03/29/2024

Brown’s Retiree Health Care Proposal Stalls

Gov. Jerry Brown’s January budget proposal called for an overhaul of California’s state worker retiree health care system. It faces more than $70 billion in long-term debt. Seven months later, nothing’s changed.

The governor wants state workers to pre-pay some of their retiree health care costs and work longer before claiming benefits. He also wants the state to offer lower-cost plans. He’s trying to achieve those changes through labor negotiations.

The Brown administration is currently in talks with five of the state’s 21 bargaining units – but there are no deals. Bruce Blanning, who represents California’s state engineers, says his union is open to the changes.

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