Democrats push to pass state worker contracts

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-laborcontracts,0,478474.story

Eds: Updates throughout with additional details, comments. Adds byline ^By SCOTT BAUER Associated Press

9:11 a.m. CST, November 21, 2010

MADISON, Wis. — Democrats are trying to approve state labor union contracts in a lame duck session before Republicans take over the Legislature in January.

Republican Gov.-elect Scott Walker has asked that the process stop until he takes over on Jan. 3 because the deals could make his job of balancing the state budget more difficult.

Nine labor unions and outgoing Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle's administration have reached tentative agreements on the contracts covering thousands of state workers. The deals still must be ratified by the unions and approved by a special legislative committee before they go before the Senate and Assembly.

One union, the Service Employees International Union, has ratified the agreement, according to the state Department of Administration. Ten other bargaining units, including the largest the 23,000-member Wisconsin State Employees Union, are still negotiating.

State workers haven't had a contract since July 1, 2009. The period covered by the new retroactive agreements ends on June 30.

The deals haven't been publicly released but union leaders say they include no pay increases and furlough days that equate to a 3 percent pay cut.


FULL story at link.