Management and union health and medical programs / Margaret C. Klem and Margaret F. McKiever.

  • United States. Public Health Service. Division of Occupational Health
Date:
1953
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Management and union health and medical programs / Margaret C. Klem and Margaret F. McKiever. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Growth of Programs A United States Department of Labor study shows that by mid- 1950 practically every major union in the country (excluding unions representing railroad and government employees for whom special Federal, State, or municipal legislation exists) had to some extent negotiated pension or health and welfare programs, providing one or more of the following: life insurance or death benefits; accidental death and dismemberment payments; accident and sickness benefits (but not sick leave or workmen’s compensation) ; cash or services covering hospital, surgical, maternity, and medical care. The rapid growth of such programs is shown by the fact that the number of persons covered had more than doubled between 1948 and 1950. In the latter year, at least 7.7 million workers (about 50 per- cent of all union membership) were estimated to be eligible for some type of health, welfare, and/or pension benefit. At that time 4.6 mil- lion workers were eligible for health and welfare as well as pension or retirement benefits; 2.5 million, for health and welfare benefits alone; and 0.5 million, for pensions alone. _ Differences in benefits provided were found to exist between the unions affiliated with the two major labor groups. Of 2.7 million AFL members reported to be covered by some kind of employee benefit plan under collective bargaining agreements in 1950, about a third had both health and welfare benefits and pensions, about half had health and welfare benefits alone, and about a sixth had only pensions. On the other hand, of the 3.6 million CIO members with coverage, more than three-fourths were covered by both types of benefits; about one fifth had only health and welfare benefits; and a very small proportion ~ had pensions only. <A pattern somewhat similar to that of the CIO was evident for the 1.3 million covered members of unaffiliated unions. In appendix 10, covered workers are classified according to type of benefit and union affiliation. Of the more than 7 million workers eligible for health and welfare benefits, 4.8 million were estimated to have hospitalization, and 4.4, some type of medical coverage. In addition, an unknown number of dependents were eligible for hospitalization and medical benefits through such programs. : Current coverage for health and welfare benefits is estimated to be between 9 and 10 million (about two-thirds of all union membership), with 7 million estimated to have hospitalization and 6.5 million, some form of medical protection. Growth of the programs was greatly stimulated by relaxation of Wage Stabilization Board regulations in 1951 to permit inauguration or amendment of approved health and welfare plans without the necessity of including funds used for this