Unity and strength for workers
The USW is the largest private sector union in North America with more than 225,000 members in Canada and more than 850,000 members continent-wide. The USW is Canada’s most diverse union, representing working people in every sector of the economy.
Steelworkers Benefit Plan “The Plan”
Every day, the Steelworkers Benefit Plan provides thousands of USW members and their families with the security of that comes from having quality health and welfare benefit coverage. The Plan is fast becoming the best option for benefits coverage for more and more Steelworkers families.
The Steelworkers Benefit Plan is a large, successful multi-employer benefit plan created to provide high-quality, affordable health and welfare benefits to USW members and their families.
The Plan is a separate, stand-alone entity. It is associated with the USW but is not funded by it. The Plan is funded entirely by the contributions it receives which are negotiated by bargaining units which participate in it.
The Plan is administered by a Board of Trustees whose members are appointed by USW District 6 Director Myles Sullivan, who serves as the Chair of its Board of Trustees’. The Trustees have retained W.A. Health to administer the Plan and adjudicate claims. An auditor, a benefits consultant and legal counsel assist with the Plan’s operation. An investment consultant and two investment managers invest the Plan’s assets in accordance with the Statement of Investment Policies and Procedures which has been approved by the Trustees.
The Steelworkers Benefit Plan offers a wide variety of health and welfare benefits to participating members. The scope of benefits provided to members and the contribution levels are negotiated by the Union and the various employers that employ Plan members. Each bargaining unit determines its benefits package, based on its members’ needs and the contributions that it negotiates.
The Plan offers fully insured benefits and self-insured benefits:
Fully insured benefits include:
Basic Group Life Insurance
Optional Group Life Insurance
Dependent Group Life Insurance
Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
Emergency Out of Province Medical Insurance
Long Term Disability Insurance
Critical Illness Insurance
The Plan has many advantages over traditional for-profit benefit programs. Since the Plan is not designed to generate profits for shareholders, all contributions are used to pay for the benefits of members and their families and Plan expenses. Bargaining unit members become part of a larger group which can secure benefits at a lower price due to its economies of scale. The Plan is also flexible as individual bargaining units, in consultation with the Union, decide which benefits are provided to their members from the contributions paid by their employer. Benefits are also available for part-time employees whose bargaining units participate in the Plan.
The Plan allows Steelworkers bargaining units to manage and control their health and welfare benefits. Employers do not decide which benefits are provided. Bargaining units negotiate contribution levels with employers and the bargaining units determine which benefits will be made available to the members from those contributions. Bargaining units can offer members the ability to submit claims electronically and to have their claims paid by direct deposit into their bank accounts.
Self-insured benefits include:
Prescription Drug Coverage
Vision Care Coverage
Extended Health Care Coverage
Dental Coverage (Basic, Major and Orthodontics)
Short Term Disability Coverage
Post-Retirement Health and Welfare Benefits
Health and Welfare Benefits to members and their families during a labour dispute
The Plan provides USW locals and their participating members with access to professional benefit advisors who:
provide education, assistance and guidance on all group benefits matters;
meet with benefit committees to discuss Plan performance and other issues;
attend union meetings when requested;
provide access to all claim contracts, as well as ongoing assistance with disability claims.
Other important advantages of the Plan include:
not-for-profit Steelworkers Dental Clinics in Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton and Ottawa;
benefits coverage to members during labour disputes;
permits management staff of participating employers to join the Plan; and
offers pre-priced benefits packages to new groups seeking to join the Plan.
The Steelworkers Benefit Plan offers excellent service and coverage to USW members and their families. If you are interested in joining the Plan, please call us or talk to your USW staff representative.