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are Key to Success
Have you ever searched endlessly for your car keys, looking high and low, only to find they're in your pants pocket? Once found, you spend the next hour cursing yourself for not looking in your pocket in the first place. The moral of the story is: sometimes what you're looking for can be found in the most obvious place, but usually the obvious place is the most difficult one to see. Fortunately, the leadership of Local 587 was savvy enough to find such a hidden talent in Rosie Scholz. They found her in - of all places - the Key Department of Milwaukee Area Technical College. Who knew Scholz possessed a unique perspective of the college's health care plan that few others (if any) could offer? Scholz's insight became an invaluable resource for the college and Local 587 as both parties searched desperately to find a solution to sharp increases in health care costs at MATC. The creation of a Health Care Committee was formed at the college in 2001, after another year of double digit increases in health care costs. The MATC Board of Directors was forced to seek alternative solutions to the health care coverage being offered by the college's current provider because that coverage had become unaffordable. The committee was comprised of a collaborative team from AFSCME Local 587, AFT Local 212, IBEW Local 715 and management. The overall goal of this joint committee was to find an alternative costs-savings plan that would minimize future increases in health care costs to MATC. They were asked to review the college's current prescription drug coverage and health insurance plans and to make recommendations as to the best way to minimize costs. They were also asked to explore the concept of "wellness" and how it could play a part in curbing future costs to the college.
Analyzing reports coming from the Health Care Committee and finding discrepancies in some of the figures being applied to the college, Rosie Scholz was compelled to e-mail Local 587 President, JoAnn Haglund. "How can our health care costs keep going up? Look at the discounts we're receiving. For example, a typical lab test is $75, but we (MATC) are paying only $3 after our negotiated rate," she wrote. In another memo Scholz asked, "An X-ray cost $200 but the college only paid $23. We didn't have this negotiated rate several years ago. How can costs be skyrocketing?" Scholz continued tracking the discounts health care providers were offering the college and in some instances could recite how much a particular procedure cost, and what MATC was actually being charged. Astutely recognizing an untapped resource for the union, Haglund wanted to get Scholz more involved in the process of health care negotiations. She asked Scholz to take her place on the Health Care Committee while she was on vacation in April of 2002, but wasn't sure Rosie would take on the responsibility. Scholz accepted the invitation without hesitation and never looked back. She became a respected voice on the committee adding to the group a terrific blend of enthusiasm, education and real life experience to the discussions. "I just stayed. I never left. They would have to pry me out of that room because I didn't want to leave," Scholz laughed. Putting A Lock On Health Care The committee agreed on a final health care plan that is expected to save MATC about $1.2 million in the current budget year. Employees continue to have all of their health care options and will not pay more toward their health care premiums. They will pay higher co-payments if they select to purchase a plan other than the narrow network HMO. "It's kind of a pay as you go plan," said Scholz. "If you use it, you pay more. If you don't use it, you don't. We want people to buy into the plan and use it appropriately to curb costs." Employees enrolled in a plan other than the narrow network will now have a prescription drug card and will pay $5 for generic drugs that are in the plan and $10 for brand name drugs. The plan includes an incentive to use a "mail in" prescription method for maintenance drugs. Employees can submit a prescription for a 90-day supply, paying the same $5/$10 co-payment, and have the medication sent to their home. Savings come from paying only one co-payment for a three-month supply of the medication compared to one co-payment each month at a pharmacy. "The plans that were designed by the committee depend on the MATC community making well informed choices of how the health care is used to contain costs. MATC, as a technical college, has always been a trendsetter, and I believe that our health care plan is a plan that other organizations will want to use as a comparison or a model," Scholtz said. A major element of the MATC health care agreement is that no further increases in deductibles, co-payments, premiums or out-of-pocket maximums or changes in hospital networks can be subject to bargaining through June 30, 2007. The Health Care Committee will continue to look outside of the box when it comes to wellness programs to offset future costs. They plan to look into utilizing more "in house" wellness methods rather than purchasing expensive plans from outside providers if possible. The college already has many resources right at their fingertips such as a Nursing and Dietician Technician Program, Staff Nurse, Physical Education Teacher and many others that may be able to play an important role in keeping health care costs down. Scholz says her major contribution to the committee was getting mammogram coverage included in the new insurance, no matter if the person was "in" or "out" of the network. She was also an advocate of keeping co-payments low enough that people would continue to go to the doctor when necessary. "I didn't want people to say they couldn't go to the doctor and then have something get worse." "I am very proud of the work that was accomplished by the Labor Management team. The outcome of the committee's work provides an agreement through 2007 that maintains excellent health care coverage, a choice of providers from three different plan options, and a wellness component the committee hopes will contain future health care costs," said Scholz. A Rose By Any Other Name MATC students and staff call on Rosemarie Scholz often when they find themselves in a jam. Some know her as Rosie - the lock and key lady, others know her as Rosie from Local 587, but many of her co-workers have now know her as Rosie the health care guru because they've come to count on her for answers concerning their new health care coverage. Scholz began her career at MATC as a secretary for the Business Division. "My boss at the time use to call me Carol," she laughs. Apparently his former secretary was named Carol and he wasn't very good at accepting change. "At first I'd correct him by telling him my name is Rosie," Scholz said. "But it didn't seem to matter. The next time he wanted something he'd yell, "CAROL". After a while, I just said forget it." She remained "Carol" until she left for maternity leave in the fall of 1979.
Rosie gave birth to the first of her two daughters, Rebecca (Becci) in 1979. Her second daughter Robin was born in September of 1982. Because Rosie's life became intertwined with the lives of her children, those who knew the family came to know Rosie as Mrs. Scholz or Becci and Robin's mom. After Becci arrived, Scholz decided to take six months of additional leave from MATC on the condition that she would have to take any job available upon her return. To her surprise she received a phone call from the college's Manager of Human Resources about an opening in the Key Department. "I told him, I don't know anything about keys," she said. Despite being somewhat intimidated by her lack of knowledge, Scholz accepted the job. She saw it as an opportunity to learn something new. "I learned the job on the fly, but I really like it because it has lots of variety. My boss at the time was a man I adored, Bobby Brown," she said. "He's now deceased, but I liked him a lot. He was a supportive boss. He basically took me to a room and said; here it is - see ya." Though she thought he was out of his mind at the time, Brown had the unique ability to see in Rosie the qualities he was looking for. She proved his instincts to be correct. Scholz was not only the right person for the job, but she went above and beyond what was given to her as a job description by expanding the position and making the job her own. "He gave me a chance to learn and create the job so I thought I'd like it. I learned the cycle by talking to carpenters and people in the lock company," Scholz said. She took a job that was essentially cutting keys, and turned it into a position that plays a significant role in how the college operates. She now coordinates services of the carpenters and building services workers, and she works with the construction services department by looking over floor plans for remodeling projects before making recommendations. She also feeds locks and keys to all of the MATC campuses, troubleshoots when problems arise, and makes minor repairs when needed. "Every year I added something new. My title at that time was Clerk-Typist III - Key Department. I had that title for many years until about six years ago when I pushed for a reclassification. I was doing all this work with floor plans and coordinating, I felt I had grown well above my job title," she said. With the help of DC 48 Staff Representative, Malou Noth, Rosie was able to win a new job classification. She now holds the title, Clerical typist IV - Lock and Key Specialist, and she's the only person in the state of Wisconsin with this job designation. She was also compensated for the revenue lost during her four-year fight. Lemons To Lemonade The health care arena has been an area of interest to Scholz for many years. As a student at MATC she majored in Medical Secretary Science, earning an associates degree in 1971. Little did she know at that time her education was only about to begin. In 1985 her husband Richard (Rick) suffered a near fatal heart attack. It was during this difficult time when Rosie learned more about insurance plans, health care providers, co-payment, premiums and deductibles than she ever imagined. "This is not about my tragedies, but it (the learning experience) is turning into a good thing," Scholz said. "It's really about how our health care system is coming to grips with the (rising) costs." Rick and Rosie Scholz were married April 28, 1973. Rick, also an MATC graduate in Printing and Publishing Operations, was working as a typesetter for Trade Press Publishing Corporation at the time of his heart attack in 1985. He was laid-off permanently 6 months after suffering the attack. The Scholz family struggled to come to grips with Rick's health as well as the financial implications involved, but the couple agreed they would not let their kids see the pain they were going through. "We sacrificed a lot so they could pretend nothing happened," said Rosie.
Once Rick was back on his feet, the economy was poor and the publishing industry was down, but he found a job working for the now defunct Wisconsin Colored Press. He accepted the position working for apprentice wages though he had vast experience in the industry. It only added to Rosie's worries when she went to visit Rick at his new job one day. "It was like a dungeon," she said. "He worked in a poorly lit basement area with low ceilings and failing equipment. It was a rough time for him, and they had no rights." Rick worked for the company for six years, but knew he had to make a change so he took an entry exam and applied at the Post Office. "He asked me if he should go and I told him yes - you hate your job, you should go," Rosie said. "It was a risk because when you take a job at the Post Office you start out as a part-time flexible employee and you're only guaranteed 20 hours a week." The gamble paid off for the Scholz's. Rick never worked less than 40 hours a week and he is now a member of The AFL-CIO American Postal Workers Union. "He gets a good salary, he's in a labor union and he actually gets breaks," Rosie laughs. Through all the turmoil, Rosie and Rick were able to provide a great life for their daughters. Becci graduated in the top 10 percent of her class at Greenfield High School where she played first base and was the captain of her softball team. She went on to spend three years at UW Lacrosse as a Chemistry Major, and now attends the University of Illinois at Chicago's College of Pharmacy. Robin was class Valedictorian at Greenfield High School and also played first base and was the captain of the school's softball team. She now studies Communication Arts at the University of Wisconsin Madison. Rosie has been active in her daughter's baseball and softball activities since Becci was six-years-old. With the kids grown and in college, she keeps busy by attending a class called, "Boning Up Your Skeletal Muscles" and an aerobics. Both classes are offered free to MATC staff members and there is a waiting list to get in. She would like to see more classes like these offered to staff members through the college. She's also an excellent cook (pies are her specialty) and loves spending time with her husband Rick and her dog she named Spooky because he was born on Halloween. Rosie wants to stay active in Local 587 and continue her work on the Health Care Committee. "I want to stay on the committee and work on wellness - get some programs started," she said. "I think I've contributed in a good way." Rosie's formal education, personal history and union involvement opened doors for her to become a respected voice during negotiations for a new health care plan. Her experience on the committee has been a positive one. "It was a joint venture between us (Local 587) management, Local 212 and Local 715," she said. "We really worked well together to get an excellent plan with excellent coverage."
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© 2002 AFSCME District Council 48 Your e-mail feedback welcome!
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