Recent Press
- WV AFL-CIO Re-elects Sword, Walters
- Newly formed Education West Virginia to hold press conference today
- Celebrate Working People This Weekend!
- A Statement on the Passing of Former Delegate Doug Skaff
- Press Conference Wednesday Regarding Broadband Expansion Kickoff
- Ceremony Monday to honor WV workers who died on the job
- Press Conference Thursday on WV Federal Employee Job Cuts
- Rally in Support of IAM Local 598 Dow employees
- Join a Labor Day Celebration!
- COCA COLA: NOT TOO REFRESHING TO THEIR BECKLEY BRANCH EMPLOYEES
- WV AFL-CIO Mourns the Passing of Former Delegate Ron Fragale
- Teamsters Overwhelmingly Reject Contract
- Letter Carriers annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive Saturday
- Letter Carriers annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive Saturday
- Ceremony Sunday to honor WV workers who died on the job
- Statement from WV AFL-CIO President Josh Sword regarding Senate Bill 841
- A statement regarding Senate Bill 841 to cut unemployment benefits
- Cutting Earned Unemployment Benefits is Wrong
- WV AFL-CIO devastated at sudden passing of former President Kenneth Perdue
- A statement from West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword regarding Senator Joe Manchin’s decision to not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate
- Join a Labor Day Celebration!
- Ceremony Friday to honor WV workers who died on the job
- Teamster Members Unanimously Authorize Strike At Coke
- The PEIA Cost Shifting Bill (aka SB 268)
- Public Employee Representatives to Discuss Sweeping PEIA Legislation
- Details
SB 268 is a comprehensive bill that affects 230,000 plan participants of PEIA in many different ways.
- SB 268 will result in a 26% premium increase for all active PEIA participants beginning July 1, 2023.
- Short-term and long-term effects to retiree and non-state coverage is unknown.
- SB 268 places a "marriage penalty" on active participants whose spouse has access to health insurance through an employer, regardless of the level or cost of that option. PEIA has reported the penalty will be $147 per month. SB268 will result in over $500 million in "savings" to the state by 2027. "Savings to the state" actually means that over $500 million in additional premiums and other out-of-pocket costs will now fall on the backs of plan participants annually.
- Legislative leaders are trying to make PEIA solvent by reducing benefits and kicking participants off the plan instead of creating a dedicated revenue stream for long-term stability.
- Under SB 268, according to PEIA officials, an employee making $45,000 with family coverage who also has to pay the "marriage penalty" will have to pay an additional $2,672 next year for PEIA coverage. An employee making $30,000 in the same situation would pay an additional $2,494 next year.
- Since 2017, premiums have remained roughly the same. However, both deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums have increased exponentially over the same period. For families, the deductible has increased $450 annually and the out-of-pocket maximum has increased at least $2,400, and in some cases over $3,000, annually. It's disingenuous to focus only on premiums when talking about participant costs associated with PEIA.
- SB 268 mandates plan participants that utilize out-of-state providers will pay at least 30% of the costs. This will result in a 10% out-of-pocket increase or more for their care. Printed in house for educational purposes only.
- Details
CHARLESTON – With minimal discussion, the Senate today has adopted legislation making sweeping changes to insurance coverage for 230,000 PEIA plan participants. Senate Bill 268 will trigger a 26 percent increase in employee premiums for state participants; penalize public employees that are married; potentially lead to the exclusion of local police, firefighters and emergency services employees from PEIA; and create even more uncertainty regarding the status of retirees participating in PEIA.
The bill was passed in conjunction with a $2,300 across-the-board pay raise for some public employees that in all likelihood will be consumed by the increased new insurance costs.
- Details
Members of the media are invited to attend the Celebration of Life ceremony for former West Virginia AFL-CIO President Jim Bowen, who dedicated his life and career to the betterment of working men and women across the state of West Virginia.
Jim served as president of the WV AFL-CIO from 1997 to 2004.
The celebration, which will include tributes from a host of labor leaders from throughout the state, will takeplace from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, at Four Points Sheraton, 600 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston.
- Details
The following is a statement from WV AFL-CIO Vice President, longtime UMWA representative, and state Senator Mike Caputo regarding the passing of former WV AFL-CIO President Jim Bowen:
“The world is a better place because of Jim Bowen’s efforts for working people across West Virginia and theentire United States,” Caputo said. “Every day, whether it was on the picket lines at the steel mills and coal mines or in the halls of the Capitol, if it was your fight, it was Jim’s fight. He always put himself before others, and led by example.
“Jim’s passing leaves a tremendous hole in our hearts, and I will dearly miss his friendship, but he will continue to inspire all of us in the labor movement here in West Virginia and beyond to fight even harder to give working families a better way of life. He would expect no less.”
- Details
Former West Virginia AFL-CIO President Jim Bowen, who dedicated his life and career to the betterment of working men and women across the state of West Virginia and the entire country, passed away today at the age of 87.
“I struggle to put into words how important Jim Bowen has been to the labor movement here in West Virginia,”said WV AFL-CIO President Josh Sword. “He was a mentor to me and so many others who strive to help workers secure good paying, safe jobs and have a powerful voice in the workplace.”