Via MPR News: Minnesota’s two largest government unions have won a 5% salary increase over the next two years.
The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE ) negotiated with the state of Minnesota for a 2.5% annual increase for each of the next two years. There are 30,000 employees between the two government unions.
AFSCME Council 5 spent over $865000 lobbying the state legislature in 2013-2014. The union is a part of the Minnesota AFL-CIO which spent $720,000 lobbying in 2013-2014. MAPE spent $140,000 during the same two years.
MAPE’s website touts their collective bargaining success which has resulted in salary increases of 11% since the beginning of 2013. An employee making $50,000 per year in December of 2012, will be making $55,459 annually starting this July 1st.
Rep Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazzeppa, took to Facebook to question the secret meetings that took place and how state departments would be able to meet the new labor costs:
The University of Minnesota also hiked salaries for employees as Alpha News reported last week. The Board of Regents approved a new budget that includes a 2% general wage increase for all University employees. Duluth and Crookston campus faculty had previously negotiated a 2.5% salary increase. There are over 19,000 employees at the University of Minnesota.
The Minnesota State College and University system negotiated a 7% wage increase over two-years for faculty members last summer.
Private sector wage growth has hovered around 2% over the last two years.
