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| Date: | June 15, 2012 | | Contact Name: | Susan Closmore | | Contact Phone: | 651-296-5712 | | Contact Email: | susan.closmore@senate.mn | | For Immediate Release | |
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| PARRY CALLS ON DAYTON TO RELEASE LABOR CONTRACTS |
Waseca- According to an announcement on Thursday, May 31st from AFSCME Council 5 (AFL-CIO), AFSCME and MAPE reached a “tentative deal on a two-year collective bargaining agreement with the State of Minnesota.”
The announcement came after nearly 11 months of stalled negotiations between the Dayton administration and labor unions. As a result, state employees have been working under expired contracts, receiving automatic, unnegotiated salary increases.
Subcommittee on Employee Relations Chairman Mike Parry (R-Waseca) sent a letter on Friday, June 1st requesting a copy of the contract to the Minnesota Management and Budget Department (MMB). The letter was another attempt by Senator Parry and members of the subcommittee to obtain information about the progress of collective bargaining activities with state employees, as afforded the subcommittee by Minnesota statute 3.855.
Friday, more than two weeks after the deal was announced, Subcommittee on Employee Relations members have yet to receive a copy of the contract from MMB.
“It’s been more than two weeks since I requested a copy of the contract from Governor Dayton’s administration. MMB Commissioner Schowalter assured me that I would receive the information midweek this week but so far, nothing. What are Governor Dayton and his union buddies trying to hide in the contracts? Given the Dayton Administration's refusal to substantively participate in past meetings and the drawn out, 11 month negotiation process, it was not surprising that they are stalling and delaying the release of the agreed contract with subcommittee members,” said Senator Parry. “Minnesota deserves transparency and accountability – but the Dayton Administration continues to keep the public in the dark, siding with big union interests instead of Minnesota taxpayers.”
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