Unions protest Michigan Speaker's public employee health care plan

The Detroit News reports:

Members of a dozen unions representing 400,000 state, municipal and school employees protested at the Capitol today a plan to create one enormous health care plan to cover all public sector employees.

The unions predicted that as many as a million Michiganians -- including spouses and children -- could have benefits reduced if the proposal by House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, is adopted.

But representatives of school administrators and school boards quickly defended the savings estimates put forth in the plan -- and said the unions are just trying to scare public employees.

"Public sector (health insurance) covers over a million people, many of whose spouses work in the private sector and don't have coverage," said Mark Gaffney, president of the Michigan State AFL-CIO. "The plan assumes savings that can only be gained by cuts on the plans of 400,000 Michigan citizens."