2008 MAPE GRC Legislative Positions:

• MAPE supports the ratification of our contract agreement with the State of Minnesota.
  • We support legislation that would automatically ratify our collective bargaining agreement if the Legislature fails to act prior to adjournment.

• MAPE supports equitable compensation and benefits, and fair treatment of all state employees.
  • We support legislation that would adjust pay rates based on current research and available data. Currently many compensation levels are not based the state’s own pay equity system (also known as Hay system).
  • We support domestic partnership benefits for all workers.
  • We support the preservation and strengthening of the Public Employees Labor Relations Act (PELRA), which allows for the collective bargaining process for public employees.
  • We oppose the use of professional employees in unclassified service.
  • We support efforts to eliminate the use of permanent unclassified positions in the general professional bargaining unit.
  • We support legislation designed to protect state employees as they are going about their official duties.
  • We support the expansion of bargaining rights to cover classification issues. According to current law, classification decisions are not allowable subjects for collective bargaining. We support legislation that would bring equity and fairness to the state employees unfairly designated as unclassified.
  • We support a more balanced affirmative action program that would emphasize increased recruitment efforts, greater attention to retaining minority employees and the elimination of barriers to diversifying our workforce. Leave and insurance benefits should be offered for domestic partners of state employees as a matter of equity and non-discrimination.
  • We will actively lobby the Legislature to ensure that negotiated wage and benefits are adequately funded. Moreover, we support measures requiring the utilization of fair and transparent accounting principles. o We oppose the use of drug and medical testing that would violate current statutes, labor’s contractual rights or an employee’s basic civil rights.
  • We support efforts to protect “whistleblowers.” We support provisions allowing employees to report mismanagement and waste directly to the Legislature and measures requiring agencies to disclose reasons for employee investigations and further protections against false accusations. o We support the repeal of the federal Hatch Act as it pertains to state employees being prohibited from running for partisan political offic

• MAPE supports the right of all workers to earn adequate wages, organize labor unions and bargain collectively.
  • We support the right of all public employees, including those who work in the Minnesota Legislature, constitutional offices and the judicial system, to organize and bargain collectively.
  • We oppose any efforts to limit or reduce worker’s right to organize unions, bargain collectively, attain adequate compensation and access dislocated worker or workers compensation benefits.
  • We oppose proposals to decrease workers’ compensation benefits to injured workers.
  • We oppose legislation that removes funds from dislocated worker programs and will pursue proposals to allow job service state employees to pursue grant proposals to administer dislocated worker programs. o We believe labor unions should have the same right as other political contributors to participate in the political process through the use of payroll deductions.
  • We support other public employees and labor unions. We will assist and/or support other public employees and labor unions on legislative issues when those issues are not in conflict with the issues and priorities of MAPE members.
  • We support an increase in the minimum wage. We support the enactment of legislation at both the state and federal levels to increase the minimum wage.

• MAPE will work to protect our current retirement and pension benefits.
  • We support: a formula increase, health insurance for retirees, “rule of 90” for all state employees, a buyback of military service and maternity leave time, retirement benefits equal to at least 70% of gross salary, and maintaining the highest fiduciary standards in management of pension funds.
  • We support retiring members to apply the dollar value of unused sick leave to pay premiums to continue medical insurance coverage, contribute to deferred compensation plan; purchase up to one year of service credit; receive sick/severance pay in the current or calendar year following retirement and 100% of accumulated sick leave be used for these options.
  • We believe that those employees leaving state service who receive a refund of retirement deductions also receive interest in an amount to equitably compensate for not having use of their retirement deductions during their state employment.
  • We support matching, proportional pension plan contribution rate increases. In other words, we believe that if the employee contribution rate is increased, the employer contribution rate should increase at the same amount.
  • We support the continuation of our “defined benefit” pension plan. We oppose any attempt to switch to a “defined contribution” plan.
  • We believe employees should be allowed to continue working for the state part-time without a reduction in retirement benefits.
  • We opposes the use of state pension funds for any purpose beyond pensions, under-funding of retirement plans, and any change in retirement law that reduces retirement benefits.

• MAPE supports significant efforts to fix our health care system, including, but not limited to, the creation of a universal health care system.
  • We support the development of a single-payer health care system o We believe the state should keep health insurance costs down for employees and their dependents without decreasing benefits.
  • We support long term care insurance premiums being paid with pre-tax dollars.
  • We support the use of a secure electronic health records system to increase care quality, reduce costs and increase efficiency.

• MAPE opposes privatization, outsourcing or contracting of state services when bargaining unit employees could be utilized in the performance of those services.