The state rejected the Teaching Assistants' Association's \status quo"" proposal Wednesday, offering in its place a plan that would have TAA members begin paying health insurance premiums.
""The state continues to believe all employees should contribute a small amount to their health insurance that controls cost and keeps benefits at a high level,"" said Scott Larrivee, spokesperson for the Office of State Employment Relations.
The health insurance premium issue is a major roadblock in the ongoing negotiations between the state and the TAA. On March 2, the TAA presented what it calls a ""status quo"" proposal for the 2003-'05 contract that did not ask for pay raises, but also exempted health insurance premium payments.
""Basically we asked for nothing and [the state] said no,"" said Mike Quieto, chair of the TAA Political Action Committee.
When Quieto said the TAA asked for nothing, he meant the TAA's proposal is just an extension of the current contract the TAA is working from, hence the ""status quo.""
But Larrivee said it is unacceptable for the TAA to not pay health insurance premiums when all other state employees do. The state offered rates of $11 per month per person or $27.50 for families, and it also proposed a recoupment plan to collect back payments on premiums the TAA did not pay from January 2004 to June 2005. Larrivee said he did not know exactly how much money the recoupment plan would generate.
Not only is the TAA upset over the state's premium requirement in its counter-proposal, it is also concerned with the state's removal of nearly $1 million from the university in compensation that it offered the TAA during negotiations last spring. A TAA press release said the state offered $948,000 in April 2004.
""They claimed that the money they talked about earlier was not around anymore,"" Quieto said.
Still, Quieto said he does not necessarily foresee a breakdown in negotiations that would lead to another strike like last April.
""It is a fairly frustrating process,"" Quieto said. ""But [TAA members] recognize that at some point, well, we're still at work, we're still getting paid, and we're still holding on to what we have and not paying the premiums. So I think a lot of people are resigned to carrying on this process for as long as it takes.""
Larrivee agrees that negotiations will continue.
""The state and the UW's goal is to reach a mutual contract agreement with the TAA before the end of the academic school year,"" Larrivee said. ""That's still our goal.\
