North Dakota Public Employees Association

President’s Corner




The Time is Now!



Senate Bill 2311 (State Employee Pay Bill) was voted on in the House Government Veteran Affairs Committee on Friday. The vote was 7 yeas and 6 nays and it was recommended that it be placed on the calendar without recommendation and be referred to the House Appropriations Committee. This pay bill is very important to state employees and must be passed now! The pay package included in SB 2311 provides for a 5% appropriation each year with a $100 monthly minimum for each employee. Our legislators need to hear from us now. Please email or call your legislator and ask them to support state employees by voting for SB 2311. State employees are the state’s greatest asset and must be a priority. Make your voice heard. Call or email your legislator today!



We also need you to contact your senator and representatives’ and ask them to support the salary equity dollars included in each agencies budget. State employees have been told when times are good we will take care of you. Well, I believe we have waited and now is the time for state employee’s salaries to be a priority. We need the 5% and 5% appropriation and the equity pool that was included in the governor budget to make state employee salaries competitive and enable the state to recruit and retain quality employees.



You can make a difference, call or email your legislator today.





NDPEA Needs You:



Are you a member of NDPEA? If not, we need you to join today to make the voice of public employees and NDPEA stronger. If you are a member, please ask a fellow co-worker to join. With more members we will have more muscle in passing legislation that is important to public employees and all working families. If you have any questions about NDPEA, please call our office at (701) 223-1964 or email us comments@ndpea.org.



Gary Feist

NDPEA President







Employee Free Choice Act



The Employee Free Choice Act has been introduced in the US House of Representative and the US Senate. This legislation is very important to workers. The Employee Free Choice Act will:



1) Restore workers’ freedom to make their own decision about how to join together to bargain for better benefits and fair wages;

2) Create real penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights.

3) Provide mediation and arbitration to help workers and employees come to an agreement on a first contract.



The Employee Free Choice Act does apply to public employee but a stronger union work force in the private sector will help public employees gain the right to collectively bargain and have voice in the workplace.



Please call Senators Conrad and Dorgan, and Representative Pomeroy and ask them to co-sponsor and support the Employee Free Choice Act. They need to hear from working families. Please call our representative’s toll free at 1-866-207-2060.



From the Desk of the Executive Director



Have you called your legislators this session?



I don’t mean figuratively. I don’t mean metaphorically. I mean literally. Have you called your legislators this session? All legislators have agendas. They all have priorities and political beliefs. However, most of them realize that in order to execute their political agenda, they need to get re-elected. Because of this, most legislators will take some direction from their constituents. So, I’ll ask again.



Have you called your legislators this session?



Please do. Call them, or e-mail them. Or better yet, send them a hand-written note asking them to support the “5 & 5” and the $100/month minimum and the equity dollars. Tell them your story. They won’t know it unless you tell them. If you are curious about how a particular legislator has been voting this session, send me an e-mail and I will be happy to share with you what I know.



NDPEA has fought tirelessly for you this session. As you all know, our effectiveness as a lobbying organization will grow as our membership grows, so please, help us grow our membership by either signing up yourself (if you’re not already a member) or sign up a friend (if you’re awesome and already a member). However, a solid lobbying effort requires more than lobbyists, it requires contact from the voters. That’s where you come in.



Please contact your legislators - today.



In Solidarity,



Stuart Savelkoul

Executive Director



How to Reach State Legislators



North Dakota Legislative Hotline: 1-888-635-3447

Bismarck: 328-3373

Hearing Impaired: 1-800-366-6888

Legislative Web Site: http://www.legis.nd.gov

(Legislators’ e-mail addresses can be reached from this site)




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