7/31/2003
Table Talk
PEF's 2003 contract team and representatives from the Governor's Office of Employee Relations met on Wednesday, July 30 and Thursday July 31. On Wednesday, the state provided PEF a written proposal on Article 35 (resignation) while the union offered counter proposals to the state in Articles 36 (discrimination), 41 (payroll) and 49 (duration of agreement). The union presented a detailed description of its Article 17 (out of title work) needs and GOER responded in a rather precise manner on each need.
The union reiterated its position that the parties should address the issue of retroactivity of tuition reimbursement benefits before the beginning of the fall semester. Specifically, the union has asked the state negotiator to sign off on an agreement that would result in a mutual commitment that tuition reimbursement benefits would be retroactive to the first day of the Contract. This act by the negotiators would relieve the current uncertainly that our members/their employees face. The state has yet to respond formally to the union position.
A
fter a 3 month hiatus, the parties finally met on Thursday July 31 to discuss issues surrounding the Schools for the Deaf and Blind. Although no issues were resolved, the parties engaged in a more detailed discussion of each side's proposals than has occurred before. No new dates have been scheduled for Schools for their Deaf and Blind negotiations. However, we are hopeful that additional dates will be scheduled shortly.On Tap
Negotiators next meet on August 20. On tap is a discussion of Article 12 and 26. If time permits the union will advance positions in Articles 27, 31, and 38. The state at the earlier stages of bargaining indicated that it would have proposals in many different articles. To date, they have not provided the union with specifics in at least 10 of them including Articles 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 33 and 42. The state may or may not bring with them on the August 20 meeting the language on some or all of these.
Press Notes
Members of the largest union in economically challenged Nassau County – CSEA Local 830 - overwhelmingly approved a 5 year contract for its 5800 members. The deal (Jan. 1, 2003 – Dec. 31, 2007) includes a six month wage freeze followed by a 2.5 percent wage hike on July 1, 2003 and continues with raises at the start of the next four years pegged to inflation with a minimum increase of 2.5 percent and a maximum of 3.5 percent. In addition the deal includes a “no lay-off” clause tied to the State’s approval of a sewer and storm water authority. The deal also included an extension of the actual work time by 15 minutes per day.
Economic Picture
Two recent surveys one by the Mercer Human Resource Consulting Inc. and the other by the Conference Board predict average pay increases nationally at 3.3 percent to 3.5 percent this year and plan about the same next year. The Mercer study was based upon a survey of 1700 companies. About 12 percent of the companies surveyed by Mercer have imposed a pay freeze for at least some of their workers this year, down from 16 percent in last year's survey.
The Conference Board data is for overall compensation (not just wages). Regular readers of this site know that the NYS Division of Budget has also forecast overall compensation increases for the next 2 years in the 3.5 to 5 percent range.
Ponderable Quote
“I can’t spend the same money twice” John Currier in response to a CHIEF Leader reporter’s question about the possibility of a deal granting a wage increase including a no-layoff clause. Mr. Currier, Executive Deputy of GOER, supervises all State labor negotiators including Rebecca Caudle, GOER staffer assigned to the negotiations with PEF.
We Need All Members to Tell the Governor to “Cut State Waste”!