The problem of Recruitment & Retention runs from top to bottom… the solution should be applied from top to bottom. 

We need you to CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR TODAY.  This is about money in your pocket. We have some legislative support but we need more.

SB 297 was modified in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee to require the Commissioner of Administration to offer the new longevity proposal (3.75% steps every other year after you are in F step for 2 years) to all classified employees before it can be implemented for the political appointees.  That amendment is below.  The bill was passed out of L&C last week and is currently awaiting hearing in Senate Finance.  Please contact members of the Senate Finance Committee and ask them to approve CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 297(L&C) as is.  We also need you to contact your Senator and ask them to approve the amendment, and the bill when it comes up for a vote on the Senate Floor.  Those Senators are below.

HB 417, the House version, is currently in the Rules Committee and could be sent to the House Floor for a vote tomorrow.  It has not been amended to include our preferred language requiring the Commissioner to offer it to all Bargaining Units before it can be implemented for Executive Branch employees.  Please contact your House member and ask them to approve an amendment to the bill, which is contained in section 20 of SB 297.

 Section 20 of SB 297:

  * Sec. 20. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read:

   APPLICABILITY. Section 10 of this Act applies to classified and partially exempt employees in the executive branch of the state government who are not members of a collective bargaining unit established under the authority of AS 23.40.070 - 23.40.260 (Public Employment Relations Act) only after its terms have been formally offered to each established state employee bargaining unit through the state employee bargaining unit's collective bargaining agents, as an amendment to the contract governing the bargaining unit's  terms and conditions of employment.   

 Points to hit on in your e-mail:
 
*        You are a member of the Supervisory Unit (SU), and a quick sketch of what you do for the State
 
*        The SU has been experiencing recruitment and retention problems in filling all state jobs, not just those filled by political appointees.
 
*        The administration refused to include the longevity steps in our contract

*        It is not merely a matter of collective bargaining, it is difficulty in getting people to come to work for the state, and we will need to retain our long term employees in order to bridge the gap until we can hire new blood and pass on our experience and knowledge.
 
*        Four days after your union put ballots in the mail so you could vote on whether to approve your contract, the administration put forth this bill offering a better deal for the political appointees
 
*        Describe your personal reaction to this action by the administration
 
*        The ASK:   Ask for them to amend the bill so that the extra longevity steps for the non unionized employees of the Executive Branch are contingent upon the same steps being applied to the unionized employees of the Executive Branch.
 
 (Key point here is "Executive Branch"; we don't want to interfere with the Legislative or Courts employees who are not part of our fight)
 

Please use your home email address to send these.

Time is of the essence, please take a moment to let your respective legislative representatives know that you feel that equality and retention for all employees is much better for the State than creating a two class system of workforce.
 
WE CAN DO THIS…TOGETHER!

Senate Finance Committee Members are highlighted in yellow.