James Cahill, Vice President of the Labor and Trust Department for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss Taft-Hartley Trust Funds and how unions use the trusts to prevent shifting rising healthcare costs onto members.
Cahill discussed the history of Taft-Hartley Trust Funds and what events led to the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, better known as the Taft-Hartley Act. The bill, despite receiving a Presidential Veto, amended the 1935 National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and added limits to union actions while it established union-specific unfair labor practices. Cahill explained how the Trust Funds establish quality health and wellness benefit plans through Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations while keeping costs manageable for the employer. Ensuring the worker and employer are both heard and taken care of is what Cahill believes is unique to these funds.
To give examples of the importance of what a Taft-Hartley fund can do, Cahill talked about his experience working with the healthcare industry in New York and how they prevented shifting the rising costs on either the workers or employers. He spoke about how a union can plan to use the Taft-Hartley funds during negotiations and ensure they result in a positive member experience. Cahill gave an educated prediction on the future of the way funds will be allocated to support member healthcare and how unions can reduce their risk with health care costs.
A graduate of Fairfield University in Connecticut, Cahill began his career as an Account Management Consult with the New York Labor office of the then Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, now Anthem BCBS. Cahill became an account executive working with several labor clients in New York before moving on to become the Director of the Labor Department for Anthem. About two years ago, Cahill was promoted to Vice President and the national lead of the Labor and Trust work in Anthem’s 14 markets. He talked about his passion for working with all his union clients and believes they have been responsible for supporting his success with Anthem.
If you have questions about Taft-Hartley Trust Funds or Cahill’s work with Anthem BCBS, please visit their website here.
Listen to the show above to learn more about Taft-Hartley funds.