Republican Lawmakers Reject New Contract for State Employees
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Legislative Republicans have voted to reject a new contract for Minnesota's 30,000 public employees.
The state's two massive unions for state employees ratified a new contract earlier this year. The contracts for the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees and AFSCME Council 5 call for a 2 percent raise this year and a 2.5 percent hike in 2018.
But a legislative subcommittee voted against the agreement Thursday. Their vote is a recommendation to the full Legislature to reject the contract.
Minnesota Public Radio News reports that all six Republicans on the Subcommittee on Employee Relations voted against the agreement while Democrats voted in favor. GOP Rep. Steve Drazkowski says the raises were too big.
AFSCME Council 5 executive director Eliot Seide says Republicans are beating up on state employees.