Bargaining Update

This one's NOT for you!

Management has finally put an economic proposal on the table nearly three months after the Union made its economic proposal.

It’s an offer we CAN refuse, because in its totality it could actually represent a pay cut for many state employees.

The modest pay increases the employer is proposing would be offset by big jumps in employee and retiree health-care costs—and by bigger employee-pension contributions.

Some of the biggest increases would be in health care co-pays and deductibles, so the heaviest burden would fall on employees who become ill (or have illness in their families).

Council 31 fiscal analysts are still costing out just how dire the impact of Management’s proposal would be. But in his response to Management when the proposal was presented, Council 31 Executive Director Henry Bayer, put it simply and clearly—“It’s an insult!”

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. We know that the economy is in free fall and times are tough for everybody. But we also know that state employees are already doing their part—struggling to keep up with the soaring workloads created by thousands of unfilled positions.

We’re also struggling to keep up with the soaring costs of everything from gas to food to housing.

We’ve made progress at the bargaining table in addressing some critical problems that state employees confront on the job. But Management’s economic proposal makes clear that we have a long way to go before we have a new contract that also addresses employees’ economic needs.

Your AFSCME Bargaining Committee will be back at the bargaining table next week. But this contract won’t be won at the bargaining table alone.


It will take grassroots action by every AFSCME member to gain the contract we deserve. Get ready for the next round of this fight! We deserve fair pay and a fair contract!