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Wednesday, June 15, 2005
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State workers make public case for a raise Banners air concerns as shutdown looms Associate Editor State union workers braved sporadic showers Tuesday at the Brainerd Regional Human Services Center to make their case for a raise.
Wayne Fleischhacker, president of American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Local 1574, said their informational bannering, complete with picket signs critical of Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the Legislature, was similar to private employees who ask their boss for a raise.
"We're going to our boss," he said.
The signs carried by AFSCME and Minnesota Association of Professional Employees Local 1601 carried a variety of messages including one with a reference to the looming deadline of June 30-July 1 when a partial state government shutdown could take place if funding bills aren't approved.
* "Zero in '03, zero in '04, zeroes no more."
* "First came click it or ticket. Now it's affordable health care or picket."
* "We do our job on time. Legislators do yours."
* "AFSCME loves America. Not so much Pawlenty."
* "Tic, tic, tic -- July 1."
Fleischhacker, a cook at the treatment center, said rising health care costs have meant less take-home pay for state employees.
"We haven't had a raise in three years and health care has gone in the toilet," he said. "We do Minnesota's work and we deserve a raise."
Fleischhacker and Liz Wheeler, president of MAPE Local 1601, said they favor the Senate version of a funding bill that calls for a salary supplemental for state employees of 2 percent over a two-year period.
Sen. Paul Koering, a member of the health and human services finance bill working group of five House members and five Senate members, said Tuesday he couldn't recall the precise amount of the salary supplemental in the Senate bill.
He said he was encouraged to learn that House and Senate leaders scheduled a meeting for 11 a.m. Wednesday with the working group and representatives of the governor, marking the first time the group has met with the governor's people. He said his group is still waiting for leaders to identify budget financial targets for health and human services spending.
"I feel good (about the meeting) because I don't feel we've been making any progress."
AFSCME Local 1574 has 430 workers, Fleischhacker said. Its employees work at the treatment center, state-run day programs at the Baxter Industrial Park and state-run group homes. Other AFSCME workers are at MnDOT, the DNR and Central Lakes College.
Wheeler, a social worker at the treatment center, said her union's employees work in such areas as military affairs, forestry, MnSCU, hydrology, psychiatric social work, behavior analysis and college counseling. MAPE Local 1601 has about 400 employees. The geographical area it covers includes Brainerd, Baxter, Camp Ripley, Aitkin and Wadena.
She said the response from passing motorists has been mostly positive with some honking their horns in apparent support of the picketers.
"We only got flipped off twice," she said.
Union officials said the informational bannering was a one-day event.
MIKE O'ROURKE can be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.
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