Some Kent County Unions Oppose Removal of Abortion Coverage

In September, a panel of the Kent County Commission voted unanimously to remove abortion coverage from the county's health care plan by seeking concessions from the county's 13 unions. Unfortunately, some of the Kent County unions haven't been willing to give up their abortion coverage voluntarily.

A county panel last month unanimously approved a move requiring officials to seek concessions from the county's 13 unions removing the benefit from county medical plans. The move directed County Administrator Daryl Delabbio to seek from labor groups a voluntary exclusion of the benefit or negotiate it away during future contract talks.

Human Resources Director Don Clack said he's had inquiries from only a handful of the groups and actual input from even fewer. He added, however, that the early consensus is that it's unpopular especially in the wake of other wage and benefit concessions some groups agreed to last summer.

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