Approve Wages and Contracts for State Workers As Is

Every two years, the Governor puts together a Compensation Plan that outlines state worker wages and includes negotiated union employment contracts. Before going into effect, the Governor must present the Compensation Plan to the Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER), which then has to approve the Compensation Plan.

We are calling on the Joint Committee on Employment Relations to approve Gov. Evers’ Compensation Plan as is.  

The Joint Committee on Employment Relations is a legislative committee comprised of Senate and Assembly leadership. The JCOER is required by state law to perform functions related to State labor relations, civil service, and approving salaries and benefits for civil service employees, elected officials, Executive officers, and Constitutional Officers.

The Joint Committee on Employment Relations is scheduled to meet for a public hearing and executive session:

1:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 18

412 East, State Capitol, Madison

 

Join us in urging the Joint Committee on Employment Relations to approve Governor Evers’ Compensation Plan as is by emailing or calling your legislator at (800) 362-9472.

This Committee should approve wages spelled out in Gov. Evers’ Compensation Plan as currently negotiated as soon as possible to ensure that state and UW employees are given the wages as part of the Biennial Budget Bill, which was approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Evers on July 3, as well as to ensure that union collective bargaining agreements that have been agreed to by the State can be effectuated.

Governor Evers’ Compensation Plan concerns important wage increases and union bargaining agreements that have been negotiated and are ready for approval, including:

• Two staggered wage increases for State and UW employees of 2% each – one effective in January 2020 and the other effective in January 2021.
• New pay progression for Correctional Officers, Correctional Sergeants, Psychiatric Care Technicians, and Youth Counselors, and certain Nurse Clinicians.
• Creating a $15 minimum wage for all State and UW employees, effective January 2021.
• Changes to Travel Expense Reimbursement for State employees
• 2018-2019 Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Building Trades and UW Madison
• 2018-2019 Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Building Trades and UW Systems
• 2018-2019 Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Building Trades and the State of Wisconsin
• 2019-2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Building Trades and UW Madison
• 2019-2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Building Trades and UW Systems
• 2019-2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Building Trades and the State of Wisconsin
• Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association Agreement with the State, 2017-19.

 

None of the above can be implemented until JCOER convenes and approves the plan. There are over 40,000 State employees and nearly 39,000 UW System employees who deserve JCOER to meet so that their wages that are due to them can be approved and effective. In addition, skilled trades workers and law enforcement officers are waiting for their agreed-upon collective bargaining agreements to be approved by JCOER so that they can be voted on by the entire legislature and effectuated.

E-mail or call your legislator, let them know you want JCOER to approve Gov. Evers’ Compensation Plan as is, without changes.  

 

All Legislators, including JCOER Members, can be reached by email or calling (800) 362-9472
Joint Committee on Employment Relations Members:
Sen. Roth (Co-Chair, R)	Sen. Fitzgerald (R)	Rep. Steineke (R)	Sen. Shilling (D)
Rep. Vos (Co-Chair, R)	Sen. Darling (R)	Rep. Nygren (R)	Rep. Hintz (D)