The Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement (LPCR) met a number of times this legislative session and held its last regular meeting on Monday, April 17. Comprised of members from the House and Senate, it has produced an Omnibus Pension bill and a Pension Policy bill that have been sent on to the appropriate legislative committees. The issues of priority to the LPCR included lowering the “assumed rate of return” from 7.5% to 7%. While this puts some downward pressure on the asset projections moving forward, the LPCR’s perspective is that it’s important that the assumed rate of ... Read More >>
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Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS)
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) is the state agency that oversees the safe operations of pipelines by working with operators. OPS performs that function through various inspections: field and records, O&M, operator qualifications, integrity management, damage prevention, and more. OPS has about 15 inspectors that cover the entire state. Their main office is in St. Paul with two remote offices in Fosston and Granite Falls. OPS also enforces the state’s One Call law - Call 811. Like other states, Gopher State One Call ensures that anyone ... Read More >>
Dental & Health Insurance
Do you have ideas or issues with dental and health insurance that we can bring to Coalition Insurance Bargaining in March? If so email us at mgec@mgec.org. ... Read More >>
2023 MGEC Board
MGEC is powered by its membership. Our strength at the bargaining table comes from those who choose to be members. But the team that steps to the next level are those elected to the Executive Board. Serving in terms that are on a staggered cycle, the newest group of leadership began their terms January 1st, 2023. Charged with setting the direction of MGEC, this group brings the energy and ideas of those who work in the public service to the bargaining table. Elections are held every year for the staggered seats. While individuals often have different perspectives, through democratic ... Read More >>
Public Employee Pension Committee (PEPC)
On Friday, the 13th, members of the Public Employees’ Pension Commission (PEPC) group convened to discuss the upcoming legislative session in hopes that they can lobby the legislature to pass a comprehensive pension bill. Present were the Directors of PERA and MSRS. Attorney Brian Rice has been communicating to key legislators that a comprehensive pension bill is long past due, given the sacrifices that state employees have made over the last decade that have resulted in Minnesota being lower than average with respect to public funding of public pensions. Whereas the fund directors were ... Read More >>
Insurance Bargaining
Health insurance for State of Minnesota employees is collectively bargained. But unlike regular contract bargaining where each bargaining unit negotiates its own package, our healthcare is bargained as a coalition of all unions working together. The first step is for the unions to put together our proposal. A series of meetings for the unions to accomplish this is planned late winter. With bargaining taking place during April through June. It’s too soon to have a clear sense of what the exact proposals will be, but MGEC approaches both regular contract bargaining and health insurance ... Read More >>