L.A. announces major health care deal with union

The three-year agreement with the Coalition of L.A. City Unions would save the city nearly $400 million over the next four years, according to the mayor's office, and put an end to employee furloughs. Just sketchy information so far, but here is what they're saying: Union members would pay 2 percent to their retiree health care benefit beginning April 1, and then 4 percent beginning July 1. That would bring the total retirement contribution for all union workers to 11 percent, up from the current 6 percent. So far, I haven't seen anything about pension costs, which are significantly larger than that of health care. But clearly, savings of $400 million is a big deal. Villaraigosa and other city honchos are having a news conference at this hour, so we'll see what they have to say.