MEA Votes

Will Virg Bernero protect your right to collectively bargain health insurance?

In a word, yes.

There's a stark difference between gubernatorial hopeful Virg Bernero and his primary opponent Andy Dillon.

As Speaker of the House, Dillon introduced proposals to force all public employees into a state-run health plan that virtually guaranteed major cuts to public employees' health care. Bernero, a Democrat who currently serves as mayor of Lansing, pledges to protect the rights of public employees to collectively bargain health insurance -- along with wages, other benefits, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.

Bernero's support of public education and those who work in schools, colleges and universities, helped him receive MEA's recommendation for the Aug. 3 gubernatorial primary.

MEA Votes recently asked Bernero questions about health care for public employees. Here are his answers:

Q: Should all public employees have access to health insurance?

A: Access to affordable health insurance is vital for all employees. School employees are contributing more to their health care, but we cannot cut our way out of every problem. As governor, I will partner with public employees to resolve Michigan's budget crisis without sacrificing good wages and benefits.

Q: Will you protect the right of public employees to collectively bargain wages, benefits, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment?

A: Absolutely. My administration will work in good faith to negotiate contracts that are fair to workers. There is no question that some sacrifices will be required, but I will never ask state or school employees to make any sacrifice that I am not willing to make myself.

Q: Who should decide which health care insurance plan is offered to public school employees?

A: This should be a subject of collective bargaining -- not imposed by management or legislative mandate.

Q: What is your record on health care?

A: I have always fought for improved health care access and affordability. As a county commissioner, I helped pioneer the low-cost Ingham Health Plan and the Otto Community Health Clinic. As a state lawmaker, I was a strong advocate for reducing health care costs by improving child nutrition.

Q: Why did you support President Barack Obama's health care overhaul?

A: Unlike my opponent, I am an outspoken proponent of the president's reforms, which are a critical step toward fixing our broken health care system. In Michigan, hundreds of thousands of people will benefit from reforms such as covering individuals with pre-existing conditions and making insurance more affordable for small businesses.

Q: Do you support public employees' rights to continue to bargain their choice of health benefits?

A: Absolutely.

Q: Do you support the repeal of Public Act 106 to restore the ability of health plans to pool?

A: I am not opposed to revisiting PA 106. It is a complex law with far-reaching implications and we should make sure it protects the rights of public employees and doesn't undermine collective bargaining.

Q: What is your position on Speaker Andy Dillon's proposal to force all public employees into a state-run health plan?

A: I oppose it. When I'm governor, I'm not going to look at school employees as just another way to balance a budget. I'm going to look to you as partners in ensuring we have an educated workforce to fill the jobs Michigan needs. Because education is economic development.

Q: Do you oppose legislation that would require public employees to pay 20 percent of their health insurance premiums?

A: I oppose legislative mandates on premium sharing. This should be the subject of good faith negotiations between labor and management.

Q: What will you do about the historical underfunding of Medicaid?

A: President Obama's health care reform should reduce Medicaid costs, but we also must put greater emphasis on preventive care to further control costs by reducing the need to use the emergency room as a primary source for medical care. As budget conditions improve, we also need to raise reimbursement rates.

Q: Is there anything else that MEA members should know about your position on health care issues?

A: As your governor, I will work hard every day to secure access to affordable health care for every Michigan resident.