OLYMPIA—After International Association of Machinists (IAM) 751 and W24 union members on September 12 voted overwhelmingly against its Collective Bargaining Agreement with Boeing and to strike, Senator Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines) is reminding striking workers of their eligibility for health and dental insurance through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange.
“Striking workers and their family members need to know that they have a safety net and don’t have to give up their health care,” Keiser said. “Our health benefit exchange offers great options that can continue your health insurance coverage and save you money.”
For those Boeing workers now on strike, whose employer-sponsored health care coverage is expected to end September 30th if the strike continues, that means they can apply for a plan immediately that will go into effect if their coverage ends at the end of the month.
Senate Bill 5632 that was sponsored by Senator Keiser (D-Des Moines) and passed during the 2024 legislative session, allows workers who lose health care coverage due to a strike or labor dispute may apply for health and dental insurance through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. Applicants have a 60-day special enrollment period before and after employer coverage ends to shop for a health or dental plan on Washington Healthplanfinder.
Striking employees are generally not eligible for unemployment benefits in Washington and will not receive any pay from Boeing. Striking employees will not be allowed to charge vacation time nor sick leave during the strike. If a new contract is not put in place by the end of September, company-paid health care benefits will end for striking employees and their covered family members effective the end of day on September 30, 2024.
“We spent years working to get this protection for striking workers passed into law, and people need to know that they can take advantage of this opportunity,” Keiser continued. “I want to thank Rep. Nicole Macri for her help getting this bill through the House and all of the legislators who worked to get this done.”
In the past, Boeing Machinist strikes have lasted as little as 19 days in 1965 to as long as 69 days in 1995, with the exception being 20 weeks in 1948, King 5 reported.
According to an article by Labor Notes, starting the third week of the strike, the union will provide striking employees $250 per week to relieve some of the financial stress to their decision to strike. The article also mentions that striking workers are picking up outside work such as Doordash or Uber.
Workers applying for insurance on Washington Healthplanfinder should follow these instructions:
- Visit wahealthplanfinder.org or download the WAPlanfinder mobile app.
- Create or sign in to an account.
- Fill out an application, report that there was a “loss of other coverage” and enter the last day of employer-sponsored coverage to open a special enrollment period.
- Review plan options and select a new insurance plan to enroll in.
- For assistance, select “Get Support” on the Healthplanfinder home page or call 855-923-4633.
- When employer-sponsored health care coverage resumes, make sure to cancel your plan with Washington Healthplanfinder.
Depending on factors such as household income and family size, workers shopping on Washington Healthplanfinder may qualify for savings that could lower the cost of their health care plan or even make it free.
Striking workers may also have the option to maintain employer-sponsored health care coverage through the federal COBRA program, but this is often a more expensive option. Keiser encourages workers to compare options on Washington Healthplanfinder before accepting COBRA coverage.
