Despite having a collective bargaining unit, the main health insurance coverage staff have elected to choose (GHI, Aetna, etc.) will not be subject to change. The one thing that unionized employees of the Council may become ineligible for is the Management Benefits Fund (MBF). The Management Benefits Fund provides supplemental benefits to the non-unionized personnel of the City of New York, which includes all managerial, confidential, and original jurisdiction employees and retirees. The Fund receives on behalf of its members, as do the municipal labor unions, an annual contribution from the City for the provision of these ancillary employee benefits.
In the event that the Council staff union, Association for Legislative Employees (ALE), is recognized by the Council, members of this staff union would not be in threat of losing their benefits until a collective bargaining agreement is ratified by the members of the bargaining unit. The time between now and a contract agreement may exceed a year or more, in which time the organizing committee and the staff union's legal counsel will identify potential other supplemental benefits coverage for the eventual elected bargaining committee to consider. There are several supplemental benefits arrangements that other unions in the City employ that we are using as models for our research in a replacement fund; in fact, the MBF only exists to provide coverage to those ineligible to receive benefits through their union. The City makes annual contributions to all funds for municipal labor unions for provision of these supplemental benefits, which the staff union (ALE) would be eligible for.
The Management Benefits Fund's supplemental insurance includes:
Life insurance
Dental (in/out of network)
Orthodontic (covered for children)
Vision benefits: 1 eye exam, contacts, no costs, in-network
Superimposed major medical: after all other health coverage has been applied, medical xpensives, prescription drug expenses (reimbursement)
Health and fitness reimbursement: $250 for 6 months
Long term disability (loss of income)
Survivor benefits (drug rider, SMMP, etc.)
The survey collected by the elected bargaining committee can help ensure that the supplemental benefits garnered by the union are tailored to the needs of our membership.
NOTE: There’s no threat to any benefits until staff agree to a contract. The bargaining committee, which will be comprised of elected representatives of every division, will conduct a survey of what benefits are most important to members, and there would be a vote from the membership to ratify the contract. This is likely at least a year out from our current card campaign beginning in November 2019. The year between now and contract ratification can be used to find a replacement fund.
If you'd like to help with the organizing committee's preliminary research of other forms of supplemental insurance, please submit your interest through our "Contact Us" page.
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