HEALTH INSURANCE FOR PART-TIME EMPLOYEES

WHEREAS, many thousands of members of AFT bargaining units presently have no employer-paid health insurance; and

WHEREAS, many of these unit members either cannot afford to purchase health insurance themselves or are excluded by insurance companies; and

WHEREAS, local efforts have been largely unsuccessful in securing either employer-paid coverage or buy-in access to a group plan at reasonable rates; and

WHEREAS, the AFT has historically had more difficulty organizing the part-time and temporary workers who most need these benefits:

RESOLVED, that the national AFT actively investigate and pursue the establishment of a national AFT health and welfare benefits trust (as many other national unions have) that could then contract with carriers to provide access to our members to reasonably priced coverage, as a buy-in optional membership benefit.