4-22-13

HB 13 (Swanson) – the state employee pay – passed the legislature Saturday, April 20. On to the governor’s desk.

The bill pased the Senate last week.

HB 13 in its amended form is not perfect. It’s not what we bargained. But it is a victory many did not see for the first three months of this 4-month legislative session.

The $38 million removed in the House was not restored. Senator Sesso (D-Butte) tried to amend the bill and include more money, but his amendment failed on a straight party line vote.  

Once it’s signed, MEA-MFT, MPEA, and AFSCME will sit down with the governor’s representatives and bargain a pay plan for the 2015 biennium. 

Our objective in such negotiations is 5 and 5, no slice and dice.

News story: Pay raise bill heads toward passage

News story: Montana Senate approves pay bill after rejecting effort to add money