Unions v. Insurance Mandate

Supporters of an insurance mandate in Michigan will resume their fight in 2011, but unions stand in their way. The Flint Journal reports:

But divisions remain, even between usual allies, such as Senate Democrats and the UAW.

The measure was opposed by the Michigan AFL-CIO and the UAW, whose leaders said they want to be able to bargain health care coverage options.

“There are things that sound like the right thing to do because of the social reasons, but when you pick it apart, we have legislators trying to dictate to us how we are going to negotiate our agreements,” said Norwood Jewell, director of UAW Region 1C.

“We are not cold to the fact that there is an issue out there with autism, but we have to be responsible about it. We have to figure out a better way than a legislative mandate that is going cost more than people can afford.

“With health care costs going up and people’s wages going down, we need to take more time to look at other options,” he said.