Legislative Report - January

Legislative and Political Affairs Communication
MAPE staff have put together a plan to coordinate communication between the membership and legislature regarding the passage of our 2007 – 2009 collective bargaining agreement and workforce planning and retention legislation.  As the legislative session approaches and after it begins, I would encourage all Locals to invite Team MAPE staff to speak at their Local meetings regarding the importance member participation has during this upcoming legislative session.  We will do our best to accommodate as many Locals as possible.

Passing the 2007 – 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement
Beginning on January 14th, the Team MAPE website will direct its focus on communication to legislators to pass the MAPE contract.  As far back as most of us can remember, this process is completed on the last day of the legislative session after ironing out all the issues that get picked up along the way.  Remember, we negotiated with the Governor’s team.  The Governor and his team, our membership, and the Legislative Coordinating Commission have overwhelmingly agreed upon the terms we’ve negotiated.  There is no reason not to immediately pass our contract so the MAPE staff and membership can focus their attention and efforts on other beneficial legislation for the membership.  We need every MAPE employee’s help in contacting their legislator and encouraging them to push for early passage of the MAPE contract.

• Click here to contact your legislator ask ask them to support "early passage" of the MAPE contract: http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/contract

Legislative Update – Workforce Planning and Retention Legislation
As we reported in November, our state’s workforce is on the verge of a major transformation. Approximately 30 percent of all state employees are eligible for retirement in the next three years and nearly 50 percent of the remaining workforce is eligible to retire in the following five years. At the same time, as Governor Pawlenty has acknowledged, the number of available skilled workers in Minnesota will concurrently decrease.

MAPE is working on legislation that will address these challenges. Currently, the state of Minnesota analyzes positions to determine proper compensation levels using a system known as the Hay study.  By requiring the state, through legislation, to base compensation on this system, the state will save money on employee turnover, retain knowledgeable state employees beyond the date they are eligible to retire, and assist in having long term employees present to help train new employees.

This will be a major initiative in the upcoming session. MAPE has already met and will continue to meet with leadership and legislators from both the House and Senate regarding proposed Hay legislation.  In the upcoming session, it will be a major undertaking to educate and convince both the Governor and legislature that state employees need to be compensated appropriately across the board, not compensated at the arbitrary discretion of their agency.  More information will be e-mailed out and posted on the Team MAPE website as the Feb. 12 start date for the 2008 legislative session approaches.

Workforce Planning Facts:

• 30% of all state employees are eligible for retirement in the next 3 years.
• Nearly 50% of the remaining workforce is eligible to retire in the following 5 years.
• Over 7,000 MAPE employees are compensated one to five steps below their Hay determined compensation level.
• Over 70% of all newly hired MAPE employees in the past two years have been hired at step three of the pay grids or above, proving that current compensation determinants are inadequate. 

Day on the Hill
MAPE Day on the Hill will be Wednesday March 12th.  Reminders and instructions to sign up will be going out in mid January.  Remember if this is a member’s first time, we will schedule legislative meetings with other constituents or staff.

Click here to register for MAPE Day on the Hill: http://www.teammape.org/reghill.html

In solidarity,

Richard Kolodziejski
MAPE Legislative Affairs Director