At odds with Mills administration, Maine state employees rally for fair contract

Members of the Maine State Employees Association, Local 1989 of the Service Employees International Union, are rallying this Saturday at the State House Augusta to demand a contract that addresses recruitment, retention, and wage issues plaguing public service.

The negotiation process has been ongoing since February, with both MSEA and the administration still “far apart” on what the contract should look like, according to MSEA executive director Alec Maybarduk.

MSEA released the results of a survey early this year outlining the difficult working conditions state employees contend with: 83 percent of the 1,000 state workers surveyed reported that the government agencies they work for have problems recruiting and retaining staff, and over half of those workers said they have considered leaving state service altogether.

A staggering 70 percent were concerned about health care costs, and since state employees are not eligible for Social Security — relying on pensions to retire — 80 percent did not know if they would be able to retire. Between 2009 and 2013, state employees saw no cost-of-living increases.

Read more: https://mainebeacon.com/at-odds-with-mills-administration-maine-state-employees-rally-for-fair-contract/