Livermore Lab Retirees Criticize Reductions to Health Benefits

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From The Daily Californian via the LANL blog:

Livermore Lab Retirees Criticize Reductions to Health Benefits
By Javier Panzar
Contributing Writer
Monday, July 20, 2009


Retirees from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory are voicing concerns over their health benefits, which they say have been reduced since new management took over the labs in 2007.

The retirees went before the UC Board of Regents last week, claiming that they retired before the switch in management occurred in 2007 and that their benefits should be consistent with retired employees under UC management.

Joseph Requa retired from the lab in 1999 and is the organizer of UC Livermore Retiree Group.

"What we want is that UC takes back responsibility for determining our health benefits and that the levels are consistent with what other UC retirees receive ," Requa said.

The laboratory was run by the University of California until October 2007 when Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC took over management.

The corporation is comprised of the Bechtel Corporation, the University of California, and other energy companies.

When the corporation took over management, its contract stated it would provide equivalent health coverage to the UC plan, according to Lynda Seaver, a spokesperson for the corporation.

But in September 2008, as medical costs rose, LLNS changed its health care costs to keep with industry standards, Seaver said.

The retirees claim the new level of benefits is significantly lower than the UC's.

Lt. Gov. John Garamendi wrote a letter to UC President Mark Yudof in support of the 5,500 retirees.

UC spokesperson Peter King said that the Office of the President will be looking at the situation.

"President Yudof and Bruce Darling, (Executive Vice President of lab management,) are going to look for ways of fairness and equity to see what can be done," he said.

Requa's organization has 600 members and is collecting funds in the event that legal action becomes necessary.

"If we need that stick, we have it in our back pocket," Requa said.

Manuel Perry, who retired from the lab in 1993, said that many retirees stayed with the UC system through good times and bad and hope that the issue can be resolved amicably.

"We don't think there is a need for lawsuits when the UC can talk to us," Perry said. "We want to be brought back into the (UC) family as retirees and be treated as the rest of the retirees."

http://www.dailycal.org/article/106107