Activity/Organization updates

At its April meeting, the MGEC board voted to appoint me as the Executive Director for the organization, having served in an interim capacity for the last 12 months. For those who don’t know me, I’ve been involved with public sector union representation since 2013.  In my last role I was a business manager for a union that represents about 1000 public works employees throughout the metro area; those members worked for nine different public employers under eleven different contracts.  Prior to that, I worked in the Minneapolis Parks system for a decade.  The common thread of each of my roles ... Read More >>

This year’s conference of the National Association of State Highway and Transportation Unions (NASHTU) will be held in late June in Washington DC.  MGEC is sending three people to this year’s conference, with the goal of learning about recent developments in transportation issued at the federal level and communicating the needs of our members to elected officials in conversations with lawmakers.  Learning more about legislative priorities including opposing outsourcing, keeping inspections in the jurisdiction of public employees, and ensuring job safety are priorities as decisions are made at ... Read More >>

The Minnesota Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has released its 2026 report card on the state of Minnesota’s infrastructure.  For the current period our state has earned a “C”, which signifies that our infrastructure efforts are “mediocre, and require attention”, according to the report. Bolstered by a strong $2.6B bonding bill in 2023, public investments in roads, bridges, wastewater, and drinking water have provided some positive momentum to maintain and improve state assets that underlie Minnesota’s quality of life.  But despite these successes, our array of ... Read More >>

Just a reminder that if you hold a professional license that requires the completion of an ethics component, MGEC has you covered.  You still have time to view our two-hour webinar and receive the certification required to renew your license. The certification applies to the ethics hours only; continuing education hours are separate. This webinar is a no-cost benefit for MGEC members.  If you’re not a member, or are in a situation where you’re not in the bargaining unit but still have the ethics requirement, let us know and we can find a solution. The renewal window opened on April 1st.  ... Read More >>

The MGEC labor agreement with the State of Minnesota requires that vacation leave balances must be reduced to 275 hours at least once on or before the last day of the fiscal year, June 30th.  If they aren’t voluntarily reduced to that level at some point in the fiscal year, they will be involuntarily reduced by the employer. To prevent this, make sure that you will be able to use a sufficient amount of vacation time by the end of the fiscal year to ensure you don’t lose this benefit.  We understand the difficulty of  meeting that requirement during the time of year that tends to be the ... Read More >>

The nomination window is open for the scholarships & awards MGEC offers.  There are a number of recognitions for MGEC members as well as family members who are pursuing a STEM education. MGEC member recognitions include The Golden Slide Rule and the Distinguished Citizen awards.  The Golden Slide Rule recognizes accomplishments in outstanding technical writing, technical skills, and sharing expertise with their peers.  The Distinguished Citizen award recognized outstanding service to one’s community, whether local, regional, or international.  Both awards are based on nominations from ... Read More >>