2021-2023 Tentative Agreement Q & A

What wage increases will we be getting?
The proposed contract included general wage increases in both years: 2.5 percent effective July 1, 2021, and 2.5 percent effective July 1, 2022. This increase is sometimes referred to as a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). Step increases apply both years for eligible employees (step increases average 3.55 percent in the MAPE contract).

What will my healthcare costs be?
No increases to our share of healthcare premiums, though the non-negotiable premiums will go up by 3% for both members and the State. There will be no major changes in out-of-pocket costs. Please see below for some changes, such as Emergency Room Visits. 

In healthcare negotiations, we negotiate how much of the premium we pay vs. the State. The State wanted to add an additional 2% to our share of the cost, making it 7% for single plans and 17% for dependent coverage. We staved off this proposal. However, the actual cost of healthcare and our premiums will increase this year by 3.6%. This is currently determined by the Commissioner. In other words, the overall price tag on our premium, for both MAPE and the State, is 103.6% of last year. 

Single Coverage Example

Status quo (2021)

2022-What the state proposed (increase in our share by 2%, plus non-negotiable 3.6% overall cost increase)

2022-What we negotiated (3% overall premium cost increase only, currently set by the Commissioner)

Employee Contribution

5%

7%

5%

Monthly Premium amount

$36.64

$53.15

$37.74

State Contribution

95%

93%

95%

Monthly State Premium amount

$696.16

$706.14

$717.04

Total Cost of Premium

$732.80

$759.29

$754.78


The new policy will also include:

  • Open enrollment in dental care both years.
  • 3-D mammograms as standard care.
  • Waiting period for insurance coverage for new employees reduced to 30 days  (from 35 days).
  • Short-term disability open enrollment will be every five years allowing people to opt-in or increase their short term disability on a regular basis.
  • Emergency Room plan design change- Co-pays for Emergency room are no longer subject to the deductible. Additionally co-pays for ER visits for level 2 and 3 increased by $25 and $50 respectively. On the other hand level 4 costs are now a flat $350 instead of the 25% coinsurance that it was previously. 
  • Joint Labor Management (JLM) issues (some issues will be determined by the JLM Committee): 
    • Discussing further fertility coverage
    • Expanding access to BIPOC mental health providers.
    • More cost level 2 clinics in Greater MN
    • New cost levels restricted to every three years
    • Adding comprehensive mental and chemical dependency healthcare to the State's healthcare program.

MAPE negotiators were able to beat back a proposal that could have cost members    hundreds of thousands of dollars or more by allowing the State to permanently cap its own costs while driving up our out-of-pocket costs. MAPE and AFSCME worked together to defeat the Actuarial proposal, which is especially egregious considering the large surplus SEGIP has. We don’t think this is the last we’ve seen of this proposal and will be ready to fight it again next time.  

How will my health care costs compare to my wage increases?
Most MAPE members receiving the 2.5 and 2.5 percent wage increases over the next two years, including those eligible for step increases averaging 3.55 percent, will see a clear increase in wages. MAPE has developed a tool to allow you to calculate your own wages based on the proposed 2021-2023 contract at https://mape.org/wage-calculator. You will also be able to estimate your health care costs by looking at the chart below the calculator which shows the healthcare costs differences between the health care plans for the 2019-2021 and 2021-2023 contracts.

What did we achieve in the areas of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) areas
MAPE members said this was a priority and we fought together for the following contract improvements:

  • Juneteenth will now be a holiday for state workers.
  • Additional pay for employees who communicate with the public in languages other than English.
  • Quarterly meetings with the Governor’s Office of Inclusion to engage and share member concerns and ideas for improving our state workforce’s EDI programs. 
  • Members who work in Connect700 can now accrue and use vacation/sick leave and are now eligible for holiday pay.

MAPE members continued to provide vital services to Minnesotans throughout the pandemic, much of it through telework. What is the State’s policy on telework now?
After 16 months of members successfully teleworking, the message was clear - telework as an option must be here to stay. This contract will include: 

  • Language that ensures 14 days’ notice when practicable for any changes in teleworking conditions.
  • Pilot program to meet with management to address any disagreements with permissions or denials of telework. 

What is the latest on temporary unclassified employees?
In the past four years, we have highlighted the overuse and abuse of the temporary unclassified (TU) status of state workers. We made gains in this contract with: 

  • An increase from 14 to 21 days minimum notice when practicable on the ending of an appointment.
  • Shortened probationary period for TU workers when converted to classified. 

What are the next steps? 
There are proposals and ideas that didn’t make it into this 2021-2023 tentative agreement but that doesn’t mean it’s the last we’ll hear of them. Our work as a union is not done yet!  Once the tentative agreement goes into effect, there will be opportunities for all of us to act.

All of the Negotiations Committee representatives will be meeting with members in their regions to discuss the tentative agreement and next steps; meeting dates and locations will be available on the MAPE website, www.mape.org.

When does voting on the tentative agreement begin?
Following the regional informational meetings, electronic voting on the tentative agreement will begin on Sept. 8 and continue through 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 17. Only members may vote on the tentative agreement. The MAPE office must receive membership applications by 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 2 to vote. You may join online at www.mape.org/join-mape.

What happens if union members ratify the contract? 
The contract is sent to the Legislative Subcommittee on Employee Relations (SER). SER has 30 days to vote on the contract; if approved or there is no vote, the contract goes into interim effect. The contract requires Legislative approval in 2022. 

We will be looking for support during this legislative campaign. Stay tuned!

What happens if members don’t vote to ratify the agreement?
According to MAPE bylaws, if the tentative agreement is rejected by a majority of the voting members, a strike is automatically authorized. The Board of Directors must then vote to implement the strike.

Last contract we had pilot programs/letters in the contract on Phased Retirement, Student Loan Reimbursement Opt-in, Recruiting Incentive, Employee Referral Incentive and Equity Adjustment. What happened to those this time? 
This year we secured an extension to these programs. They are now set to sunset in 2023-2025. If you want to organize around these issues in order to make further progress on the pilots, reach out to your negotiations representative. 

More information is available at www.mape.org.