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MFPE Pre-Budget Negotiations Update - Take Action!
As you know, the MFPE Pre-Budget Bargaining Process is underway. Our team of MFPE members and staff have been hard at work preparing to bargain our Pay Plan with the governor, beginning on May 21. Last month, MFPE members were sent a bargaining survey to help your bargaining team create a list of priorities to help inform upcoming negotiations. The priorities were clear: increases to wages, longevity, and health care are critical to MFPE members!
Over 650 MFPE members participated in the Pre-Budget Bargaining Priorities survey! The overwhelming priority was wages with 509 1st place votes, then longevity with 198 2nd place votes, health insurance with 145 2nd place votes, and lastly leave with 135 2nd place votes. Great work setting clear priorities!
Our bargaining team is excited to begin the Pre-Budget Bargaining with the Governor’s team. Our team is made up of MFPE members from across many State Government agencies and the Montana University System, with MFPE staff member Larry Nielsen. Our team is:
Brad Billington, Montana Motor Carrier Services Employees
Scott Campbell, Public Health and Human Services Employees
Kate Darnell, Probation and Parole Employees
Omega Esquivel, MT Mental Health Nursing Care Center Employees
Scott Galle, DPHHS Child and Family Services Employees
Adam Haight, Trade Partner
Ben Harris, Department of Agriculture Employees
Stephanne Hoiland, MT State Hospital Employees
Joy Honea, MSU Billings Faculty
Melissa Kirk, DPHHS Office of Public Assistance Employees
Larry Nielsen, MFPE Staff
Brady Schwertfeger, Federation of Classified University Staff-UM
Shelly Scott, DOJ Driver Examiner Employees
Sara Smathers , MT State Prison Employees
Mark Stiffler, Department of Revenue Employees
Lisa Tucker, Department of Environmental Quality Employees
Timm Twardoski, Trade Partner
Michelle Wheat, MT Department of Transportation Employees
Leighton Wieglenda, Department of Labor & Industry Employees
As our MFPE Pre-Budget Bargaining Team meets with the Governor’s team, be on the lookout for updates, meeting notices, surveys, or other actions MFPE members can participate in to build the power in negotiations needed to secure the best outcome possible.
Many MFPE members selected how they want to help build power for negotiations in the last bargaining survey. If you want to help MFPE members build power, you can join the Pay Plan Action Team by clicking here & signing-up!
As an MFPE Member and Public Employee, you do the Work That Matters across Montana every day. We’re excited to have you join the team! We are stronger together!
Solidarity,
-Amanda Curtis, MFPE President
We are part of something bigger! Don't forget to check out the latest MFPE news as well!
See past news below
HB0013 gets signed by Governor
04/11/2023
Key things to know:
Unless otherwise provided by law, state executive branch offices must be open for the transaction of business continuously from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day except on Saturdays, Sundays, and the holidays specified in 1-1-216(1)(a) through (1)(k).
Effective on the first day of the first complete pay period that includes July 1, 2023, the base salary of each employee must be increased by $1.50 an hour or by 4%, whichever is greater. Effective on the first day of the first complete pay period that includes July 1, 2024, the base salary of each employee must be increased by $1.50 an hour or by 4%, whichever is greater. All full-time employees must receive a one-time, lump-sum payment of $1,040 in the first full pay period after [the effective date of this act]. All employees who are regularly scheduled to work 20 hours or more a week but less than 40 hours a week must receive a one-time, lump-sum payment of $780 in the first full pay period after [the effective date of this act]. All employees who are regularly scheduled to work less than 20 hours a week must receive a onetime, lump-sum payment of $520 in the first full pay period after [the effective date of this act]. These payments are applicable for fiscal year 2023 only.
A full-time employee who is scheduled for a day off on a day that is observed as a legal holiday, except Sundays, is entitled to receive a day off with pay either on the day preceding the holiday or on another day following the holiday in the same pay period or as scheduled by the employee and the employee's supervisor, whichever allows a day off in addition to the employee's regularly scheduled days off, provided the employee is in a pay status on the employee's last regularly scheduled working day immediately before the holiday or on the employee's first regularly scheduled working day immediately after the holiday.