Once ObamaCare's Biggest Cheerleaders, Union Regrets And Concerns Are Widespread

OBAMACARE IS CAUSING FRICTION BETWEEN UNIONS AND EMPLOYERS

Higher Health Care Costs Are Steering Contract Negotiations To An Impasse

Higher Health Care Costs From ObamaCare Are Roiling Union Talks With Employers. "Disputes between unions and employers over paying for new costs associated with the Affordable Care Act are roiling labor talks nationwide." (Kris Maher and Melanie Trottman, "New Costs From Health Law Snarl Union Contract Talks," The Wall Street Journal, 5/26/14)

ObamaCare Mandates Are Expected To Increase Health Care Costs From 5 To 12.5 Percent, Leading Unions And Employers To Bump Heads Over Who Will Pick Up The Added Cost. "Unions and employers are tussling over who will pick up the tab for new mandates, such as coverage for dependent children to age 26, as well as future costs, such as a tax on premium health plans starting in 2018. The question is poised to become a significant point of tension as tens of thousands of labor contracts covering millions of workers expire in the next several years, with ACA-related cost increases ranging from 5% to 12.5% in current talks." (Kris Maher and Melanie Trottman, "New Costs From Health Law Snarl Union Contract Talks," The Wall Street Journal, 5/26/14)

Union Negotiations Have Stalled In Philadelphia "Over How Much Workers Should Contribute To Such Health-Plan Cost Increases." "In Philadelphia, disagreement over how much workers should contribute to such health-plan cost increases has stalled talks between the region's transit system and its main union representing 5,000 workers as they try to renegotiate a contract that expired in March." (Kris Maher and Melanie Trottman, "New Costs From Health Law Snarl Union Contract Talks," The Wall Street Journal, 5/26/14)

• ObamaCare's Cadillac Tax Is Estimated To Increase Health Care Costs For Philadelphia's Transit System, Septa, By 12.5 Percent Or $15 Million A Year. "The regional transit system in Philadelphia, Septa, estimates the tax will boost its health-care costs by $15 million a year, or 12.5% of the $120 million it currently spends each year on health coverage. The transit system is already incurring several million dollars in added costs from other provisions, said Richard Burnfield, Septa's chief financial officer." (Kris Maher and Melanie Trottman, "New Costs From Health Law Snarl Union Contract Talks,"The Wall Street Journal, 5/26/14)

Alaska Airlines' Flight Attendants "Voted Down A Tentative Contract Agreement" Due To A Lack Of A Buffer For Higher Health Costs. "Flight attendants at Alaska Airlines voted down a tentative contract agreement with management in February, in part because it didn't provide enough protection against a possible surge in ACA-related costs, union members said. They are still without a new contract." (Kris Maher and Melanie Trottman, "New Costs From Health Law Snarl Union Contract Talks," The Wall Street Journal, 5/26/14)

Higher Costs Associated With ObamaCare Has Led 10 Las Vegas Casinos To Authorize A Strike On June 1. "Roughly 2,000 housekeepers, waiters and others at nine of 10 downtown Las Vegas casinos voted this month to go on strike June 1 if they don't reach agreements on a series of issues, the thorniest of which involve new ACA-related cost increases, according to the union." (Kris Maher and Melanie Trottman, "New Costs From Health Law Snarl Union Contract Talks," The Wall Street Journal, 5/26/14)

• According To The Union Unite Here, ObamaCare's New Mandates Have Raised Health Care Costs For A Local In Las Vegas By $26 Million. "One pressure point is the higher costs of new mandates, especially the requirement that health plans expand coverage for dependents. For Unite Here, adding that coverage for 14,000 dependents raised costs in the health-care fund run by the union's Las Vegas local by $26 million since 2011, said union spokeswoman Bethany Khan." (Kris Maher and Melanie Trottman, "New Costs From Health Law Snarl Union Contract Talks," The Wall Street Journal, 5/26/14)
• Las Vegas Unions Have Already Agreed To "Pay More To Meet The Higher Health-Care Costs." "The union plan covers 55,000 workers and 120,000 people in total. Casinos on the Strip have agreed to pay more to meet the higher health-care costs, according to contract summaries." (Kris Maher and Melanie Trottman, "New Costs From Health Law Snarl Union Contract Talks," The Wall Street Journal, 5/26/14)

Some Union Workers Have Already Lost Their Health Care Plans Due To Higher Costs Associated With The Law

Due To ObamaCare, Families Of Union Workers Have Already Had Their Health Care Plans Eliminated. "In other cases, the law has resulted in some workers losing coverage from multi-employer plans. Last year, the United Food and Commercial Workers agreed to eliminate existing coverage for thousands of newer part-time workers at New England supermarkets, in order to preserve benefits for full-time workers. The union says it replaced the coverage with a combination of benefits, including health savings accounts. Elsewhere, the union has agreed to several supermarket contracts that eliminate health coverage for certain members' spouses who have coverage available elsewhere." (Kris Maher and Melanie Trottman, "New Costs From Health Law Snarl Union Contract Talks,"The Wall Street Journal, 5/26/14)

IF HIGHER COSTS WEREN'T ENOUGH, UNIONS ARE ALSO WARNING THAT OBAMACARE JEOPARDIZES THE MIDDLE CLASS

In March, The Unite Here Labor Union Issued A Devastating Critique Of ObamaCare - That The Law Is Making Inequality Worse. "As national Democrats prepare to run against the GOP on income equality issues, a giant union has issued a scathing ObamaCare document that could undermine that case. 'The Irony of ObamaCare: Making Inequality Worse' is the title of the UNITE HERE (Culinary parent) document that is posted here and soon to be making its way to Capitol Hill. It is devastating to the Democrats." (Jon Ralston, "Union Research Document Says Obamacare Will Hasten Income Inequality," Ralston Reports, 3/7/14)

• Unite Here: ObamaCare "Poses One Of The Most Immediate Challenges To Redressing Inequality." "Ironically, the Administration's own signature health care victory poses one of the most immediate challenges to redressing inequality." ("The Irony Of ObamaCare: Making Inequality Worse," Unite Here, 3/2014)
• Unite Here: "At The Same Time, Without Smart Fixes, The ACA Threatens The Middle Class With Higher Premiums, Loss Of Hours, And A Shift To Part-Time Work And Less Comprehensive Coverage." ("The Irony Of ObamaCare: Making Inequality Worse," Unite Here , 3/2014)

Union Leaders: ObamaCare Will "Destroy The Foundation Of The 40 Hour Work Week That Is The Backbone Of The American Middle Class." "Right now, unless you and the Obama Administration enact an equitable fix, the ACA will shatter not only our hard-earned health benefits, but destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle class." (James P. Hoffa - International Brotherhood Of Teamsters, Joseph Hansen - UFCW, D. Taylor - UNITE-HERE, " Letter To Leader Reid And Leader Pelosi ," 7/12/13)

• ObamaCare Creates An Incentive To Keep Employees Below 30 Hours A Week. "First, the law creates an incentive for employers to keep employees' work hours below 30 hours a week. Numerous employers have begun to cut workers' hours to avoid this obligation, and many of them are doing so openly. The impact is two-fold: fewer hours means less pay while also losing our current health benefits." (James P. Hoffa - International Brotherhood Of Teamsters, Joseph Hansen - UFCW, D. Taylor - UNITE-HERE, " Letter To Leader Reid And Leader Pelosi ," 7/12/13)

According Laborers International Union Of North America President Terry O'Sullivan, ObamaCare Poses "Destructive Consequences" On Health Plans That Cover Workers. "In a letter sent to President Barack Obama on Thursday, Laborers International Union of North America President Terry O'Sullivan wrote that the law has 'destructive consequences' for the types of health plans that cover millions of unionized construction workers and their family members." (Kris Maher, "Union Fears 'Destructive Consequences' From ObamaCare," The Wall Street Journal, 7/19/13)

AS OBAMACARE CAUSES MORE PROBLEMS FOR UNIONS, IT CREATES MORE PROBLEMS FOR DEMOCRATS IN NOVEMBER

"An Angry And Deflated Union Base Is Adding To The Midterm Woes For Congressional Democrats." (Kevin Bogardus, "Union Frustration Adds To Dems' Woes," The Hill, 3/19/14)

• Union Leaders Have Vowed To "Withhold Resources From Democrats" In Order To Hold Them Accountable For Their ObamaCare Vote. "Other union leaders plan to withhold resources from Democrats caught in competitive Senate races, saying they want hold their allies accountable for past actions." (Kevin Bogardus, "Union Frustration Adds To Dems' Woes," The Hill, 3/19/14)

Due To ObamaCare, Labor Members Are "Less Likely" To Turn Out For Democrats This November. "After dozens of frustrating meetings with White House officials over the past year, including one with Obama, a number of angry labor officials say their members are far less likely to campaign and turn out for Democratic candidates in the midterm elections." (Steven Mufson and Tom Hamburger, "Labor Union Officials Say Obama Betrayed Them In Health-Care Rollout," The Washington Post , 1/31/14)

• "Union Officials Expect The Health-Care Controversy To Intensify A Raging Debate Within The Labor Movement Over How Deeply Labor Should Invest In Democratic Party Candidates." (Steven Mufson and Tom Hamburger, "Labor Union Officials Say Obama Betrayed Them In Health-Care Rollout," The Washington Post , 1/31/14)
• "Unions Have Been A Major Source Of Funding And Ground-Level Efforts On Behalf Of Democratic Candidates." (Steven Mufson and Tom Hamburger, "Labor Union Officials Say Obama Betrayed Them In Health-Care Rollout," The Washington Post , 1/31/14)