July 15, 2009

Negotiations Update – There are no offers by the State that are good offers.  The state budget dilemma and the economy create an environment that’s trying for all employees, many of which are seeing their employment terms and conditions worsening.  MGEC has sought “market rate” for employee compensation based on a compensation study conducted with the State.  The goal is fair compensation in today’s economy and market for the services our members provide; nothing better and nothing worse.  The State claimed contract negotiations to be at impasse and requested unresolved issues go to arbitration.  Open issues include: 1) progression steps in both years of the contract (the State’s position is no steps in the first year; 2) employer matching funds for deferred compensation (the State’s position is no matching funds, MGEC seeks a $100 increase to $400); 3) compensatory time conversion (MGEC seeks to exchange the conversion of 20 hours compensatory time for 10 hours vacation time to deferred compensation); 4) $125 employer contribution to an HRA in 2011 (the State seeks to withhold this contribution that's provided to all others); 5) redoing the compensation study.  Meanwhile, MGEC has made yet another offer to reach voluntary settlement.

State Employee Express Ending - Due to the low utilization of State Employee Express (SEE), it is no longer cost effective to maintain this resource for employees.  As a result, SEE will no longer be available after July 21, 2009.  Most of the information available on SEE is also available on the MMB website.

Employees are encouraged to visit the MMB website (www.mmb.state.mn.us) for any questions about State Human Resources policies or benefits.  For individual benefit information, employees can log in to employee self-service at: https://www.s4web.state.mn.us/psp/employee/?cmd=login.

Once logged in, click on "Benefits Summary" to view specific individual benefit information (if you experience any difficulty with the link in this e-mail, please copy and paste the web address into your Internet browser).