Legislative Results 2017

Legislative Report The unthinkable happened Tuesday, May 23 While negotiating the bill to fund state agencies, Republicans slipped in language to cripple the right of state employees to bargain wage increases and health insurance The change would force us to negotiate with the Legislature, making it nearly impossible to get a contract Minnesota is not Wisconsin because we beat back the attack in three days

Senate Removes Poison Pill May 25 at 8:16 p.m.

House Passes Clean Bill May 25 at 9:53 p.m.

Legislative Wins Collective Bargaining / PELRA Budget & Bonding Safe Staffing No Private Prisons Paid Parental Leave Ratified State Aid to Cities and Counties Local Control Pensions

Win: Collective Bargaining We removed the poison pill to preserve the Public Employment Labor Relations Act. Without that strong protection, employers could do just about anything they want to public workers.

Win: Budget We beat back the GOP proposal to layoff 3,500 state employees. Governor Dayton prevailed with funding for all state agencies that pays for the work we do.

Win: Safe Staffing We won funding to help DHS hire more staff: $22M for St. Peter Security Hospital, $10M for MSOCS group homes, and funding to operate a new CABHS facility in Willmar.  

Win: Bonding We won $70M to expand the Security Hospital in St. Peter; $27M to improve Sex Offender Treatment facilities in Moose Lake and St. Peter; $7.5M for a new CABHS facility in Willmar; and $2.25M for safety renovations at AMRTC.

Win: Bonding We won $19 million to construct a new intake unit and loading dock at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud.

Win: No Private Prisons We watered down language that would require DOC to reopen the private prison in Appleton. Now the commissioner may not expand bed capacity without submitting to the legislature an appraisal estimating the market value of the existing prison.

Win: Parental Leave Six weeks of Paid Parental Leave for state employees (not court employees) was ratified by the House and Senate. It went into effect, despite Gov. Dayton’s veto of the “preemption” bill. Expect GOP to sue.

Win: State Aid to Cities Our coalition won a $15 million annual increase for three years of Local Government Aid. That pays for our parks, libraries, police and firefighters. It prevents city layoffs and holds down property taxes.

Win: State Aid to Counties Our coalition won a $20 million annual increase for County Program Aid. That aid will help our larger counties shoulder the Medicare and Medicaid cuts coming from the Trump Administration.

Win: Local Control Local Control triumphed over Corporate Interference when Gov. Dayton vetoed a Republican bill to stop cities from requiring employers to offer paid time off or a $15 minimum wage.

Win: Pensions Good news: No pension changes or hybrid plans. We were visible and vocal at the Pension Commission. That vigilance protected our retirement security.

Win: No Shutdown

2018 Session Pension Sustainability Child Protection Higher Education Transportation

Unfinished Business: Pensions Sustainability Bad news: MSRS reforms did not pass. We still need shared sacrifice to sustain our pensions for the extra two years we are living.

Unfinished Business: Child Protection Child protection workers put their caseload concerns on the Legislature’s radar. We continue to push for funding to help counties hire, train and retain case workers, investigators and screeners.

Concern: Transportation Gov. Dayton signed the GOP transportation bill. It’s inadequate for roads, bridges and transit. It underfunds our maintenance, design and inspection work. With no new revenue, it robs $320M from the General Fund.

Concern: Higher Education Minnesota State will get an increase of $106M for the next two years, the U of M will get $54M. That’s not enough to offset tuition freezes suggested by the Legislature. Layoffs may result.

Governor Dayton’s Message Republicans put big businesses and the wealthy few ahead of regular Minnesotans Republicans insisted there wasn’t enough funding to invest in health care, our schools and tax breaks for working families Instead they gave away millions to big tobacco, giant corporations and the estates of multi-millionaires

Governor Dayton’s Message Republicans imposed regulations on driver’s licenses and teacher licensure, making our roads less safe and our teachers less ready to help kids learn Republicans left work with a big mess and they shouldn’t get paid until the job gets done Gov. Dayton is calling on legislators to come back and finish their work and put the needs of regular Minnesotans first

AFSCME: Politics Matters AFSCME members need to be visible and vocal at the Capitol. Politicians know we’re watching and will hold them accountable. Speaker Daudt showed us what Republican leadership looks like. They put the wealthy few ahead of everyone else. Their real cuts cause real pain for our families. Our wages, benefits and rights depend on electing a pro-worker governor and a pro-worker House in 2018.