The Editor,
Re. “Union says benefits change ‘punitive’,” (The Tri-City News, Sept. 29).
The Tri-City News’ recent coverage of a $13-million surplus for the current school year and the reduction of health retirement benefits for those retiring after December of this year contains a quote by School District 43 secretary treasurer Chris Nicholls saying, “We’re putting our employees on equal footing.”
This just isn’t true. In fact, reducing these benefits does not put SD43 support workers on equal footing with other employees in the district nor with other school district employees across the province.
Teachers and administrators belong to the BC Teachers Pension Plan while CUPE employees and management staff belong to the Non-Teaching Pension Plan (NTPP). The teachers’ plan provides a voluntary extended health and dental plan for members. This plan has more than 80,000 retired members and includes members of the College and Public Service Plans.
Retirees who belong to the NTPP are currently enrolled in a post-retirement benefits plan. The retirees contribute 60% of the premiums and the district contributes 40%. SD43 has given notice that the entire plan will be eliminated for employees who retire after Dec. 31, 2017.
In fact, support staff in every other B.C. school district belong to the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP). Retirees from the MPP have a post-retirement benefit plan. But changes that SD43 have made will deny all future Coquitlam school district support staff workers retiring after the end of this year access to a post-retirement benefit plan.
There is still time for the district to reverse this proposed change. Education support workers deserve more than broken promises. Children in Coquitlam schools can count on their support workers and those workers should be able to count on fair treatment from their employer. I urge the SD43 board of education to reverse the health benefits cut to future retirees.
Dave Ginter, President, CUPE Local 561 (School District 43 support staff)
