Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian on Monday issued orders that would eliminate longevity for non-union employees hired after July 1, 2004 and will require them to contribute 5 percent of their salaries for family health insurance plans and 2.5 percent toward individual coverage.
The order also includes a graduated health insurance co-payment plan for current non-union employees that would call for contribution of 1 percent of salary for those enrolled in family health insurance plans and half of one percent of salary for those with individual plans, effective July 1, 2004; contribution of 2 percent of salary for those enrolled in family health insurance plans and 1 percent of salary for those with individual plans, effective July 1, 2005; contribution of 4 percent and 2 percent, respectively, effective July 1, 2006; and contribution of 5 percent and 2.5 percent, effective July 1, 2007, the mayor’s office said.
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The order, which would affect about 130 people, will save the city $60,000 in its first year, the mayor’s office said. Avedisian has also asked three city union presidents – police, fire and municipal workers – to meet with him to consider reopening their contracts to include a similar clause. The fire contract expire June 30, 2005 and the other two on June 30, 2006.
The mayor recently negotiated a three-year contract with the crossing guard union that requires members to contribute to their health plan costs for the first time in city history. Avedisian also wrote to School Superintendent Robert Shapiro and the school committee to ask them to consider adapting a similar policy in the school department.
