Union protests health coverage change for Milwaukee Co. transit workers

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- An early morning parade of protesters urged Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele not to implement proposed changes in health insurance plans for county transit workers. 

Members of the Transit Workers Union and their supporters say the changes could add thousands of dollars to their health care costs. They also used next year's Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee as a talking point. 

"When the national convention is coming here next year, we want our town, we want our city to be a place that is known to treat workers right," said Pastor Mose Fuller with St. Timothy Baptist Church. 

County Executive Abele was not in his office Thursday morning, but his chief of staff released the following statement:

"The County relies on MCTS to provide safe and dependable transit service so that people can get to work, school, and medical appointments. To that end, MCTS wants to resolve the dispute by agreeing to ATU’s stated desire to let a 3rd party independent arbitrator decide on the terms of the contract that will be fair to both bus drivers and riders. MCTS has put this proposal in writing to ATU and are awaiting their response. MCTS has told us that they are ready to finalize the terms of the arbitration and put this issue behind us."