UPDATED April 12, 2013: Are UPS Teamsters presently in company plans heading for the Central States Health and Welfare Fund? That’s one proposal that UPS management has put on the table.

The International Union called a two-week break in negotiations to study this issue. So far, UPS Teamsters have only been told that management has proposed moving all UPS Teamsters into a union health and welfare plan.

Meanwhile, the Central States Health and Welfare Fund seems to be preparing to go national. The fund is even planning to drop the Central States name and perhaps rebrand itself as MyTEAMCare.  

UPS wants to get retiree healthcare costs off of its balance sheets because of legal accounting changes. But how would switching to the Central States Health Fund affect Teamster members?

There’s no word yet on that from the IBT. Bargaining resumes on April 15.

Unlike the Central States Pension Fund, the Health and Welfare Fund is in good financial shape. It has 19 months of reserves, which is considered very healthy.

UPS Teamsters who are currently in this plan pay no monthly premiums. UPS retirees in this fund pay $200 per month for retiree coverage and $400 for retiree-plus-spouse coverage. 

Switching UPS Teamsters into Teamster health plans may benefit members and our union. But UPSers have lots of questions, and they deserve answers.

Healthcare affects members and our families directly and personally. If major changes are in store for our health coverage, UPS Teamsters deserve full disclosure—all the facts and all the options—before any contract vote. 

Click here to see a summary of Central States healthcare coverage with co-pay and deductible information. The C-6 plan is the top coverage currently available to Teamsters in the Central Sates.