Issues

2013 Team MAPE GRC Legislative Core Priorities

• MAPE supports a middle-class agenda ensuring equal opportunity for all. 
• MAPE supports equitable compensation and respectful treatment of all state employees.
• MAPE opposes any efforts to eliminate or reduce state employee retirement and pension benefits.
• MAPE supports efforts to provide sustainable resources for state government operations.
• MAPE supports quick passage of collectively bargained state employee contracts.

2013 Team MAPE GRC Legislative Positions

MAPE supports a middle-class agenda ensuring equal opportunity for all. 

• We oppose all proposals making it more difficult to organize and maintain labor unions.
• We support the right of all workers to organize and bargain collectively.
• We believe all workers have a right to earn a living wage.
• We oppose proposals to decrease workers’ compensation benefits and any legislation removing funds from dislocated worker programs.
• We oppose recognizing corporations as people.
• We support efforts to reduce income inequality.

MAPE supports equitable compensation and respectful treatment of all state employees.

• We support the preservation and strengthening of the Public Employees Labor Relations Act (PELRA) and oppose the use of professional employees in unclassified service.
• We support legislation that would adjust pay rates based on current research and data.
• We support affirmative action emphasizing increased recruitment, greater attention to retaining minority employees and the elimination of barriers to diversifying the state workforce.
• We support whistleblower legislation designed to protect state employees as they are going about their official duties.
• We support the right of state employees to run for public office.
• We oppose any legislation that modifies or removes agreements made during the negotiations process.
• We believe the benefits stipulated in our contract should apply to all of our member families, thus we support domestic partnership benefits for state employees.
• We believe labor unions should have the same right as other political contributors to participate in the political process.

MAPE opposes any efforts to eliminate or reduce state employee retirement and pension benefits.

• We support the continuation of our defined benefit pension plan. We oppose any attempt to switch to a defined contribution plan.
• We support matching proportional pension plan contribution rate increases and fully funded retirement plans.
• We oppose the use of state pension funds for any purpose beyond pensions.

MAPE supports efforts to provide sustainable resources for state government operations.

• We oppose proposals limiting the ability to raise public revenue.
• We oppose shifts and gimmicks to solve budget deficits and instead support sustainable funding options.
• We support the restoration of local government aid.
• We believe increasing health-care costs severely impact the state budget. We support moving toward a single-payer, universal health-care system as a way to reduce costs.
• We support progressive taxation policies that ask the wealthy to pay their fair share.
• We support staffing levels that ensure high quality state services.
• We oppose privatization, outsourcing and contracting of state services.
• We support strategic succession planning, including staff and leadership development.
• We support energy conservation measures and other green initiatives. 
• We support the retention of public data for institutional history purposes.
• We support fair and transparent accounting principles.