Modern Life in Northern Minnesota
City workers and administration have come to a tentative agreement in the Iron Range city of Hibbing, Minnesota, averting the strike that was recently approved. Members of AFSCME Local 791 will vote on the agreement Wednesday.
Workers had been refusing overtime during the cooling off period, causing some noticaeably difficult driving conditions in Hibbing during the end of last week’s terrible cold snap.
By Aaron Brown A 21st century memoir of a place and a people: (Buy now on Amazon) -- The Iron Range is a string of blue collar towns along an iron formation in northern Minnesota, many of which ... Read More →
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Steve Giorgi, the associate director of AFSCME Council 65 said – “We came to a settlement, a tentative agreement, and both negotiating committees will be taking that back with a recommendation for acceptance. The parties were able to find some middle ground.” Among the sticking points in negotiations were workers’ insurance premiums, Giorgi said.
So insurance cost IS a major issue. Per Dayton, Minnesota has the lowest insurance cost on the planet. Why would insurance premiums be a issue? As the details of the new contract become known let’s watch to see if the workers get to keep the $2,500 insurance premium reduction B.O. promised…or the city took it.
Pssst….a troll, look out.
“The contract offers pay that was acceptable to employees along with an increase in insurance premium payments beginning in 2016”, Giorgi said in a statement.
WTF!! Why should the city have to pay for an increase in insurance premium payments when there is none? B.O. promised a $2,500 insurance premium REDUCTION!!
What a sorry excuse of a negotiator Tom Dicklich is on behalf of the cities residents!