[TheForge] OT Union Rant (Was Re: concrete)

[theforge@mailman.qth.net]

On Thursday, March 18, 2004, at 11:53 AM, Darrell wrote:
>
> Why do people think it is the bosses job to pay for health care?
> Darrell
>
> http://www.machinemaster.com


Darrell,

I found an interesting timeline which details the rise of employer paid 
health benefits. Go here and scroll down to 1940s.

http://faculty.smu.edu/tmayo/health%20care%20timeline.htm

"During the 2nd World War, wage and price controls are placed
on American employers. To compete for workers, companies
began to offer health benefits, giving rise to the employer-based
system in place today".

and

"1942: National War Labor Board imposed wage freeze, but allowed
to exempt increases in the form of fringe benefits including health
insurance."

and

"The World War II wage and price freeze  encourages employers to look
at employee benefits as a way to improve employee morale.

Tax law changes reinforces this trend by: (1) making employer
expenditures for employee benefits deductible as a business expense;
and (2) not taxing as income the health benefits received by an 
individual
employee.

At the end of World War II, the Supreme Court concludes that the term
"wages" includes health care and pension benefits; and, therefore, these
benefits become legitimate items for collective bargaining under the 
federal
labor laws.

Bob
_____