Leave employees' benefits be, mayor
Des Plaines Mayor Matt Bogusz plans to eliminate what he calls the "Cadillac" insurance policies city employees have - which he naively suggests will save Des Plaines up to $1 million a year.
As is so often the case, the Mayor is utterly misinformed.
As customarily defined, a "Cadillac" plan is typically offered to CEOs. The employer pays 100 percent of the premium and there is no deductible, no co-payments, no pre-authorization and it often covers purely elective procedures.
Our city employees pay their share of premiums, deductibles and copays, must obtain pre-authorization, and are limited to medically-necessary procedures.
No, Mr. Mayor, our employees do not have a "Cadillac" plan. Rather, they are content with the dependable Chevy we provide them.
The mayor has no concept of how health and dental insurance coverage is priced. Premiums are substantially higher for workers with high-risk jobs. Mr. Mayor, under no circumstances will we allow you to endanger their livelihoods and their families' security to advance your vindictive personal agenda.
The Mayor has no respect for organized labor and therefore deserves no support from it. A substantial segment of Des Plaines' workforce is unionized - police and firefighters, public works, the office staff.
Des Plaines has a contractual obligation to provide negotiated health and dental insurance coverage. We have a legal duty and a moral duty to honor our commitments to our employees.
We cannot expect them to run into burning buildings, defuse a hostage situation or crawl into a manhole knowing you want to take away the insurance they collectively bargained for in good faith. Under no circumstances will we allow you to further your political career on the backs of our dedicated workers.
Mr. Mayor, unlike the city flagpoles, Curb Appeal contest, Restaurant Week and Summer Fling, our employees are not your civic playthings. Please leave them alone.
Bob Porada
Des Plaines