Legislative priorities 2018

Publish Date
2018 Legislative Core Priorities
  • MAPE supports equitable compensation and respectful treatment of all state employees.
  • MAPE supports efforts to provide sustainable resources for state government operations.
  • MAPE supports a middle-class, family-friendly agenda ensuring equal opportunity for all.
2018 Legislative Positions

MAPE supports equitable compensation and respectful treatment of all state employees.

  • We support the right of all workers to organize and bargain collectively.
  • We oppose any legislation that modifies or removes agreements made during the collective bargaining process.
  • We support the preservation and strengthening of the Public Employees Labor Relations Act (PELRA) and oppose the use of professional employees in unclassified service.
  • We believe labor unions should have the same right as other political contributors to participate in the political process.
  • We support affirmative action emphasizing increased recruitment and greater attention to expanding diversity in the state workforce.
  • We support the elimination of disparate treatment of employees based on gender, age, color, religion, marital status, race, disability, military/veteran status, sexual orientation, public assistance status, union affiliation, political affiliation, gender identity and expression, parental status and immigration status/national origin.
  • We support the establishment of a sick leave pool.
  • We support providing increases to employees who are paid below their position’s fair market value.
  • We support salary supplements for all state agencies.
  • We support the right of state employees to run for public office.
  • We support only the continuation and improvement of our defined benefit pension plan. We oppose any attempt to switch to a defined contribution retirement plan.
  • We support proportional pension plan contribution rate increases and fully funded retirement plans where employees do not pay a greater contribution rate than the employer.
  • We oppose the use of state pension funds for any purpose beyond pensions.
  • We support efforts to offer early retirement incentives to state employees.
  • We support a continuing budget resolution.

MAPE supports efforts to provide sustainable resources for state government operations.

  • We support funding all state agencies, including Minnesota State, at 100 percent cost of operations.
  • We support staffing levels that ensure high quality state services.
  • We oppose privatization, outsourcing and contracting of state services.
  • We support strategic succession planning including funding for employees on leadership, career development and a fee and tuition waiver program for all state employees.
  • We support moving towards public options including a single-payer, universal health care system as a way to reduce costs and provide affordable and accessible health care for all.
  • We support funding for the maintenance and improvements of our statewide infrastructure for the safety and economic growth of our state.
  • We support increased funding for improving workplaces that currently jeopardize employee health and safety.
  • We support resource conservation measures and other green initiatives.
  • We support the retention of public data for institutional historical purposes.
  • We oppose shifts and gimmicks to solve budget deficits and instead support sustainable funding options.
  • We oppose proposals limiting the ability to raise public revenue.
  • We support fair and transparent accounting principles.

MAPE supports a middle-class, family-friendly agenda ensuring equal opportunity for all.

  • We support employer provided paid parental and paid family leave for all employees.
  • We oppose all proposals making it more difficult to organize and maintain labor unions.
  • We support the rights to peaceful assembly.
  • We believe all workers have a right to earn a fair and equitable living wage. No employee should be required to work uncompensated hours.
  • We support a minimum wage increase, indexed to inflation, until a livable wage is maintained.
  • We support efforts to reduce income inequality.
  • We support progressive taxation policies that ask the wealthy to pay their fair share.
  • We support a resolution asking Congress to remove the deadline for ratification by the states of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the United States Constitution.
  • We support dedicated staffing for the Office on the Economic Status of Women.
  • We support the Impartial Justice Act, ensuring an impartial, fair and accountable judicial system for Minnesota.
  • We oppose recognizing corporations as people (e.g. Citizen’s United).
  • We support restoring voting rights to Minnesotans living in our community who are ineligible to vote due to felony conviction.
  • We believe in advancing health equity through supporting policies that help create the conditions in which all people have the opportunity to attain their highest level of health.