Help push the compensation-classification bill over the finish line!

Dear Executive Branch Co-Workers,

On May 25, LD 1854, “An Act to Complete and Implement the Comprehensive Review of the Classification and Compensation System for Executive Branch Employees,” was voted “Ought to Pass” in a majority report by the Legislature’s State and Local Government Committee!

In describing their enthusiastic support for the legislation, both of the committee chairs referenced personal stories by your coworkers who testified about the urgent need to close the pay gap at the May 12 hearing on LD 1854:

• Senator Chair Tim Nangle: “The thing that really struck me is the gentleman who was down here and he works for DOT and they’re supposed to have six plow beats and they are now covering the six with five people – and they’re probably going to cover it with four. And the reason that those plow beats are uncovered is because the pay isn’t high enough. This is a matter of public safety. This is a matter of providing good service to our residents. Everybody else’s story was very compelling as well, but you can really put your finger on the snow removal.”
• House Chair Representative Holly Stover: “I certainly can say personally having been a state employee, I recognize how difficult it is. For me it was the single mom who’s struggling to keep a roof over her kids’ heads and keep them fed – that I think about. So it is not lost on any of us, I believe, the struggles of state employees in trying to manage, to remain state employees, have faith in this process, and see it through.”

While there is still much work ahead to pass the majority report on LD 1854 in both the House and Senate, and to fund it through the Appropriations Committee, we congratulate all the MSEA-SEIU members who have spoken to legislators and testified at the public hearing on the significant step forward May 25.

Help push the majority report on LD 1854 over the finish line!

• Leave a message for both your State Senator (800-423-6900) and State Representative (800-423-2900) asking them to support the majority report on LD 1854! Sample message language: “Hi, I’m _____ and I live in _____. I’m calling to ask Senator/Representative ____ to support the majority report on LD 1854. Thank you.” Feel free to say more than that and share your contact info if you’d like a response.
• Sign up for one or more of our 2023 MSEA Visibility Days to talk directly with your legislators at the State House about the importance of passing the majority report on LD 1854 and closing the pay gap. MSEA Visibility Days are scheduled as follows: Tuesday, May 30 at 9:30am – Pay Gap; Thursday, June 1 at 9:30am – Pension Issues; Wednesday, June 7th at 12 – Pay Gap; Tuesday, June 13th at 9:30am – Pay Gap; and Monday, June 19th at 9:30am – Pay Gap. Sign up and attend on your own time.

We’d like to thank the members of the State and Local Government Committee who voted in support of the legislation, including Senate Chair Senator Tim Nangle , House Chair Representative Holly Stover, Representative Mana Abdi, Representative Lynn H. Copeland, Representative Sean Paulhus, Rep. Deqa Dhalac, Representative Walter Riseman, the bipartisan group of 100 cosponsors and State Representative Drew Gattine, for his leadership in introducing this important legislation to strengthen the public services we all rely on. While the Republican legislators on the State and Local Government Committee didn’t vote for LD 1854 yesterday, they indicated they will submit a “Ought to Pass as Amended” minority report. We, however, are supporting the majority report.

If enacted, the majority report on LD 1854 will require the State to:

• Complete and implement the results of the current classification and compensation studies by July 1, 2024. To ensure accountability, LD 1854 would require the State to give a 5% across-the-board pay increase to all state workers if it fails to complete the study and fix the pay gap by that date;
• Establish a State Employee Compensation Stabilization Fund to help fund closing the state employee pay gap.
• Perform a compensation study every four years;
• Conduct a comprehensive classification review every 10 years.

In Solidarity,
Dean Staffieri
President, MSEA-SEIU Local 1989