This union isn't bargaining with the CEO of a major corporation, but rather with taxpayer dollars, and yet where is our voice in the process? Doing rough math, a gold plated health care plan for a family is about $1200 a month. (My best guesstimate based on what I know of the cost and coverage for state employees, assuming LCC workers are receiving a similar or better plan.) That leaves workers paying approximately $1400 a year in premiums, which they can offset using $1100 in flex spending, leaving them responsible for just $340 PER YEAR/ $28 PER MONTH in health care costs. Even with the increase in costs of 16.5%, the workers are still receiving excellent coverage for themselves and their FAMILIES for just $1276 PER YEAR, which would be less than what LCC contributes for a single MONTH with the added 16.5%. There are very few private sector employers that would provide this kind of benefit, and this kind of thing is exactly why public employee unions should not exist.