Pension Funding Agreement:
The Pension Funding agreement signed last week still has to go before the legislature. Generally, Labor/Management agreements are placed on the legislative calendar and will pass after 30 days if there is not a vote on the agreement (the Legislature will convene in January 2017). In a preview of what's to come, the Repbulican caucus in both chambers of the legislature are pushing for a vote on the agreement rather than letting it pass without a vote. The main sticking point for the Republican caucus is that the agreement does not include higher pension contributions from State employees. Since it was the legislature that underfunded the pension for 70 years, perhaps the next agreement should require current legislators to cough up their salaries to cover the pension liability rather than continuing to demand that current employees pay for the debt the legislature created. CTMirror article on the political battle
A&R Contract Negotiations:
A&R's focus has shifted from negotiations to arbitration. Paperwork for declaring impasse has been filed. There are a half-dozen other unions that have declared arbitration as well. We gave negotiations a fair chance and sat with the State for nearly a year without seeing a change in their offer of zero dollars for wages and far reaching things sucha as the elimination of travel expenses. Non-financial issues never changed either. Their offer of near complete obliteration of the contract remained on the table through the end. As a reasonable settlement with the State was nowhere on the horizon we took the appropriate step of declaring impasse. There is a 3 week waiting period and then the first phase will be the selection of an arbitrator. There are risks to binding arbitration, as both sides must live with whatever the arbitrator decides. We also don't get to vote on the final decision of the arbitrator; when the decision is awarded we can't reject it if we don't like it. Also, it is unclear if the legislature will demand a vote on all bargaining unit contracts. Please be aware that legislative votes on arbitrated contract awards require a 66% "Nay" vote in either chamber to be rejected while an agreed upon, settled contract only requires only a 50% threshold to be rejected.
Rowland Settlements:
Settlements from the Rowland lawsuit are still moving at a slow pace but they are occuring. Reminder: PL time was awarded to many employees earlier this year as a result of the lawsuit. That PL time will expire on January 1, 2017. The vacation time awarded will NOT expire but the PL time will expire so please remember to utilize any and all PL time this December.
Events:
There are 2 upcoming political actions
- Women’s March on Washington on Saturday, January 21, 2017: Buses are being reserved for anyone who wishes to attend but a seat on the bus needs to be reserved by December 21st. Information on Bus locations
- The AFTCT Legislative Conference at the Legislative Office Building on Feb 4 (see flyer). We know it sounds boring, but this actually is a very insightful event. It is worth giving up a Saturday morning to attend.
A&R Social Committee is setting up our 2017 events:
- Boston Quincy Market Do Your Own Thing May 13
- New York City Do Your Own Thing June 17
- Lake Compounce July 7
- Maneeley's Picnic August 25
-12/16/16