An Act To Fund Agreements with Bargaining Units for Certain Executive Branch Employees
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, certain obligations and expenses incident to the operation of state collective bargaining agreements will become due and payable immediately; and
Whereas, it is the responsibility of the Legislature to act upon those portions of collective bargaining agreements negotiated by the executive branch that require legislative action; and
Whereas, the Governor and the Legislature share a desire to address in a timely manner the needs of certain state employees excluded from collective bargaining units; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Sec. 1. PL 2015, c. 376, §2 is amended to read:
Sec. 2. Adjustment of salary schedules for fiscal year 2016-17. Effective at the beginning of the pay week commencing closest to July 1, 2016, the salary schedules for executive branch employees in bargaining units represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the Maine State Troopers Association and the Maine State Law Enforcement Association must be adjusted upward according to the respective collective bargaining agreements. The salary schedules for executive branch employees in bargaining units represented by the Maine State Employees Association must be adjusted consistent with the terms of any tentative agreements ratified prior to September 30, 2015 May 31, 2016.
Sec. 2. PL 2015, c. 376, §6 is amended to read:
Sec. 6. Costs to General Fund and Highway Fund. Costs to the General Fund and Highway Fund must be provided in all or part through a transfer of Personal Services appropriations within and between departments and agencies and in accordance with Public Law 2015, chapter 267, Part DDDD and from the Salary Plan program, General Fund account in the Department of Administrative and Financial Services up to $8,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016 and up to $12,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017 to implement the economic terms of the collective bargaining agreements made in the months of June of calendar year 2015 through September May of calendar year 2015 2016 by the State and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the Maine State Troopers Association, the Maine State Law Enforcement Association and the Maine State Employees Association, to provide equitable treatment of employees excluded from bargaining pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, section 979-A, subsection 6, paragraphs E and F and, notwithstanding Title 26, section 979-D, subsection 1, paragraph E, subparagraph (3), to implement equitable adjustments for confidential employees.
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill extends the date by which a collective bargaining agreement for certain executive branch employees must be ratified in order to require the adjustment of the salary schedules to accommodate and fund the terms of the agreement.