(a)    The Employer agrees to pay the following amounts to the Graphic Communications Local 1B Health and Welfare Fund “A” Medical and Dental Funds by separate checks, as determined by the Board(s) of Trustees to provide the health care benefits. 

Effective January 1, 2007 The employer contribution to these funds shall be $760.00 per month for each employee.  Funding in excess of these amounts will be shared equally by the employee and the employer up to a maximum employer contribution of $60.00 per month. 

Effective January 1, 2009 The employer contribution to these funds shall be $836.00 per month for each employee.  Funding in excess of these amounts will be shared equally by the employee and the employer up to a maximum employer contribution of $60.00 per month.

Effective January 1, 2010 The employer contribution to these funds shall be $920.00 per month for each employee.  Funding in excess of these amounts will be shared equally by the employee and the employer up to a maximum employer contribution of $60.00 per month.

Employee contributions will be through payroll deduction. 

Payment shall be made to the Graphic Communications Local 1-B Health and Welfare Fund “A” (under joint administration) for each employee on the payroll or employees on temporary layoff, not exceeding one (1) calendar month and employees who are sick or incapacitated not to exceed three (3) calendar months from the date of disability.  Should later enacted state or federal health care laws require mandatory additional coverage, the Employer will pay any additional premiums, if found necessary by the Trustees.  Likewise, should federal or state laws provide for similar or identical coverage for the employee, in whatever form, the Employer will be allowed to reduce the monthly contribution to avoid duplicate coverage for the employees, if that is found reasonable by the Trustees. Decisions relative to increase or decrease in future premium costs and contribution levels will be by decision of the Joint Board(s) of Trustees.

(b)    The word “employee” as used in the preceding paragraph is construed to mean regular full-time employees who are on the payroll at least one (1) of the first five (5) working days of the calendar month.  However, the employee must work the remainder of the month unless laid-off, on vacation, suspended or becomes ill.  Employees who are members of the Union and covered under the Plan, who transfer from one Employer to another Employer, will be covered the calendar month following the date of employment if that date is after the 5th working day of the month.  Employees who are new to the Industry will be covered the first of the month following completion of the probationary period.

(c)    Payment shall be due on the first day of each month and payable not later than the fifteenth (15th) day of said month.  In the event payment is not made by such date, it shall be the obligation of the Board(s) of Trustees of the Graphic Communications Local 1-B Welfare Fund “A” to commence legal proceeding to insure collection of such obligation; and in addition to the amount due, there shall also be added costs of collection plus reasonable attorneys fees, which shall be borne by the delinquent Employer.  The Board(s) of Trustees shall have the right to commence such legal proceeding without first resorting to the grievance and arbitration provisions of this Contract.  Commencement of such legal proceeding shall be at the direction of the Chairperson or the Secretary Administrator of said Board(s) of Trustees.

All monies, except costs of collection and reasonable attorneys fees, shall be used for health and welfare benefits for the employees and their dependents and to pay administrative expenses of the Fund.  If the Board(s) of Trustees, in its discretion, shall determine, the Fund may be self-insured or the benefits may be provided from insurance to be purchased from a carrier chosen by the Board(s) of Trustees.

(d)   As the health and welfare payments become due, they shall be deemed to be the sole property of said Welfare Fund for the benefit of the employees, and the Employer shall be only the trustee and custodian of the amounts as they fall due until the Employer actually remits the monies due to the Trustees for said Fund.

(e)    Regular full time employees, as defined in Section 24, who lose their job due to the closing of the bindery operations of the printing plant will continue to receive employer paid coverage for a period not to exceed six (6) months. This coverage may not be continued after the last day of the month in which an employee becomes eligible for Medicare or another group medical plan that has no limitations or exclusions with respect to any pre-existing conditions that the employee or the employee's dependents have.  The Employer contribution shall not exceed the amount in existence at the time of closing, regardless of subsequent changes in Fund “A” premiums. The Employer paid continuing coverage does not apply if the employee is transferred to or offered comparable employment in the Twin Cities metro area on or before his/her last day of work.