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Updated: 10:46 PM Feb 5, 2010
State Union Rejects Pay-Freeze Request
A union representing about 11,000 Nebraska state government employees has rejected Gov. Dave Heineman's request that the workers forgo pay raises next fiscal year.
Posted: 2:07 PM Feb 5, 2010Reporter: Associated Press Email Address: desk@kolnkgin.com |
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5 Comments 
A union representing about 11,000 Nebraska state government employees has rejected Gov. Dave Heineman's request that the workers forgo pay raises next fiscal year.
The director of the union, Julie Dake Abel, said Friday that the freeze would actually be a pay cut because of rising health-insurance premiums. She also says there was no guarantee that employees not covered by the union contract would have their pay frozen.
Union employees will get a 2.5 percent pay increase next fiscal year.
If the union had accepted the proposal and about 2,900 managers not covered by union contracts also had their pay frozen, the state would have saved about $10 million.
Gov. Heineman released a statement Friday responding to the union's rejection.
"Im very disappointed in the unions decision. This was a good faith attempt to save jobs and do what was best for all state employees and Nebraska taxpayers."
Latest Comments
Lead by example Gov. Just bcause the employees covered under the Union contract won't be giving up their pay raises doesn't mean the 2,900 managers shouldn't. Follow through, Dave. Quit being wishy washy. Better yet, fire all the Directors and Deputy Directors and start fresh. If the State was your "company" and your manager allowed your company to go into debt, would you keep that manager? Hold the Directors and Deputy Directors accountable for their irresponsible spending and management. If an agency chooses not to be fiscally responsible, the Gov makes the employees take the hit. The Auditor found unethical purchasing and payroll practices at Corrections. There are plenty more where those came from. Follow through. You'll be surprised what you find and how much $ is wasted everyday! Dig deeper - into the pockets of the Rules & Reg's employees!
My husband works a factory. He got no pay raise. I work retail. I got no pay raise. Our son gets SSI. He got no pay raise. Doesn't this union understand? How can people who get no pay raises pay increased state employee costs? I think SOMEONE needs to be FIRED! And it is not the Governor! Who knows! Maybe it should be all the rest of us tax payers! That should make the Union happy! Dah!
This rejection should serve as a No Confidence Vote from the State Employees to the Governor .The 2.5% wage increase was agreed to by the state for the 2009-2010 contract and should of been budgeted in.Shame on the Governor for trying to punish the state employees and their families for his unwise handling of the State Budget.Mr.Governor please look elsewhere to solve your budget woes,don't try to balance your budget on the backs of working families.
It will be interesting to find out if the governor will freeze the pay for their 2,900 managers. They are not covered by union contract, but they might collectively earn as much money as the 11,000 that are covered by the contract. That would save money. Let’s see if he will truly lead by example now. It must make the governor feel poorly that he cannot treat our front-line civil servants like dirt 100% of the time, but only 95% of the time. Did you know: Only 11% of the 11,000 employees covered by union contract are actually due paying members of the union. But if the governor does not allow a wage increase to the 89% that are not members, the union memberships would rise. We can’t have that can we Mr. Governor!
What do you expect from NAPE/AFSCME, an incompetent greedy union.
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