By Jim Monroe MAPE Executive Director

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MAY 15, 2009

OVERVIEW OF BUDGET CRISIS CAMPAIGN

At the outset, I have to thank the Board for the trust and support evidenced with the funding for this campaign.  Absent the existing budget, our efforts would have been slowed greatly. Also, it is important to understand that all of our actions should be understood as “Job Action”.

The key elements of this campaign included:

•  Grassroots Solutions and Leslie Sandberg.
• Advertising buys (2) through the “Coalition of Minnesota’s Working Families”.
• The April Leadership Workshop.

FURLOUGHS

During the negotiations, both MAPE and AFSCME were successful in negotiating the elimination of the Governor’s Team’s demand for language relating to furloughs.  As discussed at our last meeting, the issue was not a “Trojan Horse” for the Governor and the elimination was a drawn out process.  The work to eliminate this demand was necessary to build sufficient documentation that it was indeed withdrawn by the Governor’s Team.

Prior to negotiations, we had completed legal research on furloughs and case law relating to elimination of a demand and subsequent attempts to implement by management.

SHUTDOWN

We are researching and preparing for the possibility of legal filings we might need to make, if necessary.

CONTRACT INFORMATION MEETINGS

Since the Board’s action, recommending acceptance of the Contract, we have held 37 Contract Information Meetings throughout Minnesota.  1,415 bargaining unit members have attended these meetings.  We have twenty three (23) meetings remaining.

I do want to thank the negotiations team and staff for their excellent work in getting these meetings scheduled and completed on a timely basis.

Team MAPE Legislative Contact Success
Throughout the entire legislative session, MAPE members did a tremendous job of relentlessly contacting their elected officials.

• Team MAPE made of 6,000 member-to-elected official contacts.
• We had our most successful Day on the Hill ever with over 200 attendees.
• We were able to mobilize over 100 members to attend the Invest in Minnesota Rally in the final days of the session.
• Often times, we were able to generate hundreds of legislative contacts in a matter of hours. In the case of the Moose Lake prison privatization issue, your contacts played a significant role in affecting the legislative process.

Thank you to all MAPE members who kept up the pressure on our legislators this year!

Communications (March 12-May 5, 2009)
Media opportunities
With the compressed negotiations schedule, we (Leslie Sandberg and Murray Cody) have worked on numerous media opportunities.
Contract Negotiations – Push Week

• Sandberg and Cody were sequestered with MAPE’s negotiations team.  They were present for the whole process. 
• Sandberg drafted the April 20th negotiations report; Cody posted on the web.
• Cody drafted the April 21st negotiations report and posted on the web.
• Sandberg drafted the April 22nd negotiations report; Cody posted on web.
• MAPE and AFSCME issued a joint press release at the end of negotiations.

Contract Conference Call & Membership Letter

• To inform membership on the outcome of negotiations by Chet Jorgenson.

Contract Aftermath

• Contract informational meeting dates, times and locations are posted on the front of the MAPE website, with updates twice each day.
• Governor Pawlenty dropped the idea of furloughs – did not dispute the cost to Minnesota.  On April 23, 2009, the Governor called the contract a good deal for the state. 

MAPE Finds $350 Million Press Conference

• On May 5, MAPE stated its case for cost-saving ideas at a press conference called by MAPE at the State Capitol. MAPE Statewide President Chet Jorgenson and MAPE Executive Director Jim Monroe walked the media through how the governor could save money now. Major news outlets were represented: Twin Cities television stations (KARE, WCCO, FOX, TPT and KSTP), MPR radio, Star Tribune, MinnPost.com, Associated Press and others. Additionally, Monroe appeared on Don Shelby’s afternoon WCCO-Radio show and KSTP AM 1500 radio.  Sandberg and Cody delivered the press packet to those media outlets not in attendance. As a result the Fargo Forum, ECM publishers and St. Cloud Times wrote on the press conference.
• The following media outlets covered the MAPE press conference:  KARE 11, MinnPost, Bemidji Pioneer, West Central Tribune, Star Tribune, Forbes.com, Mankato Free Press, MPR,WCCO-TV, WCCO Radio, AM1500, KSTP, South Washington County Bulletin, Hastings Star Gazette, Rosemount Town Pages, St. Cloud Times, Post Bulletin, Worthington Globe, Fargo Forum, Pioneer Press, Duluth News Tribune, Jamestown Sun, Dickinson Press, KSAX, KAAL, KTTC, Grand Forks Herald, WXOW, WQOW, KXMB Bismarck, KXMC. We were even followed on TWITTER!

Here is the response MAPE received from the State Senate:
Below is a statement from Senate Assistant Majority Leader Tarryl Clark, DFL – St. Cloud, regarding the cost saving measures brought forward today by the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE):

"I appreciate that MAPE took the Governor's challenge seriously and came up with several innovative proposals to save taxpayer money. This is a great opportunity for the Governor to bring the management of his state agencies in line with the practices of the non-profit sector.  He should also take a closer look at out of state travel and outside contracts to make sure every dollar is spent in the most effective way, rather than just continuing to pursue business as usual in these tough economic times."

Coalition of Minnesota Working Families kicks off campaign for 'fair taxes'

• MAPE participated in the coalition’s campaign to inform the public about the need to help fix the state budget deficit by making taxes fair and preserving public services.

Leadership workshop

• The Communications Team worked together to create a successful leadership workshop.

Leadership Conference Call on Negotiations

• MAPE Statewide President Chet Jorgenson and Executive Director Jim Monroe informed membership of the status of contract negotiations.

Hastings Veterans Home members reach 100 percent full membership

• Murray attended the celebration meeting at the Hastings Veterans Home to take pictures and write an article on the work site’s 100 percent full membership. Murray interviewed members, processed the photos and created an article and photo to post on the MAPE website.

MAPE website postings by Murray

• Code and post opening-round negotiations update, both MAPE’s and governor’s proposals in their entirety, code and post additional information on Benny Card, Anoka County Regional Treatment Center’s hearing, negotiators’ report No. 7, Hastings Veterans Home achieves 100 percent full membership, DEED and DHS meet and confer minutes, overnight web server disruption notice (due to maintenance), May 15 is deadline to join as a full member and vote on contract offer, article and page of photos from leadership workshop, negotiators’ report No. 8, updated Delegate Assembly (DA) resolution forms, DA count for locals for 2009, American Sign Language interpreters’ article, Labor and Industry’s meet and confer minutes, regular updates for locals’ meetings and minutes, multiple updates to Access and monthly updates to leadership data bases, monthly updates of local officers’ and stewards’ search data bases, contract informational meeting schedule updated twice each week day, negotiations reports, three negotiations alerts during “push week,” photo page for Moorhead flooding, 100 percent full-membership story and photos for Hastings Veterans Home, Stewards’ News, H1N1 flu virus information and periodic updates, Invest in Minnesota rally, Finance Committee minutes, Financial Education class reminder to metro media, leadership workshop photo page and daily updates (Monday through Wednesday) on negotiations during “push week” and Board minutes. 

E-mails sent by Murray to MAPE leadership

• Weekly electronic issues (alternating) of Stewards’ News and Leadership Update. These were e-mailed to leadership – directors, presidents, vice presidents, and all stewards. MAPE Financial Education classes.

Steward News for March

• Murray wrote up grievance settlements and worked with business agents for review. Draft, edit and proof publication. Work with printer, and operations staff to get it printed and mailed.