Member Survey Results Guide MAPE’s Bargaining Priorities

MAPE’s Negotiations Committee met for another two-day session Aug. 13-14. Contract negotiators got the lay of the land from budget experts, reviewed member survey results and heard the importance of fully funded state agencies and electing pro-labor candidates.

Members also learned more about the structure of traditional labor bargaining and the results of the recent member negotiations survey. More than 4,800 members responded; approximately forty percent of membership. Respondents overwhelmingly ranked healthcare and wages as their top issues, and felt strongly about telework protections, restrictions around artificial intelligence and job security.

Sean McIntyre, co-chair for the Negotiations Team this cycle and for the previous contract, said this followed a similar pattern to previous negotiations cycles. “Just like previous surveys, we always see these two issues, healthcare and wages, rise to the top.”

But he doesn’t want people to lose sight of other issues, “Every cycle, we make advances on issues that aren’t necessarily our top two priorities. Paid parental leave, temporary unclassified protections, even chaplain housing allowances are all issues we’ve managed to win as a part of negotiations in previous years.”

“We are all encouraged by the incredible engagement by members; however, we know we’re going to need more feedback from all our members as we move into negotiations. I’m looking forward to hosting listening sessions in Region 1 and hearing from them directly on the issues that are important to them,” Region 1 Negotiator Katrina Hopkins said.

“We are all prepared and motivated, and we need more member info, so attend your listening sessions and tell your negotiations rep what issues you are most interested in,” she added.  

The other day’s session was spent training negotiators on how to hold conversations and listening sessions. The training emphasized building power and transparency by being in close contact with as many of their members as possible. The negotiators agreed to hold multiple listening sessions with their regions to hear more about what is important to their region that might not be captured on the survey.

Negotiations Co-Chair Carly Michaud said she is looking forward to meeting with members across the state, “I’m super excited to go out to Greater Minnesota for listening sessions. Negotiators will be getting out with their locals more often in the past – raising awareness of what we’re going to need to do to win a strong contract, especially in a tough economy.”

The next step in the campaign is the Negotiations Convention on Friday, Aug. 28. There, the Negotiations Team and the Meet and Confer Chairs will get together to discuss main table and supplemental bargaining and contract proposal writing. They will also work from the survey results and early listening sessions to start shaping the themes and topics for the union’s proposals in upcoming bargaining.

2027-2029 Contract Negotiators

Region 1: Katrina Hopkins; Region 2: Charles Dixon; Region 3: Em Tschann; Region 4: Cara Hofreiter; Region 5: Kristin Loomer; Region 6: Julia Tindell; Region 7: Carly Michaud; Region 8: Jerry Schmitt; Region 9: Leo Caravello; Region 10: Austin Bork; Region 11: Sean McIntyre; Region 12: Jessica Thompson; Region 13: LeAnn Santana; Region 14: Chris Watkins; Region 15: Brad Berce; Region 16: Brian Mason; Region 17: Jaime Wuori; Region 18: Russell Derickson, Region 19: Christi Berry; Region 20: Gabe Perkins and Region 21: Chris J. Smith. At-Large Members: Elise Chambers, Brent Mason and Monica McDaniel.