Wednesday, October 20, 2004 Posted: 11:53 AM EDT (1553 GMT)
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FRANKFORT, Kentucky (AP) -- The state teachers union was to reconsider a threatened strike after the Kentucky General Assembly met its insurance demands Tuesday.
Both chambers signed off on changes to the 2005 state plan, capping more than two weeks of a special session Gov. Ernie Fletcher called to deal with the matter. Fletcher planned to sign the proposal, which covers about 229,000 retired and active public school employees and state workers.
Kentucky Education Association officials summoned board members to Frankfort for a Tuesday evening meeting. KEA president Frances Steenbergen said she would tell the board that the legislature's plan "does the things that the board wanted" and was sufficient to call off the strike.
Fletcher proposed cuts in health benefits earlier this month, saying the state does not have the money for its current plan. But he also promised to work with lawmakers to consider alternatives.
Teachers threatened to strike on October 27 if their current benefits were not restored.
Among other things, the new proposal lowers premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. Employee premiums would be standardized across the state and would not be based on salary. Rates are higher for smokers.
The plan also includes raises for teachers, state employees, retirees and judges.
The plan -- estimated to cost the state about $172 million -- also approved a change that would lock in $2.4 billion in basic school funding.
