Newton Independent
Retirees from Windstream, the Little Rock, Ark., company that recently acquired Newton-based Iowa Telecom, are screaming about the heatlh insurance premium increases they are seeing.
In a story out of New Mexico on Monday, one retiree said his health insurance premium jumped from $80 a month to $300 while another said his increased from $126 a month to $1,189.
The increases lead a number of retirees to picket a Windstream facility in Carlsbad.
Company officials said retirees were notified late last year of the pending changes to their retiree health benefits in order to give them time to make decisions regarding health insurance. The spokesperson said the changes "are necessary in order to remain a competitive company," the story states.
Windstream has also filed a class action lawsuit, much like Whirlpool's suit against retired Newton Maytag workers, seeking "guidance" whether the changes are permitted.
Recent Comments