national strike plan was approved by union leadership in October after GE announced it would increase worker’s health care costs January 1, 2003. Despite union calls to delay increases until national contract negotiations were settled, the cost increases took effect this week.
General Electric, with its billions of dollars in profits each year, can well afford to offset these health care costs in other areas instead of putting it back onto the employees, Smith said.
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