As many as 16,000 state employees could be out of work July 1 if Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the Legislature fail to reach a budget settlement, forcing a partial government shutdown.
"Our members do not want to be pawns in a game or in a negotiations between the governor and the Legislature," said Eliot Seide, director of AFSCME Council 5, the largest state employee union. "There's nothing worse for an employee than to be in the middle of a situation in which they feel somewhat powerless."
An estimated 23,500 employees work in state agencies whose budgets have yet to be resolved, said Cal Ludeman, commissioner of the Department of Employee Relations. Some ? such as those working in nursing homes and mental health facilities ? probably qualify as performing critical functions, Ludeman said, and likely will remain on the job even if there is no new budget on July 1.
In addition, Pawlenty has signed new budgets for public safety and government operations, meaning state prisons, the State Patrol, and functions such as revenue and human resources will continue, Ludeman said.
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| Eliot Seide: "Our members do not want to be pawns." Union Advocate photo |
Courts may decide core functions
But Seide said additional workers in Human Services, plus those in Transportation, Natural Resources and other agencies, will be laid off beginning July 1. State parks, road maintenance, permits and inspections are among state services likely to be most affected.
"This is a real serious matter for our members," Seide said, noting that AFSCME members who work for the state have an average salary of $35,000. "They live paycheck to paycheck. This is about rent, this is about health care, this is about taking care of their children or their parents. There's not a lot of room, a lot of margin for error here."
Exactly which jobs qualify as core government functions ? those that directly affect "the health and safety of individuals" ? probably will be left up to courts, Ludeman said. There is no clear timetable on when that might happen. The state is required to supply layoff notices to affected unions by June 23, and to affected individuals by July 2.
Agreement bridges 14-day gap
Ludeman, AFSCME, and six other state employee unions agreed Monday that the first 14 days of any shutdown will be treated as a "limited interruption of employment." That allows workers who have unused vacation or comp time to continue receiving paychecks for up to two weeks.
In addition, the agreement keeps health insurance in place through July 31. Laid-off workers who don't have enough accrued paid time off will be eligible for unemployment benefits after one week.
"We were able, in a very uncertain environment, to try to provide some more certainty and security for state employees," Seide said at a joint news conference Monday announcing the agreement.
"Actually, there is pain being incurred on July 1," Ludeman said. "That employees can use some comp or vacation accrual time for a paycheck still means they are losing in this proposition."
If a shutdown continues past July 14, full layoffs begin, complete with bumping rights, severance payments and other contractual requirements.
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| Cal Ludeman: "That employees can use some comp or vacation accrual time for a paycheck still means they are losing in this proposition." Union Advocate photo |
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As many as 16,000 state employees could be out of work July 1 if Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the Legislature fail to reach a budget settlement, forcing a partial government shutdown.
“Our members do not want to be pawns in a game or in a negotiations between the governor and the Legislature,” said Eliot Seide, director of AFSCME Council 5, the largest state employee union. “There’s nothing worse for an employee than to be in the middle of a situation in which they feel somewhat powerless.”
An estimated 23,500 employees work in state agencies whose budgets have yet to be resolved, said Cal Ludeman, commissioner of the Department of Employee Relations. Some ? such as those working in nursing homes and mental health facilities ? probably qualify as performing critical functions, Ludeman said, and likely will remain on the job even if there is no new budget on July 1.
In addition, Pawlenty has signed new budgets for public safety and government operations, meaning state prisons, the State Patrol, and functions such as revenue and human resources will continue, Ludeman said.
|
| Eliot Seide: “Our members do not want to be pawns.”
Union Advocate photo |
Courts may decide core functions
But Seide said additional workers in Human Services, plus those in Transportation, Natural Resources and other agencies, will be laid off beginning July 1. State parks, road maintenance, permits and inspections are among state services likely to be most affected.
“This is a real serious matter for our members,” Seide said, noting that AFSCME members who work for the state have an average salary of $35,000. “They live paycheck to paycheck. This is about rent, this is about health care, this is about taking care of their children or their parents. There’s not a lot of room, a lot of margin for error here.”
Exactly which jobs qualify as core government functions ? those that directly affect “the health and safety of individuals” ? probably will be left up to courts, Ludeman said. There is no clear timetable on when that might happen. The state is required to supply layoff notices to affected unions by June 23, and to affected individuals by July 2.
Agreement bridges 14-day gap
Ludeman, AFSCME, and six other state employee unions agreed Monday that the first 14 days of any shutdown will be treated as a “limited interruption of employment.” That allows workers who have unused vacation or comp time to continue receiving paychecks for up to two weeks.
In addition, the agreement keeps health insurance in place through July 31. Laid-off workers who don’t have enough accrued paid time off will be eligible for unemployment benefits after one week.
“We were able, in a very uncertain environment, to try to provide some more certainty and security for state employees,” Seide said at a joint news conference Monday announcing the agreement.
“Actually, there is pain being incurred on July 1,” Ludeman said. “That employees can use some comp or vacation accrual time for a paycheck still means they are losing in this proposition.”
If a shutdown continues past July 14, full layoffs begin, complete with bumping rights, severance payments and other contractual requirements.
|
| Cal Ludeman: “That employees can use some comp or vacation accrual time for a paycheck still means they are losing in this proposition.”
Union Advocate photo |