Union prepared to fight rising health care costs
Trend toward asking employees to pay bigger share

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Victoria Colliver, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, May 21, 2004

Fast-rising health care costs have turned into the most explosive workplace issue in America, a reality showed by the recent grocery workers strike in Southern California and demonstrated anew by the dramatic showdown between SBC Communications and its union employees.

For the union movement, health care benefits are one of its proudest gains. Now, in the midst of a crisis of rising costs for health care, employers are pushing to whittle and in some cases hack away at those benefits.

While unions appear willing in some cases to make concessions on wages, they are trying to hold the line on health care benefits.

The tenacity with which SBC workers are trying to hold onto their health coverage demonstrates the value of the benefit. In an increasing number of labor disputes, including the 138-day work stoppage by Southern California grocery clerks, health care has been the cutting issue.

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