St. Paul district on hook for $4M after teacher union votes to leave health plan
St. Paul Public Schools is bracing for a $4 million bill from its health insurer because the teachers union voted to leave for a different health plan before the contract was up.
The decision by the St. Paul Federation of Educators and Teamsters Local 320 to leave HealthPartners for the state-run Public Employees Insurance Program (PEIP) has pit their 4,500 members against school district leaders and the other 1,500 full-time workers, who will see their insurance costs soar.
Superintendent Joe Gothard and school board chairwoman Zuki Ellis wrote a letter to teachers union leaders Thursday, asking them to stay with HealthPartners for one more year.
The letter noted the $4 million early termination fee will eat up about one-quarter of the additional money the district will receive in 2020 thanks to the voter-approved tax increase that teachers pressed for last year.
Read more: https://www.twincities.com/2019/07/23/st-paul-district-on-hook-for-4m-after-teacher-union-votes-to-leave-health-plan/
