Health Coverage on Union Agenda

As president of the Culver City Federation of Teachers, I feel a responsibility to respond to Sheldon Ito’s article, “Get the Picture?” (Times, Feb. 21), concerning lifetime medical coverage for Culver City teachers.

I am surprised that your reporter was unable to see that the union shares Howard Bennett’s concern for lifetime health coverage. Indeed, Ito’s article implied that the Culver City Federation of Teachers (the union) and Bennett hold opposing views on the issue. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Lifetime health coverage has been on the negotiating table every year since collective bargaining came in to Culver City in 1977. The Culver City Federation of Teachers is concerned, as is Bennett, that such coverage does not exist for 90% of the teachers in California. The union is continuing its search into obtaining funds for such a necessary benefit.

If The Times is as interested in teachers as it is in cartoons, perhaps it would see fit to seriously investigate the grave situation that teachers face as they pass age 65 without Medicare or other health coverage.

DIANE KAISER

President, Culver City

Federation of Teachers