Engineering Minnesota's Future
Thanks for your patience during our reconstruction of the MGEC website. Although we had been planning to update the site for some time, a computer fault froze the site from updates, and the updating and transfer process to a new platform needed to be done in advance of our plans. As many projects do, it also took longer than anticipated. While the look is similar right now, we plan to add in new content and features in 2019.
What would be on your wish list for an MGEC Website? E-mail us
In order to serve MGEC members, MGEC is seeking to hire as soon as possible an Administrative Assistant. For several years, the work done by this position has been contracted out (thank you Cammie) or picked up by the Executive Director, or has not received the attention it deserves. The duties of this position are broad and the skill set diverse. More information can be found in the Administrative Assistant Position Description document found here.
The 2017-2019 MGEC Contract includes a provision for a Phased Retirement Pilot (see pages 88-90 of the current MGEC Contract). Recently MMB has put forth forms and more information concerning that pilot. That information can be found under Links > Compensation and Benefits.
Throughout the US, public sector employee unions are responding to the summer 2018 ruling in “Janus.” This ruling, and its history is relatively important- so much so, that we’ve developed a whole section of content related to three cases that have shaped union representation in the public section.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1977 (Abood v. Detroit Board of Education) that states could require workers who are not union members to pay so-called agency fees in support of representation activities. A following case, Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, sought to strike down the requirement of California and more than 20 other states that public employees fund the union that bargains on their behalf even if they aren’t members of the union.
In the recently tried case, the issue was similar: Are Mark Janus’s First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and association violated when government requires him, an employee, to pay “fair share” or “agency” fees to a private entity, a labor union, to which government has given exclusive power to represent him, although he chooses not to be a member? Janus argues that an exclusive representative “is indistinguishable from a government-appointed lobbyist.” He argued the fees are usually significantly more than half of — sometimes up to 100 percent of — union dues. The court ruled in favor of Mark Janus; subsequently, unions like MGEC could no longer collect fees from individuals who were not union members.
We’d encourage you to read Mark Janus’ Washington Post editorial (July 1, 2018) on the case following the Supreme Court decision.
His case, in part, argued that unions were overly successful in bargaining for salary, health care, pensions, and benefits- and that governments were being stretched beyond their ability to afford the agreements. Take a look at the attached links for further details.
As a result of the Janus v. AFSCME ruling, MGEC made changes to our constitutional language in order to better define our full members, members who wish to voluntarily contribute at the pre-Janus level for costs related to contract bargaining and other non-political union activities, and represented non-members. These new classification of non-member individuals consists of those people whom MGEC, by law, still represents, while not paying any dues or contributions. MGEC still values its responsibility and obligation to represent all of our engineering and land surveying community, as we are stronger together.
The new member grades are:
Full Members: These members elect to pay the full dues rate and participate fully in MGECs operations. Dues are generally paid through direct payroll deduction.
Contributing Members: These members pay an 85% rate of the full membership and have more limited opportunity for participation [some a-la-carte fees apply and office holding and voting privileges are constrained]. Payment may be through direct payroll deduction or by other contribution method. This membership category has been established to encourage members who previously participated as “fair share” members to continue their limited participation. While less than 4% of the MGEC budget goes to any sort of non-partisan legislative activities, money from contributing members is kept expressively separate from these functions.
Represented non-members: These individuals are not members of MGEC for purposes of MGEC’s organizational structure, however they are represented by MGEC during bargaining and labor negotiations as part of our collective bargaining responsibilities with the State of Minnesota. These individuals are now, with the passage of the 2018 Janus v. AFSCME ruling not required to contribute any money toward representation. Dues or other contributions are not deducted from members in this category.
Obviously, the union will be in better overall health, the more full members we have. Not just in terms of the financial contribution, but also with respect to organizational unity. Eighty-nine percent of those represented by MGEC members are full members. Your support allows us to represent members in collective bargaining as well as in discussions with management about irregular or inconsistent labor practices. We also participate in discussions related to retirement, health care, state pensions, safety, hiring and outreach, and other issues impacting our members.
It’s easy to miss that our union, MGEC, isn’t particularly similar to the unions shown in the movies and on TV- we don’t have cigar smoking union bosses in dimly lit rooms around mahogany desks and aren’t preoccupied with grievances, seniority, and protectionism regardless of circumstances. We do however, represent our members to the best of our abilities when they are been harmed by unfair or inconsistent contract practices. While you may think you don’t need or use your union- you might be surprised at our role- and how we might be helping you- right now- behind the scenes.
While you may not see the active role of your union on a daily basis, a look through the history books shows the significant impact MGEC has had in establishing new positions, maintaining or expanding state engineering and land surveying jobs, obtaining higher salaries, and obtaining favorable language and work rules. Our employment environment would be different without MGEC- you need look no further than our neighboring states to see the differences in salary, vacation accrual, contract language, health care, and retirement benefits. What we have now didn’t happen without the active investment of the members who came before us.
Are you new to MGEC, or are you a long-time member, or are you anywhere in between? Get in contact with us through your local board members or representatives and get a MGEC polo shirt with our logo and join your other members in showing your support for your fellow engineers, engineering specialists, and land surveyors!
MGEC represents you- but MGEC also needs interested people to help us in our workplaces by acting as representatives for MGEC. See our FAQ page on representatives for more. These positions are responsible for greeting new MGEC members (either new employees or job transfers) and helping to arrange worksite snack or lunch meetings. The positions are not intended to have any role with human resource, labor actions, grievances, or disciplinary sorts of topics. Just the fun stuff to provide improved networking opportunities for our members.
We are currently recruiting- so if you are interested in being a contact person, please let us know.
You may have been approached, or you may be approached in the near future from someone with your best intentions in their mind. It may be by mail, phone e-mail, or maybe even at your door as aspiring politicians drop by neighborhoods this fall. They might well encourage you to cancel or drop your union membership so that you can put that money in your pocket. It is surely nice that they are looking out for you- and without you even asking them. It is difficult to find that sort of altruism today. As with all things however, we would advise- caveat emptor- “buyer beware.” What your union membership investment is “buying” you is likely more than you think- thanks to the power of collective bargaining.
MGEC wants you to make the right choice for you- and we will be striving to make the case that your best investment is in support of your collective bargaining representatives at MGEC.
States where union membership is not required for some labor jobs are generally termed “Right to Work” states. The thought is that worker earnings are directed to unions in unionized states without worker choice- these workers are therefore denied the “right to work” without paying union dues. The thinking continues that while those unions may provide benefits, they may also provide unwanted benefits, services, or actions. In the recent Janus v. AFSCME decision, the plaintiff specifically argued he wanted to separate from the union as he felt that high wages and costly benefits were causing undue stress on government. The case specifically embodied the “Right to Work For Less.” We have numerous links on our site to independent studies that show the positive impact of labor unions with respect to salaries, working conditions, safety, health care, and retirement benefits. These benefits even trickle down or across to non0unionized workforces in the states where there is a union presence. We urge you to compare your benefits to those of non-unionized government workers.
MGEC interacts with members of both the executive and legislative branches irrespective of party affiliation and we make no endorsement of candidates. We do not make political recommendations or contributions. What we do is act on behalf of our members, supporting the hard working engineering and land surveying employees of the state of Minnesota.
I think each of us feels that we are a good at what we do. And many of us perhaps feel we could well represent ourselves when dealing with any number of items- education, health, family, and employment. MGEC receives regular comments along the lines of: “I really don’t use or need the union, I don’t have any job issues, and I could easily represent myself.”
There is quite a bit of evidence to support the conclusion that collective representation is more powerful than going it alone- and the examples don’t always involve labor. Have you heard that organizations like AARP, AAA, and Alumni associations can arrange for group discounts? Strength in numbers. Have you heard that large pension plans have an outsized role in the funds in which they are invested? Strength in numbers. Have you heard that the Federal Government gets better prices on drugs through Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veteran’s Administration? Strength in numbers. Have you heard that nurses and teachers have successfully- this year- even in non-union states, organized and undertaken collective action to pursue better wages and working conditions. Strength in numbers. Class action lawsuits? Strength in numbers.
Having sat across from more than 15 State Human Resources and Labor representatives during our contracting negotiations, I can tell you is a situation I’d rather not be in alone.
An opportunity presented itself in this past round of bargaining. MAPE previously negotiated deferring 1% of salary for its members into a Health Savings Account. The state was willing to consider adding this to our negotiations, and it went into practice faster than many in state service were expecting, with the comparatively fast ratification of the union contracts in the spring legislative session.
This account is administered by the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS), and although dedicated to health care, is also an investment vehicle- and a relatively high value one in that both contributions and disbursements are tax free- which means comparatively more value to your salary.
The HSA plan has some distinct requirements: 1) It must be applied broadly to a defined represented group (such as MGEC members); 2) it must be for a fixed contribution amount among the members, such as the 1%, currently established; 3) there are very limited circumstances to opt out; 4) you may elect to change investment vehicles for the contributions; and 5) the plan contributions become available to you when you leave state service either by a job change or through retirement.
We know that our more senior members may ask- “Why can’t I contribute more?” while our younger members may ask- “Why can I contribute less or none at all?” The short answer is simply, the plans don’t allow for those options. Health care costs are the number one cited reason our MGEC retirees don’t retire earlier. We recognize that the HSA is a plan that won’t immediately meet everyone’s needs or desires, but it is an excellent opportunity to help our members plan for their future. We expect that everyone will have health care expenses after state service, and that money saved through this account can help our members and their families in the long run.
Be sure to go into your HSA account and review the investment options. The default investments are likely not the ones you would pick if you are in the early to middle portion of your career.
It is the fall, and that means that the nomination period for MGEC directors and officers is open! We are looking for motivated candidates to help with the website, member activities, and a variety of organizational roles. The experience gained working with MGEC can often help on the job or when building your resume. Our volunteer efforts help keep our member dues low and help establish relationships among our 1000 members across our Minnesota state agencies. New for late 2018, we are embracing more teleconferencing technologies to enhance our collaboration with board members who would otherwise find it difficult to attend the meetings at our building in Inver Grove Heights.
Are you interested in putting your skills to work? We encourage you to consider helping MGEC with outreach, marketing, editing, database work, newsletter and web development, preparation of meeting materials, or other supporting roles as a director on the board. It is a great way to network with your colleagues and gain some additional leadership experience for your resume.
It won’t be long until 2019 is here and our next round of bargaining is in full swing. Of course, there are a few things before that time which will shape those circumstances, notably state budget forecasts and the 2018 elections in November for State-wide offices and our State legislators.
Whether you are a new Graduate Engineer Trainee or a Land Surveyor Administrative Professional, MGEC has something to offer you. MGEC supports our educational and career-building organization, MAPD, and helps provide training throughout your career with Minnesota government. We offer classes related to licensure renewal as well as provide support for other professional and career development classes. MGEC also provides the opportunity to network with your peers in state government and to interact with your elected representatives.
We’re working to make MGEC more friendly to our state-wide workforce by updating our web-based technologies. We’re now working with Skype for Business and looking into other ways to share content effectively and meaningfully to our members. We recognize that life is busy and it should be easy to get information on-line in addition to our in-person meetings.
The labor contract can be found here or on the MMB website. It covers a number of provisions- but not everything. Some items are covered by management policies, rather than negotiated items. We’re working on making past labor contracts available in our new website archives.
We hope you were able to join us for our 50th Anniversary Annual Meeting and Golf Event. Click here for the powerpoint presentation given by President Steve Kordosky at the event. Thanks again to our event sponsors who support the event and golf prizes.
New for this year- MGEC is starting some “Regional Networking Events” in addition to our Annual Meeting. This event is intended to be an opportunity for members to meet the MGEC board, and one another for an evening reception and social. We have done boating events in the past in the Twin Cities. We’re now looking at doing some new things in new places. Send your suggestions along on what you might like to do to network with your local, regional, and state-wide colleagues and MGEC directors.
Are there things you are looking for on the MGEC website but can’t find? Are there things you want to know about our contract or about MGEC activities through the year. As we develop the new website we will be adding content and photographs. If there are things you’d like to see, please contact us.
MGEC negotiates with MMB in collective bargaining, seeking wages and benefits that compare to the engineering industry. The Janus versus AFSCME decision made it unconstitutional to collect involuntary Fair Share Union dues. If more and more MGEC members opt not to be full members, or opt not to voluntarily contribute to MGEC, erosion of the Union and collective bargaining occurs. Ultimately, this could lead to a “Right-to Work” workplace. Wisconsin, Michigan, South Dakota, and North Dakota are now all “Right-to Work States”. Top Salary for Senior Engineers in these states compared to Minnesota are shown below. Protect your wages and your benefits, be a full MGEC member.
The US Supreme Court ruling in the Janus Case v. AFSCME case impacted the relationships and fee structure within union membership. MGEC memberships are outlined in its constitution and by-laws. Consequently, MGEC is in the process of updating its types of membership, dues/fees rights associated with such membership. The next step will be submitting to full members those constitutional/by-law changes with the membership for a vote this autumn.
MGEC will have an election for the following positions this November. Vice President (three year term by serving one year as VP, one year and President, and one year as Past President), Secretary (two year term) and Director (five openings with two years terms). Members interesting in being nominated for one of these positions can self-nominate themselves by September 22, 2018 by sending an e-mail to MGEC@mgec.org. Terms begin January of 2019.
Scholarships – Members and MGEC Family members may apply for MGEC scholarships to members and the family members.
Awards – Recognize your co-workers by nominating them for prestigious MGEC Awards. There are two categories:
Golden Slide Rule – recognizing outstanding technical skills, superb writing and publication efforts, and for sharing expertise with their peers
Distinguished Citizenship – recognizing outstanding effort in civic or other community service, which has included both international and local service to a community, and/or for service to the MGEC community.This program provides a unique opportunity to recognize some of the very special members of our organization.
It’s always fun to get together. This year the golf tournament may be earlier than usual, May 22, 2018. Mark your calendars.
The MGEC Website is going to be “refreshed” (rebuilt) from the ground up. Please bear with us over the coming weeks as that process begins. We welcome photos from members of state infrastructure so that the website reflects the work MGEC members do for the State of Minnesota. Send your photos to MGEC.
The MGEC Golf Event and Annual Meeting will be Monday, June 3, 2019 at Oak Marsh Golf Club, Oakdale, MN.
