A group representing federal retirees say they feel “betrayed” by the decision by the 2014 budget, which will double Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) premiums.
“Federal retirees, and in particular our veterans, are disappointed that the government chose to announce this unilateral move in the budget,” says National Association of Federal Retirees president Gary Oberg. “We believe this is unprecedented and flies in the face of the principles of negotiation.”
The government also announced its intention to increase the eligibility period required for health insurance coverage in retirement, from two years to six.
Retiree costs and eligibility for the PSHCP have been the subject of ongoing negotiations within the National Joint Council, comprising federal employee unions, the National Association of Federal Retirees and the Treasury Board.
Oberg says the budget demonstrates that the government “does not respect the negotiation process and that they seem to believe that they have the right to legislate what should be negotiated.”
The National Association of Federal Retirees is the largest national advocacy organization representing over 186,000 active and retired members of the federal public sector.