The union said it is filing a grievance to contest a cancellation of health insurance, citing a section of the collective bargaining agreement that states: “Players will continue to receive the benefits provided in this article through the end of the Plan Year in which they are released or otherwise sever employment.”
Patriots offensive lineman Matt Light, one of the team’s player representatives, said players understand the nature of the business but the threat to cancel health insurance is different.
“You’re going to cancel somebody’s health insurance and maybe they’ve got a baby that’s due in the offseason?” he said. “Yeah, it gets personal.”
Aiello said that there would be no interruption of health care, because of the federal COBRA law that allows employees to continue coverage at their own expense.
“This means that no player or family member would experience any change in coverage for so much as a single day because of a work stoppage,” he said. “The union surely knows this and there is no excuse for suggesting otherwise.”
