Union News & Announcements

Because of an increase in premium costs, members' weekly
contributions to the Taft-Hartley Health Fund will increase slightly
beginning the week of May 31. The Union trustees and the rest of the
Guild Negotiating Team anticipate members' weekly contributions will be
adjusted again in the coming months. But this time they should be coming
down.



If and when the Guild and Globe management reach agreement and the Union
membership ratifies a new contract, a big part of the settlement will be
additional Company contributions to the Health Fund. It is impossible to
know the exact size of these contributions, what impact they will have
on weekly contributions, or when the adjustments will take effect.



But it is safe to say there will be no tentative contract agreement
without sufficient Company contributions to allow our members to receive
relief from the exorbitant health care costs they have endured for some
time.



The position of the Guild Negotiating Team, and strongly backed by the
membership, remains that the time is long overdue for the Globe to pay
its fair share for health care.



The new rates, an increase of between 2 percent and 7 percent depending
on participants' coverage, are detailed in a mailing to Plan
participants and in a separate posting on Union bulletin boards.



While the Plan trustees regret having to make any increase, this one
could have been worse. Harvard Pilgrim's initial renewal proposal called
for a premium increase of almost 16 percent. The Plan trustees sought a
bid for a comparable plan from Blue Cross-Blue Shield, and the bid
process, along with some plan design changes, brought the premium
increase down to about 7.5 percent.



The plan design changes are outlined in a letter mailed to Plan
participants and posted on Union bulletin boards, and in an upcoming
mailing from Harvard Pilgrim. The Plan trustees, who also were reluctant
to make any design changes but did so to help contain the cost increase,
hope these will have minimal impact on members.

BNG/Boston Globe
Taft-Hartley Health Fund Joint Health Fund Trustees Announce New Weekly
Deductions
Due to an initial proposal of a 15.5% increase from
Harvard Pilgrim and 6% from Delta Dental the plan trustees solicited
competitive medical and dental bids from Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Massachusetts. Based on the bid process and plan design changes for the
medical and prescription drug plans, Harvard Pilgrim and Delta Dental
agreed to a combined increase of 7.5%. These steps allowed the plan
trustees to hold payroll deduction increases to between 2% and 7%
compared to 10% and 15% under the original proposals. The new payroll
deductions are listed below and will be effective with your June 3rd
paycheck. The plan design changes will be retroactive to May 1.



During the period beginning on Monday, May 17th and ending on Thursday,
May 27th, you may enroll in a health plan, change your health plan, or
add existing dependents to your coverage. BNG members may select medical
coverage from Harvard Pilgrim PPO or Harvard Pilgrim HMO or choose to
enroll or drop coverage with Delta Dental Plan (note: to elect dental
coverage you must be enrolled in one of the medical plan options). If
you wish to remain enrolled in your current medical or dental plan, no
action is required on your part. If you wish to enroll in a health plan
or the dental plan, change plans or obtain information about the choices
available please contact the Benefits Office on extension 2797 or the
BNG office at (617) 265-2666. All changes must be received by Thursday,
May 27th.


Below are the new weekly payroll deductions, which will become effective on June 3.

Note: the above payroll deductions may be taken on a pre-tax basis. For example, if you are a full time employee and elect Family HMO coverage with a deduction of $95.33, your actual reduction in net pay would be $66.73 based on a conservative estimated Federal, State & FICA tax bracket of 30%.

Plan Design Changes

Effective May 1st, the following plan
design changes are effective for the PPO, HMO and prescription drug
coverage.



• The PPO will include an In-Network and Out-of-Network deductible of
$250 per Member or $500 maximum a Family per calendar year. The Out of
Network deductible will also be changed to $250/$500 from the current
$300/600.



• The PPO In-Network and Out-of-Network coinsurance out of pocket
maximum will increase from $2,000 Individual/$4,000 Family to $3,000
Individual/$6,000/Family.



• The PPO will introduce an In-Network and Out-of-Network inpatient
Acute Hospital (including Day Surgery) copayment of $250 per admission.



• The HMO In-Network inpatient Acute Hospital (including Day Surgery)
will change from $50 per day to a maximum of $250 to $250 per admission.



• For the HMO & PPO the co-payments for the second tier (Formulary)
prescription drug coverage will increase from $20 to $25. The copayment
of $10 for the first tier (generic) and $40 for the third tier (name
brand) will remain the same.



Section 125 (Pre-Tax Deduction)



Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code
allows you to pay your weekly contributions on a pre-tax basis. This
reduces your actual weekly cost, since your employee contribution will
be deducted from your paycheck before State, Federal and Social Security
taxes are withheld. The law requires that on an annual basis you are
given the option to elect to have your health insurance payroll
deductions paid on either a pre-tax salary reduction or on an after-tax
salary basis. If you are currently enrolled in one of the plans offered
through the Taft-Hartley Health Fund and wish to change your method of
deduction, the attached "Election and Compensation Reduction Agreement"
must be completed signed and returned to the Benefits Department by May
27.

If you do not return the completed
form by May 27 your present method of deduction will be continued for
the 2004-2005 plan year.

If you are enrolling in one of the
medical plans offered through the Taft-Hartley Fund for the first time
and wish to have your method of deduction on an after-tax basis, the
attached "Election and Compensation Reduction Agreement" must be
completed, signed and returned to the Benefits Department by May 28. If
you wish to have your medical deduction on a pre-tax basis no action is
necessary on your part.

From now until May 27 the BNG/Boston
Globe Taft-Hartley Health Fund will be conducting a health and dental
insurance enrollment for BNG full and part-time members. If you are
currently enrolled in the PPO or HMO and wish to remain in the plan, no
action on your part is necessary. Otherwise, you must complete an
enrollment form by May 27 if you want to:



• Change your medical plan or enroll for medical or dental coverage for
the first time.



• Add, drop or change your dependents under the medical or dental plan.



• Cancel coverage.



You may pick up enrollment forms at Human
Resources or request them by calling Betty Fahy on ext. 2797. If you have any questions please feel free to call Steve Behenna on ext. 3286
or the BNG union office at (617) 265-2666.

Sincerely,





The Plan Trustees

Steven Richards, BNG

Gregory Thornton, GNC

Mary Corbett, BNG

Harriet Gould, GNC

Patrice Sneyd, BNG

Steve Behenna, GNC

May 12, 2004