Healthcare costs top list of member concerns in latest Education Minnesota poll.
Members expressed support for Education Minnesota’s response to Operation Metro Surge
Skyrocketing healthcare costs are top of mind for most members, according to a recent poll conducted by Education Minnesota. The union regularly commissions polling to provide members with an opportunity to share their thoughts on which issues are most important and their feelings on recent union activities. This poll surveyed over 4,000 members from late April to early May.
In the poll, over 80% of respondents said that they were very concerned about the cost of healthcare. This is a 12-point increase in the percentage of respondents who are very concerned about healthcare costs since last year. An additional 14% said they were somewhat concerned about healthcare costs, and only 6% of members said they were not concerned at all.
Similarly, 91% of members said that ensuring every educator has access to affordable healthcare is a top or high priority that the union should focus on.
This drastic uptick and increased intensity of concern follows years of skyrocketing premiums, where many educators are facing double-digit increases. For many locals, hard-fought raises are eaten up by increasing costs for health insurance. In a previous poll, half of respondents said that they had put off a doctor’s appointment because they could not afford it. Over the most recent bargaining cycle, several locals—including Anoka Hennepin Education Minnesota, the largest E-12 local in the state—nearly went on strike because of unaffordable healthcare costs.
Key numbers:
- 94% Concerned about the cost of healthcare.
- 91% Cite affordable healthcare as top priority.
- 72% Concerned about educator burnout.
The intense concerns about health insurance are also reflected in member engagement over the most recent legislative session. Our Healthcare Day of Action last March had the highest number of attendees of any Education Minnesota lobby day, along with a record number of legislator meetings. These meetings were integral in passing our reporting bill that will lay the foundation for EGIP next year (for more information on EGIP and the reporting bill, see page 7).
Affordability anxieties were also reflected in the second highest issue of concern—educator burnout, which 72% of respondents said they were very concerned about. Members overwhelmingly said that the drivers of burnout were demands on their time and capacity. Respondents also mentioned student behavior and lack of support from the community, parents and administrators as drivers of burnout.
One respondent described the demands on their time and lack of support as “asking for champagne results on a beer budget.”
Members also voiced concerns about pay and pensions—65% said that pay is a high or top priority for the union, and 62% said the same for pension improvements. When asked about policies that the union should prioritize, 84% mentioned increasing teacher salaries, the second highest issue behind healthcare.
“Nearly three-quarters of members said that Education Minnesota was a strong support during a difficult time.”
Other issues members said the union should prioritize include:
- Providing educators a safe place to work and students a safe place to learn (80%).
- Reducing the educator shortage (69%).
- Continue working to reduce penalties for early retirement (68%).
Views on Education Minnesota and union activity.
The poll also showed strong member support for the organization’s response to the federal ICE occupation last winter. Nearly 70% of respondents said that Education Minnesota’s public stance opposing immigration enforcement on school grounds made them view the organization more favorably and 71% said that Education Minnesota was a strong support for members during a difficult time.
Additionally, poll responses demonstrated how widespread the impacts were—nearly three in four members said they were impacted either directly or indirectly by Operation Metro Surge, with most of the impacts taking place in the Twin Cities. Members were also very involved in community responses to the occupation. Over 40% of participants took action in response to Operation Metro Surge, such as boycotting a business, donating money to a local organization or signing a petition.
Two thirds of members rated Education Minnesota’s job performance positively, and nearly three quarters of participants view their local affiliate favorably. A majority of members said Education Minnesota is effective at advocating for better pay, pensions and health insurance for educators
Education Minnesota will continue to advocate for higher pay, more affordable healthcare, stronger pensions and safe schools for both students and educators. We will have many opportunities coming up for members to get involved with advocacy around these issues. For more information, go to educationminnesota.org.
