Saturday, March 27, 2010

Poetic Justice: DemCare Will Erase Health Care Benefits for Million of Union Members Starting in Just Nine Months

Remember how the President endlessly bragged that health care reform would never -- never! -- impact your existing health plans? You know, the "if you like your plan, you can keep it" shtick? Well, I know this comes as a shock, but he lied.

What no one appears to be pointing out is that DemCare specifically targets private sector union members first. Because of the dizzying new regulations imposed by the new law, "industrial concerns [and/or] those with unionized employees, say the end of the deduction could force them to ... curtail or even cancel them [health benefits]," according to The Los Angeles Times. That's right: most union retirees will have their cushy plans slammed by DemCare through changes in the tax code.

Which unions will be hardest hit?

• The Communication Workers of America, whose website doesn't bother to mention the impending disaster. Telecom companies such as Verizon and AT&T will be forced to slash upwards of two billion in health benefits to retirees.

• The United Auto Workers, specifically at manufacturers like Deere and Caterpillar.

• The United Steelworkers, through diversified manufacturers like 3M.

• The Sheet Metal Workers International Union.

• The Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers (OCAW) union.

And many, many more.

I won't get into the accounting details associated with these companies' benefits programs (mainly, because I don't understand them), but informant "CPA Ray" tells me that only three general scenarios are possible -- and all of them are devastating for union members and retirees.

Put simply, their promised benefits will be slashed and they'll be forced onto the government-run program. Oh -- and the government-run program will have 30 million more people on the books and spend $500 billion less on seniors, even as the need dramatically increases for the elderly.

Union members, it's time you started kicking the crap out of your union bigwigs -- politically speaking -- because:

They. Sold. You. Out.


Hat tip: Legal Insurrection.

6 comments:

DavidD said...

"Union members, it's time you started kicking the crap out of your union bigwigs -- politically speaking" -- oh, and start voting with your brain rather than just playing follow-the-leader.

SteveCan said...

"DemCare Starts Destroying Health Care Benefits for Two Million Union Members Starting in Just Nine Months"

Ouch, that's gonna leave a mark ...

Carol said...

Well, there's another reason I'm glad my son, a union ironworker, is over the age of 26.

Great post. Linked at: http://carolyntackettscloset.blogspot.com/2010/03/heh.html

Quite Rightly said...

What? After all the support that unions gave Obama?

UAW workers at Deere and Caterpillar are hit. I wonder what's going on at Government Motors?

Surely SEIU workers will be doing great. Obama just gave tons of cash to ACORN.

The stench from this mess gets more unbearable every hour.

Whitehall said...

Here, my friends, is VICTORY in November.

Remember the "Reagan Democrats"?

This is them. they'll vote Republican this Fall.

Welcome to reality, Union guys and gals.

Anonymous said...

"Union members, it's time...."

Sure but....

The union members don't count the votes in union elections. And they don't occupy the union headquarters.

If by some surprise a large union does vote the leadership out of office the leaders will refuse to vacate union headquarters and hire guards to protect them - with union funds of course. They can then spend millions for legal fees to tie up the matter is courts for years.

If they should win in court the new officers will discover only empty accounts and offices.

However none of this will happen. Before summer O will use TARP or some other stimulus or slush funds to fully fund union health insurance.

The rationale will be economic recovery. After all, would it be good for thousands to lose health coverage?

O knows he need never fear impeachment. There will always be enough liberal Senators to stop that. He can kill the Pope on TV, it wouldn't matter.