Swampscott unions shoot down GIC offer

The town will not be adopting the state Group Insurance Commission plan for the upcoming fiscal year.
Town Administrator Andrew Maylor confirmed the Swampscott Education Association voted to reject the town’s GIC offer Thursday. Maylor said the Swampscott Firefighters Union, Town Hall Clerical Union and School Custodians also voted against adopting the GIC.
In order for the town to join the GIC for the upcoming fiscal year it needed a signed Public Employee agreement in place by Oct. 1 and the state requires a 70 percent vote in favor for the town to adopt the GIC. Once SEA voted down the GIC it was a moot point because Maylor said it is impossible for the GIC to pass without the support of the teachers union, which has approximately 58 weighted percent of the vote. The state gives retirees a 10 percent weighted vote and the other unions get a percentage of the vote based on membership. With the exception of the teachers union and retirees, each of the unions has less than 10 percent of the weighted voted.
Maylor said because the unions voted not to accept the GIC proposal the town would not be able to meet the Oct. 1 deadline for Fiscal Year 2010.
See Saturday’s Daily Item for complete story.