March 31, 2005
THIRD INSTALLMENT OF SURVEY COMMENT RESPONSES
Fair shares still have access to local, informational contract meetings
In an effort to better engage the membership in the negotiations survey process, Bob Haag, assistant executive director and negotiations coordinator/consultant, will prepare responses to the various comments that were placed on the surveys. This will be done over time as installments so that the information is not too overwhelming. This is the third installment.
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Comment: I believe all MAPE members should have access to the negotiations process and updates. Just because you are “fair share” should not alienate you from our Web site negotiations page. Thank you.
BH: There are likely many in your situation who would make this same request. The law requires that unions represent all employees who are hired into its respective bargaining units. Professional bargaining unit employees, regardless of whether or not they sign a membership card, immediately share in negotiated wages, benefits, and terms and conditions of employment that, in some cases, took literally decades to negotiate. New employees, regardless of whether or not they sign a membership card, also have the right to full representation to make sure the benefits described in the MAPE/Minnesota contract are not denied to them. The decision not to place negotiations updates on the general Web was a conscious decision by your elected leadership. Much of the information that was placed there should have been better protected. The decision has now been made to do just that. Local meetings and informational meetings will be open to everyone, so all may receive full updates about negotiations.
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Comment: Why do I have to work in a Corrections facility and not have 55-retirement as a benefit? When will you fight for that? I suspect it will never happen.
BH: I was directly involved, along with many others, in the final six-year legislative effort that in 1996 expanded the Early Corrections Retirement Program to Corrections employees other than guards. Literally thousands of hours of testimony, evidence gathering, strategizing, meeting with legislators one-on-one and dealing with continual substantive changes brought together a bill that finally had enough merit in the eyes of most legislators to pass. Even then it was very close all the way. After all that experience, I realize first hand how demanding it is to work in a prison setting and to be held personally accountable for the security of yourself, your coworkers and the inmates. However, this in itself is not nearly enough to qualify for the early retirement benefit. You must work inside the facility and work directly with inmates at least 75 percent of your time in order to meet the criteria set forth by the Legislature. Even as I am writing this, there are positions that we still are working on to include even though the criteria is clearly met. This 55-retirement benefit requires that the parties bring to the Legislature measurable evidence that a person going into this plan is experiencing, over time, psychological and physical health effects based upon the constant need to watch one’s own back and the backs of all coworkers, while also being responsible for the secure imprisonment of inmates. That is a tall order.
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Comment: Get the governor to raise corporate taxes!
BH: I will get right on it. . . {:>)
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Comment: I feel that MAPE needs to totally change its approach to representing workers. Poor treatment by top management is an aspect that relates to our organization.
BH: There are certainly many perspectives on how an organization such as ours can best represent workers. I do know that MAPE is always open to improving its methods and that leadership is open to these new perspectives. Don’t hesitate to come forward with your ideas. There is an opportunity to address the Board of Directors at its monthly meeting during the members’ input segment. If you are speaking of any poor treatment by MAPE management, you can certainly bring that concern forward as well.
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Continuation: In addition, I no longer contribute to the PAC as MAPE has totally sold out to the Democrats.
Comment: Make note that Pat Garofalo is a Republican who may be sympathetic to state employees.
BH: I coupled these two comments because the MAPE-PAC, supported only by members who sign up to support it, does not endeavor to find Democrats to support. The MAPE-PAC supports legislators who support hard working and dedicated public employees. MAPE supports those legislators who realize and vocalize that it is not a bad thing to employ public employees who, in the best interests of Minnesota citizens, carry out the many thousands of services necessary to keep Minnesota highly functioning. Period.
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Comment: I am looking for new work due to poor pay and an unreasonable workload.
BH: Over the past few years, the turnover rate in this bargaining unit is up. What is even more troubling is that we are seeing less and less qualified applicants on many hiring lists. The state of Minnesota, in my opinion and that of many others, is not as much the desirable employer as it thinks itself to be.
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Comment: State employees took it on the chops last contract. We cannot let the erosion of our ability to provide for our families continue. Good luck!
Comment: We should be happy to have jobs! Don’t be greedy.
Comment: Be creative and flexible – example: I would take no pay increase if I could choose more time off to be with my family. Like with health care choices, not every one wants or needs the same things at different points in their lives. Maybe offer discounts or credits for education at state technical schools and colleges rather than more pay. We need to find better solutions and creative ideas! I know it is hard work, but I would rather work than be out in the street.
Comment: MAPE needs to get a backbone! Things I have had to ask them for help, they screwed up! Very poor performance on advice.
BH: These comments above create an overview of the diverse opinions that come into the MAPE office every day. MAPE is no different than any other representational body. No matter what is done, there will be those who are unhappy with a service, an outcome or both. MAPE leadership is always open to ways in which the best interests of the greatest numbers of members can be satisfied. Like self-improvement, service improvement is a work in progress and no one should ever be satisfied that we have reached our ultimate member-service goal at any point in time.
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Comment : I would hope that the strike of 2001 would not be repeated, but, if the governor’s offer is unacceptable, it may need to be.
Comment: I was on strike last time, but not this time! Strike is very old-school.
BH: Strikes or the withholding of personal services are an action of last resort. When a collective body of employees cannot financially tolerate further erosion or take backs of wages or benefits and the employer is unwilling to hear that message, Minnesota law allows employees to withhold their services in order to get their message across. It is a tough decision and it has to be necessary in the minds of the majority. Personal philosophies, expectedly, vary greatly on this topic. Employers, in many cases, would prefer that employees are disorganized and split because that disorganization serves to its advantage. The MAPE union endeavors to get excellent bargaining information to its members so that affected public employees can make their own informed decision.
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Continuation: It (strike) cost far more than we gained.
BH: When a company makes a capital investment, the up-front cost is high, but over time the benefit of that investment should pay back the up-front cost. When employees make the collective decision to invest in their futures by withholding their services in order to prevent unacceptable wage erosion, unaffordable insurance, or the removal of benefits, the up-front cost is also high. Over time, however, the improved wage, or the lowering of insurance increases, or the benefit preservation should pay back that up-front cost. A quick payback expectation is generally unrealistic.
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Comment: Why can we afford a new building with no raises?
BH: The investment in an office building in order to provide increased space at a reasonable price for member meetings and for MAPE staff was a sound business decision. A compilation of investment, rental and appreciation data has been assembled in presentation format to demonstrate its soundness. The leadership of MAPE is always willing to share information with its membership about anything it does in a transparent and direct manner.
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Comment: I think the main change that needs to be done is to change the negotiation process. Negotiations should be done prior to the budgeting process. The budgets are done and then there is nothing left for us.
BH: That is an understandable position. During past bargaining cycles, there were discussions about changing the length of the contract agreement in order to make possible this pre-budget bargaining. Ultimately, the governor’s negotiators refused to make such a change. Likewise when this was taken to legislators, no one has been willing to go forward with such a bill. The Legislature fully realized the advantage that was built in to the bargaining process when this cycling process was written into the law. There is little likelihood that the governor or the Legislature will give up this advantage.
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Comment: I don’t envy your job!
Comment: Thank you, Negotiations Team! Our prayers are with you.
Comment: Good Luck! You are going to need it.
Comment: Get the contract settled by July 1. None of this waiting until late fall.
BH: The schedule has been arranged in such a way that push week (final days of bargaining) will be from June 27 to July 1, 2005. This is one of the first times in many cycles that the governor's team has been willing to move the schedule this quickly. You may check the Web site anytime for the scheduled meetings and the bargaining updates at “What’s up with” and scroll the pull-down to “Negotiations” or go to our "Calendar of Events."
If you have any specific comments or concerns with this section or anything else, please contact me at bhaag@mape.org
