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Information Exchanged at First Pre-Budget Session The first in a series of planned pre-budget negotiation sessions with the state was held March 19 at MPEA headquarters in Helena. Staff from MPEA, MEA-MFT and AFSCME met with state negotiators and discussed the need to change how the state arrives at market-based figures, the budget office’s perception of next biennium’s economic outlook, labor/management training and a schedule of meetings for the next three months.
State negotiator Paula Stoll told the 17 bargaining chapter members
present that the state salary market survey
In the past, the state has used four different salary surveys to arrive at their figures. These included Watts and Wyatt (a national survey), the Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates ( a national survey from the U.S. Department of Labor), the Central States Survey and a salary survey of the four contiguous states. Stoll noted that it had been the state’s practice in the past to discount the two national surveys by 15 percent. As if discounting the two national surveys wasn’t aggravation enough, the data was also always at least two years old and consequently had no relation to real market figures. Stoll then explained that an entirely new approach was being used. First, there would be no 15 percent discounting on national surveys. Second, the data sources will be reduced and will include salary data of the surrounding states taken from the Central States Survey, OES data from the labor department, and on-line data from www.salary.com. Third, the problem of using old data is being solved by using an employer index which essentially inflates 2006 salary data by 3.2 percent per year. This new methodology is meant to make the data as timely as possible. The market data is also being improved, according to Stoll, by having state agencies list positions that don’t fit the general picture and that the agency is having trouble filling. When asked for examples, Stoll mentioned environmental specialists within the Department of Environmental Quality and game wardens in Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Stoll said “we are seeing higher rates of pay than we would have using the old system. “I would urge members to remember that market pay is only a goal, that it doesn’t drive the process. We wont guarantee that we will pay market rates; we can’t guarantee market.” The governor’s chief wage negotiator then said “Our first priority will be to appropriate money toward the biggest gaps between what the market pays and what Montana pays. The work we do here, hopefully, will end in an agreement. But, all agreements are contingent on Legislative funding.” What the Legislature will approve is made easier when there is a healthy revenue picture for the state. Stoll said she would not advance the same proposal as last biennium and cited budget office concerns with future revenue and increasing the state’s base ---on-going---expenditures. Stoll noted that at the appropriate time Connie Welsh, who heads the benefits bureau and handles health insurance, will attend a negotiation session to discuss premiums and benefits. “By summer Connie will have accurate projections and the Benefits Advisory Council will have made recommendations.” Ruth Anne Hansen from labor relations then discussed a labor/management training initiative and the session which is set for April 29 and 30. She also said there would be four additional workshops with places and dates yet to be set. Need more info?? It was also agreed that the next bargaining sessions would be tentatively scheduled for May 14, June 18 and July 16 with times and locations yet to be set. Staff negotiators, before management’s arrival, discussed the importance of keeping communications going between members and those on the bargaining team. It was agreed that following the May meeting volunteers would get together with staff and put together a summary of the day’s session for distribution. Nate Miller, Labor and Industry, and Maxine Mougeot, Office of Public Instruction, volunteered to assist in the project. Bargaining team members attending the March meeting included Mike Bright, public assistance, DPHHS; Frank Westhoff, Lewistown, Montana Mental Health Nursing Care Center; Clint Ohman, DPHHS; Maxine Mougeot, Office of Public Instruction; Sheri Mitchell, PERS; Linda Nichols, Montana State Prison; Beth McKenzie, Department of Revenue; Vicky Wood, MCDC; Nate Miller, Department of Labor and Industry, Unemployment Insurance; Dan Dolan, Labor and Industry, Job Service; Dave Lowen, Fish, Wildlife and Parks; Cal James, Highway Patrol; Janet Chevrestt, Justice; Martin Holt, Department of Environmental Quality; Amber Lamping, Labor and Industry; Joel Felix, DPHHS; Dave Labor, Labor and Industry. updated 3/25/08 |
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was
nearly complete and would be provided the bargaining agents in early May.
She then went on to describe the many changes that have been made in how
figures are now being calculated.