Public Employee Press

Local 372 votes to back benefit plan restorations


Local 372 members voted overwhelmingly for a plan to restore the optical, dental and prescription drug benefits of spouses and the domestic partners of retired School Crossing Guards, Hourly School Lunch Workers, School Aides and Health Aides.

Last year, Local 372 and the DC 37 Health and Security Plan were forced to suspend the benefits because of a funding shortfall.

Though spouses and domestic partners of retirees lost their benefits, the union was able to continue coverage of retirees' dependents until they turned 26.

"We've been working since last year to create a way to restore and protect these significant benefits for our current and future retirees," said Local 372 President Shaun D. Francois I. "This is an important step in protecting the benefits of our part-time workers and it's being done for just a small fraction of what the coverage is worth."

DC 37, the DC 37 Health & Security Plan and Local 372 worked with the city on the plan to help the local's Severance Related Fund by shifting halfof the September wage hike to the fund. The plan needed to be put up for a vote because the restoration of the benefits would be funded with part of the September pay increase.

Local 372 members voted 4,365 to 623 to approve the plan in a vote supervised by the impartial American Arbitration Association. Local 372 announced the results on July 1.

Part-time workers in Local 372 are the only city part-timers who have a benefits plan that covers spouses and domestic partners.

In July, DC 37 Health and Security Plan Administrator Willie Chang sent a letter to the retirees and spouses, domestic partners and children affected by the suspension of benefits to inform them that the benefits will be restored on Oct. 1.

Chang noted that spouses and domestic partners who now receive benefits through the DC 37 Health and Security Plan's COBRA plan will have their benefits restored automatically on Oct. 1. But they must continue to pay their COBRA premium until Sept. 30. COBRA allows people who lose their benefits to pay for coverage for a limited period.

For questions about the restoration of benefits, call the DC 37 Health and Security Plan's Inquiry Unit at 212-815-1234.

— Alfredo Alvarado