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Youngstown schools retiree still looking for answers
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
A retired president of the city school employees union is still looking for answers two months after addressing his concerns about changes to retirees’ life-insurance costs with the school board.
George Phillips, retired president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union for school employees, told school-board members in April that retirees’ life insurance premiums rose 165 percent this year.
He said at Tuesday’s regular board meeting he would like to meet with board members and can offer some alternatives that won’t cost the school district.
“As far as I’m concerned, AFSCME has let the retirees down,” Phillips said.
Employees have switched to a consortium for life insurance, and retirees aren’t covered under that plan, he said.
The board approved a three-year contract with the five trade unions, providing 2 percent raises each year. The pact runs through early 2018.
It also provides a new health-care plan through the Stark County Council of Governments insurance consortium.
The school district is no longer self-insured for health care.
The trade unions include about eight plumbers, electricians and carpenters.
Since early this year, the district has been talking about the need to trim costs to remain in the black for the next few years. One of the ways to cut was changing employee health insurance.
The school board last month approved a new AFSCME contract that provide a new health-care plan through the same consortium. The teachers’ contract doesn’t expire until next year.
The board also approved the resignations of two administrators who are leaving for other employment. Both Karen Green, assistant superintendent for human resources, and Lisa Gonzalez, principal at Discovery at Kirkmere, have secured jobs in other school districts. Their resignations are effective July 1.
Green is the second high-level administrator to resign since April. Connie Hathorn, superintendent since 2011, has resigned, effective June 30, to become superintendent of Watson Chapel Schools in Pine Bluff, Ark.