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OPINION OF TRUSTEES _____________________________________________________________________________
Complainant: Respondent: ROD Case No:
In Re
Employee
Employer
81-631 – August 11, 1987
Board of Trustees: Joseph P. Connors, Sr., Chairman; Paul R. Dean, Trustee; William B. Jordan, Trustee; William Miller, Trustee; Donald E. Pierce, Jr., Trustee.
Pursuant to Article IX of the United Mine Workers of America (“UMWA”) 1950 Benefit Plan and Trust, and under the authority of an exemption granted by the United States Department of Labor, 受托人审查了有关根据雇主福利计划条款为雇员提供健康福利的争议的事实和情况.
Background Facts
The Complainant worked for the Respondent in a classified job from January 1984 to October 19, 1984. The Respondent was an independent contractor for United Pocahontas Coal Company. 被上诉人和联合波卡洪塔斯公司是1981年全国烟煤工资协议(“工资协议”)的签署人, which expired on September 30, 1984. At the beginning of October 1984, United Pocahontas was engaged in negotiations with the UMWA for a successor agreement. Through a verbal agreement with the Union, United Pocahontas agreed to provide coverage during negotiations as long as work ensued and no strike occurred. A representative of United Pocahontas has stated that the Respondent was included in that agreement. 被投诉人声称，它从未达成任何口头协议，将1981年工资协议的条款延长至9月30日以后, 1984. On October 19, 1984, the Union called a selective economic strike against United Pocahontas and its contractors, including the Respondent. The Respondent ceased operations as of that date and did not sign the 1984 Wage Agreement.
投诉人的代表坚持认为，投诉人在1981年工资协议到期后继续为被投诉人工作，因为他认为该协议的条款有口头延长. 投诉人声称，被投诉人告诉他和被投诉人的其他雇员“一切都将保持原样”,” even though the Respondent had not signed the 1984 Agreement. The Complainant was paid the standard wage rate for his classification for work performed in October 1984, and his
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答辩人按工资协议的规定向皇冠搏彩中心网站报告该月的工作时数.
The Complainant has submitted unpaid bills for medical services performed between October 8, 1984 and October 13, 1984. 申诉人认为，在此期间，被申请人有责任为其作为在职雇员提供健康福利. The Complainant asks whether the Respondent is responsible for payment of his unpaid medical bills. In the alternative, 申诉人询问1974年《皇冠搏彩中心网站》福利计划和信托皇冠搏彩中心网站是否负责他在此期间的健康福利.
The Respondent has stated that it did not terminate the Complainant’s health benefits coverage. 被告认为，1984年10月期间这种保险一直在继续，因为截至11月8日，联合波卡洪塔斯公司开出的每张汇款支票都扣除了保险费, 1984. 被投诉人后来被联合波卡洪塔斯和投诉人告知，投诉人的保险已于9月30日被取消, 1984 because United Pocahontas did not submit the premium payments to the insurance carrier. 被投诉人拒绝承担支付投诉人索赔的责任，并建议将责任分配给联合波卡洪塔斯公司.
Dispute
Is the Respondent responsible for providing health benefits to the Complainant as an Employee beyond September 30, 1984?
Positions of the Parties
投诉人的立场:投诉人询问，被投诉人是否负责在9月30日以后提供其作为雇员的健康福利, 1984.
Position of the Respondent: The Respondent maintains that as an independent contractor of United Pocahontas, health benefits coverage for its Employees was handled by United Pocahontas. Therefore, United Pocahontas is responsible for providing health benefits coverage for the Complainant after September 30, 1984.
Pertinent Provisions
Article XX(c)(3)(i) of the National Bituminous Coal Wage Agreement of 1981 provides:
(3)(i) Each signatory Employer shall establish and maintain an Employee benefit plan to provide, implemented through an insurance carrier(s), health and other non-pension benefits for its Employees covered by this Agreement as well as pensioners, under the 1974 Pension Plan and Trust, whose last signatory classified employment was with such Employer. 雇主根据该等计划向其合格参与者提供的福利应在本协议期限内由雇主保证
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Employer at levels set forth in such plans. 此类计划还应包括各签署雇主在12月5日之前继续支付死亡抚恤金, 1977, 适用于1974年退休金计划下的已故雇员及退休人员，而其最后签署人的分类受雇是受雇于该雇主, in the same manner and in the same amounts as previously provided for in the 1974 Benefit Plan and Trust. The plans established pursuant to this subsection are incorporated by reference and made a part of this Agreement, 根据这些计划提供的健康和其他非养老金福利的条款和条件应在这些计划中规定.
Article I (1), (2) and (4) of the Employer Benefit Plan provide: Article I – Definitions
The following terms shall have the meanings herein set forth:
(4) “Employee” shall mean a person working in a classified job for the Employer, eligible to receive benefits hereunder.
Article II A. (4) of the Employer Benefit Plan provides: Article II – Eligibility
A. Active Employees
(4) A new Employee will be eligible for health benefits from the first day worked with the Employer.
Article III D. (2) of the Employer Benefit Plan provides: Article III – Benefits
D. General Provisions
(2) Advanced Insurance Premiums
In the event of an economic strike at the expiration of the Wage Agreement, the Employer will advance the premiums for its health, vision
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care and life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance coverage for the first 30 days of such strike. 这些预付保险费应在这些雇员返回工作岗位时通过支票扣除的方式偿还给雇主. Should a strike continue beyond 30 days, the Union or such Employees may elect to pay premiums themselves.
Discussion
1981年工资协议第XX (c)(3)(i)条要求签署雇主建立并维持雇主福利计划，为其分类雇员提供健康和其他非养老金福利. 《官方网站》规定，在协议有效期内，雇主根据该计划提供的福利应得到保障.
这里的问题是，在被投诉人没有签署1984年工资协议的情况下，被投诉人是否有责任在1981年工资协议期满后为申诉人提供医疗保险. 向雇员及其家属提供的福利是通过集体谈判确定的，雇主在工资协议到期后的合同谈判期间不得单方面改变, so long as the Employees continue working and no impasse has been reached, and no strike has occurred. In the event of an economic strike at the expiration of the Wage Agreement, Article III D. (2)雇主福利计划要求雇主提前支付雇员在该等罢工的前30天的保险费.
虽然被上诉人已声明没有协议将1981年工资协议的条款延长至9月30日以后, 1984, 上述陈述与显示答辩人在9月30日后继续遵守工资协议条款的记录证据相矛盾, 1984. The Respondent continued to pay the wage rates established under the Wage Agreement, it continued to report hours worked to the Funds, and it did not take any measures to terminate the Complainant’s health benefits coverage. Furthermore, 申诉人和联合波卡洪塔斯都声称，在谈判期间曾口头同意延长1981年工资协议的条款, as long as work ensued and no strike occurred. 因为投诉人根据1981年工资协议的条款继续为被投诉人工作，直到10月19日罢工发生, 1984, the Respondent is responsible for advancing the premiums for such coverage for the first 30 days of such strike. 被投诉人与联合波卡洪塔斯就提供健康福利作出的任何安排，并不解除被投诉人根据《官方网站》条款向投诉人提供保险的主要责任.
Opinion of the Trustees
被投诉人负责支付投诉人经济罢工头30天的医疗保险.