As we wait for the Republicans and PEOTUS DJ Trump
to come up with their replacement for the Affordable Care Act, and while I
listen to announcements on the closing of schools for weather (I still get a
charge out of hearing my schools mentioned), I am reminded of the contract
negotiations about the calendar and the issue of snow days at Hancock, back in
the ‘70s.
Calendar negotiation was a minefield for both the
union and administration, because one thing was guaranteed: no matter what you
agreed to about the start of school, the end of school, the breaks, both length
and placement, a significant number of people would be pissed off and loudly
unhappy.
Snow day scheduling was also a challenge for a
while. Hancock teachers, being on the bottom as far as competitive salaries
were concerned compared to most other county districts, were not inclined to
work more days than was required by law. The district, on the other hand,
wanted a set calendar and thus insisted on a certain number of snow days to
make sure we met state requirements. If we didn’t use them, well, BONUS! (Bonus
for the district. anyway.) This was before snow days were as common and state
aid was tied to attendance for districts like the Place.
Our proposal, for several years running, had
called for scheduling the minimum number of required days (no snow days),
with the proviso that whatever days necessary to meet state standards in the
event of a run of bad weather would be tacked on to the end of the year. Every
year that proposal was rejected and the fight went on. Compromise wasn’t a
dirty word back then and we always managed to reach agreement.
Knowing that our usual proposal was destined for
rejection, we offered a variation – scheduling several extra days (we didn’t
care how many) but removing any extras at the end of the year. The
administrative negotiating team responded that they couldn’t possibly do that,
but would come return with a counter-proposal.
And they did. Their proposal: schedule no
snow days, but add any needed extra days on to the end of the school year.
After we rubbed our sore jaws, removed them from the table, stopped the
bleeding from our tongues, and composed ourselves after stifling our
incredulous laughter, we caucused and came back to accept their proposal.
Once the proposal wasn’t ours, but theirs, it became acceptable.
The ACA (aka Obamacare, née RomneyCare, spawn of the conservative Heritage Foundation) seems doomed, but Speaker Ryan and
PEOTUS DJ Trump both claim to have (secret?) plans to replace it. Mr. Trump
even says his plan will cover everyone. Given that I have both a daughter and
now a granddaughter with auto-immune diseases that would, pre-ACA, have
eliminated them from insurance coverage due to their pre-existing
conditions (a known problem before the ACA {I’m choosing to use that
acronym to minimize the frothing that seems to result in some corners every
time President Obama’s name gets mentioned}), that piece is crucial to me and
my family.
I admit that it will irk me if the vilified
Obamacare morphs into superfantastic Trumpcare or Ryancare or GOPcare
(modifications that could have begun 6 years ago had the goal been to actually do something for
the citizens and not just deny credit to the president), but, like the snow day
policy of so many years ago, I’ll just take the win and move on.
Oh, and just like you paid for the treatment of
those who did not have insurance when they showed up at an ER before the ACA,
or got “free” care from a hospital, you’ll also pay for the new and improved
health care plan that is coming soon to a neighborhood near you. It just won’t
be called Obamacare. And if that somehow makes you feel better about it, well, okay. Health care is all about feeling better.
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