At Issue
School employees retain right to bargain health insurance
In 1994, the Legislature and former Gov. John Engler changed the state collective bargaining laws permitting public employees to collectively bargain. They:
• Changed the definition of a “strike” for public school employees, treating them for the first time differently than other public workers.
• Imposed additional penalties for striking public school employees.
• Took away the right of multiple association bargaining organizations to ratify collective bargaining agreements.
• Added a list of unlawful topics of bargaining, including privatization of school support services and who the policyholder is for employee health insurance plans.
The question of who holds the policy is a direct attack on MESSA, which serves as policyholder for its members. With MESSA as the policyholder, members can be assured that the privacy of their personal health information is protected and that employers are not able to change and reduce benefits on a whim. Some school administrators and school board members erroneously believe that declaring the district the policyholder permits the district to drop MESSA as a health insurance provider.
MEA members—and all school employees—retain the right to bargain over health insurance, including specific benefits and who the carrier will be. MEA has successfully fended off challenges that might result in a ruling that would overturn members’ rights to bargain these benefits.