What is MPEA
The Minneapolis Professional Employees Association (MPEA) is the certified collective bargaining unit, i.e. the union, representing approximately 600 professional workers employed by the City of Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, and the Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency. MPEA is governed by its own constitution and bylaws, managed by an Executive Board consisting of MPEA members from all three employers, and staffed by an attorney/business manager and an administrative assistant. see more
Members Vote On Contract Revision
MPEA held a vote on a proposed contract revision and the voting results were 55 for and 19 against.
I want to thank everyone who came to the meeting. The discussion was lively and informative for everyone including the Board. We will relay MPEA’s voting decision to Tim Giles as management’s representative and finalize this change.
What this change means for our membership...
For the first two years of our contract, 2011 and 2012, we are entitled to any pay increases that are instituted through another union’s contract. In the third year, 2013, MPEA can reopen the portion of the contract relating to wages. Your Board will continue to monitor the climate for potential wage increases and bring to the membership a chance to vote on reopening those discussions with management. As it stands right now there will be two triggers that I can see that will raise the potential for reopening those discussions and they are (1) a raise given by management in any other union’s contract, and (2) a substantial improvement in the economy which would present a better environment for allowing wages to increase. I leave open to all of our membership the opportunity to bring to the attention of any Board member indications in the economy and our city that might suggest that we should consider reopening wage negotiations. If the Board agrees that reopening should be considered then we will hold a membership meeting to discuss and vote on the matter.
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Bills call for a freeze on public pensions
3/2/2011 12:00:00 AM
Two House bills, H.F.542 and H.F.594 would effectively freeeze public pensions in Minnesota as of July 1.
Introduced Thursday, February 17, the two measures by Rep. Mark Buesgens, Jordan, call for closing all public retirewment plans to new employees after June 30, and freezing existing benefits for all current public employees as of that date. No additional service credits could be earned by participants, not would additional member contributions be allowed. Members not yet vested in the retirement plans would only be eligible for a refund of past contributions plus intrerest. Contributions would alos cease for participants in Minnesota's public defined contribution plans like PERA's DCP.
The measure would allow the continuation of employer contributions to defined benefit plans like PERA, the Minnesota State Retirement System and the Teachers Retirement Association until they reach full funding.
In a recent interview, Buesgens said he does not expect the bills to pass, but hopes they will spark discussion. There are no companion measures in the Senate. Gov. Mark Dayton has indicated he would not sign the bills in the unlikely event they reach his desk.
