110833841
To the Editor:
Regarding Joseph Cirella’s letter, (“Physician, heal thyself,” Nov. 6) with respect, everyone who has health insurance built into their paycheck has to pay a premium. This can happen in one of two ways: Receive a higher pay and take out what is needed for the premium. The alternative is to receive a lower pay and have the employer pick up the premium. It is all part of the wage package.
In their last contract with the SRC, district teachers negotiated for less pay and to have their insurance premiums paid by the school district. When the contract expired, and the school district went into distress, those same teachers offered to pay for their health insurance without a raise. This amounted to a pay cut. The SRC rejected that offer with no explanation and allowed the contract to expire.
After more than a year with no contract and no raises, the SRC unilaterally canceled the whole deal and insisted that the teachers pay for their health insurance, as if the offer were never made, in effect canceling collective bargaining. Of course, the union sued and so far has won the first round. It will wind its way through the courts, but the union has a strong case for an illegal and unfair labor practice.
I also recall the 1940s and early ’50s as being punctuated by WWII and the Korean War, just so American students could exercise their right of free speech without fear.
Gloria C. Endres
South Philadelphia
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