Equity Health Insurance Fight

[macbeth]

Posted: 10/2/20 at 7:22am

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/01/theater/stage-actors-health-insurance.html

How will anyone have 16 weeks of Equity work early next year to qualify????

[JennH]

Posted: 10/2/20 at 9:56am

W....T....F....It was already down from what I believe was normally 12 weeks, took it down to 11 due to pressure a couple years ago, and now they raise it when NO ONE IS WORKING?? And it's wondered why Unions are leaving bad tastes in people's mouths....

[thedrybandit]

Posted: 10/2/20 at 12:55pm

JennH said: "W....T....F....It was already down from what I believe was normally 12 weeks, took it down to 11 due to pressure a couple years ago, and now they raise it when NO ONE IS WORKING??And it'swondered why Unions are leaving bad tastes in people's mouths...."

This isn't a union problem, this is an American healthcare system problem. I am union, although I'm not Equity, so I can't speak directly to what Equity is thinking right now, but most union healthcare funds are beginning to struggle since so few of us have any work and can't pay into the system right now. If we had a proper healthcare system in the US, this wouldn't be an issue at all.

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 10/2/20 at 2:11pm

I agree this is an American healthcare system problem more than a union problem, but it also feeds into the exact reason I feel AEA in particular is a horrendous union.  I'm not sure the most recent statistics, but using 2017 as an example, there were 51,000 people in the union and only a little over 18,000 who got ANY work during the calendar year.  And the average number of weeks working were around 16, meaning about half of those 18,000 worked less than that.  So in other words, only 9,000 out of 51,000 would have qualified for healthcare.  And healthcare aside, a union that refuses to let you find non-union work when they only have jobs for roughly a third of their members has some major fundamental issues.

[Kad]

Posted: 10/2/20 at 2:47pm

Did none of you actually read this article?
First of all: AEA is separate from Equity League, which administers the health and pensions of Equity members. This is by law. And AEA is opposed to this change.

Second: these benefits are funded entirely by weekly employer contributions, which means Equity League has had nearly no income since March, and next to no income for the foreseeable future. It is operating entirely on its reserves and expects them to be nearly depleted in a year. It is facing a massive, potentially existential funding crisis.

"And healthcare aside, a union that refuses to let you find non-union work when they only have jobs for roughly a third of their members has some major fundamental issues"

A union that lets its members bounce between its collectively bargained contracts and non-union work is undercutting itself and its members. If members are saying "I'm happy to work for very little with no benefits," it cuts the legs off of the ability of the union to negotiate its contracts. That's a fact. Producers already are happy to cut costs- and they are very happy to be able to point to members working for less to justify it.

I have personally had to deal with both producers AND Equity members demanding why costly health benefit contributions must be made on contracts and demanding a concession on them.

American workers, even supposedly progressive actors, are all too willing to act only in their best interests, and generally have very little understanding of labor law or how unions operate or really even what they do.

Updated On: 10/2/20 at 02:47 PM

[massofmen]

Posted: 10/2/20 at 11:04pm

union workers and people who have been fortunate to have health care through their employers are about to realize why universal health care for the US needs to be a right. 
That the US is the only first world country without a universal health care plan is a joke. 

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 10/3/20 at 11:20am

JennH said: "W....T....F....It was already down from what I believe was normally 12 weeks, took it down to 11 due to pressure a couple years ago, and now they raise it when NO ONE IS WORKING??And it'swondered why Unions are leaving bad tastes in people's mouths...."

You get coverage at 12 weeks under the new plan. The difference is you have to stay in-network and there is a deductible and co-pay. The days of having no deductibles and co-pays are pretty much over. Very few jobs offer that kind of insurance. Does it suck to go from having one of the best health plans to the same kind of health plan most people have? Yeah. But it's still a decent plan and less expensive than most ACA plans on the exchange.

[unclevictor]

Posted: 10/3/20 at 12:06pm

itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "JennH said: "W....T....F....It was already down from what I believe was normally 12 weeks, took it down to 11 due to pressure a couple years ago, and now they raise it when NO ONE IS WORKING??And it'swondered why Unions are leaving bad tastes in people's mouths...."

You get coverage at 12 weeks under the new plan. The difference is you have to stay in-network and there is a deductible and co-pay. The days of having no deductibles and co-pays are pretty much over. Very few jobs offer that kind of insurance. Does it suck to go from having one of the best health plans to the same kind of health plan most people have? Yeah. But it's still a decent plan and less expensive than most ACA plans on the exchange."

Preach!!! Thank u for pointing this out and clarifying any confusion.