Negotiators convene, prioritize proposals, prep platform

MAPE negotiators met last week for two days, one that included MAPE’s 2023 Negotiations Convention where members presented negotiations themes, held small group discussions, talked about supplemental bargaining and reviewed a new organizing platform that will be launching next week. 

The team has been combing through bargaining proposals, organizing them into three key themes of wages, healthcare and quality workplaces grounded in flexibility and equity. 

“The issues of wages, healthcare, benefits and equity come up all the time with our members,” said Negotiations Co-Chair Adam Novotny. “We know these are key issues our members are willing to fight for.” 

Negotiators got a sneak peak of a new platform for proposal support and real time updates that will be launching next week. 

“This platform is broad and will encompass the themes we’ll see across all agencies,” said Alexis Lohse, Region 1 negotiator. “Our membership is where our strength will be going into negotiations. We need to stay in organizing mode, because the more contacts we make now will mean the stronger we are when we sit across from Minnesota Management and Budget.” 

Contract Action Teams (CATs) will be meeting next week to set goals around member interaction with the new platform, which is launching for all members early next week, so stay tuned. 

“Our Negotiations Team has talked about what it’s going to take to win our priorities, and how to be taken seriously at the table,” Novotny said. “And it’s through member organizing, recruitment and people showing up. As we learned from MAPE-tober, getting out there, getting on doors and talking to members works.” 

During the Negotiations Convention, which included all statewide Meet and Confer Chairs, Maureen Dunaway from Dept. of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) was re-elected Speaker of the Statewide Meet and Confer Chairs. 

The Negotiations Team also welcomed new negotiators from Region 13, Cara Hofreiter, and Region 17, David Clanaugh.