I’m Mike Kepka. Raising three young daughters, I’m exposed to every cold and virus you might imagine. So having affordable access to medical care is a priority for me.

Unfortunately, Hearst is proposing to make our health plans a whole lot less affordable.

I love the Chronicle, and the work I do. But financially, I do a little worse every year. My coworkers and I are bringing home less and less pay, as the cost of housing, food and transportation continues to rise. Rising healthcare costs are eating another hole in my paycheck — one that would get even bigger under Hearst’s proposed plan.

As the Chronicle has struggled through hard times, we workers have continued to go the extra mile for this newspaper and the communities we serve. Now it’s time for Hearst to do what’s right and re-invest in us.