Legislative subcommittee approves faculty contract
A labor contract praised by Gov. Tim Pawlenty for saving money and minimizing layoffs might not do either.
Gov. Pawlenty and some legislators had billed the contract agreement with faculty at Minnesota's state university campuses as a salary freeze, with no raises over the next two years. But the settlement information presented to a joint House-Senate panel shows the cost of the contract will increase nearly 2 percent, or $2.6 million, over the biennium.
Rod Henry, president of the Inter Faculty Organization, says 10 to 20 percent of the union membership could see salary increases under existing contract language. In addition, Henry says layoffs are still a possibility.
"Given the size of the state budget problems, not just this year but two years out, I think anyone who thought they could get a guarantee of no layoffs would be fooling themselves," said Henry.
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The legislative subcommittee approved the agreement.
Rep. Steve Drazkowski, GOP-Wabasha was the lone vote against the contract. He said under the current state budget conditions, the contract is too much.
"We really should be looking at a contract that more reflects where we're at with the means that Minnesota has, the means that state government has. This is not living within our means, and I really would have liked to have seen a contract that was reflective of that reality," said Drazkowski.
The contract won't be implemented until after the end of the Legislative session.