JESPA and JCEA head to the bargaining table TOGETHER to address concerns with the Health Benefits Committee!
The Benefits Advisory Committee (BAC) has been run for too long outside of the bargaining table. The committee has made decisions regarding healthcare which JESPA found to be a violation of the JESPA Collective Bargaining Agreement. We filed two class action grievances in Spring 2022 around these violations. We demanded to bargain a BAC that is transparent to our members who serve on this committee and that creates fairness, equity, and accountability around how we do health insurance in Jeffco.
The BAC should not have authority around benefits decisions and should only be making recommendations. As a result of the grievances, the district has agreed to bargain the structure of the BAC. This is the first step in starting to turn the ship on health benefits. And we are working on turning around a mighty big ship!
JESPA and JCEA (Jefferson County Education Association, our sister union that represents licensed/salaried educators) plan to demand clarity around who the voting members of the BAC are and how recommendations should be made. We want JESPA and JCEA, as the unions who bargain, to have a much stronger voice and role on this committee. We also want to place limitations on attendance by central administrators, insurance brokers, and any other consultants from the room unless specifically invited. Our committee members must have ready access to all of the information needed to conduct the work of the BAC well in advance of the meeting, and not just a Powerpoint presentation the day of the meeting.
This will be a the firs time JESPA and JCEA will bargain TOGETHER with the district to reach agreement. This won’t be easy. Commit to watch bargaining September 22nd and 29th from 4pm-7pm and to support the JCEA/JESPA teams. Register Here
