News & Updates

 

Delegates Pass Resolutions at Annual Delegate Assembly

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     Delegates to the 60th Annual Delegate Assembly served on three separate committees to review resolutions submitted for consideration. Resolutions fell into three categories: legislation, compensation and benefits; WPEA and PAC by-laws and policies; and Laramie County School District #1 issues.

     The committees made changes by combining similar proposals and making grammatical adjustments. They then recommended passage or did not move the resolution forward for consideration.

     Following the gavel down to close the 60th Annual Delegate Assembly, the Board of Directors met and prioritized the resolutions based on those needing immediate action.

 

PRIORITY NO. 1 – COMPENSATION/SALARY

State Employee - Market Analysis

     WHEREAS, most state employees are being paid under the market mid-point and are receiving minimal increases based on the 2020 Market numbers and 2021 PMI scores; and

     WHEREAS, the cost of living has increased substantially the last year, and

     WHEREAS, any increases received in 2022 will not keep up with inflation, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that WPEA lobby for an External Cost Adjustment (ECA) for all state employees to keep up with inflation.

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LCSD #1 Market Pay Plan

     WHEREAS, the Laramie County School District No. 1 classified employees are being placed on a market pay plan, and

     WHEREAS, some classified employees received a pay raise in 2021 to help recruit and retain employees; and

     WHEREAS, there will be only part of the classified staff to receive a market raise in 2022 and

     WHEREAS, it was determined that it would take three years or more before every classified employee would receive a market raise; therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED the WPEA staff and Unit officers negotiate market raises for all classified employees be given no later than 2024; and further,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that the market numbers be re-evaluated every three years and adjusted accordingly; and further,

     BE IT RESOLVED, a market step or movement in salary increases be given each year after 2024.

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External Cost Adjustment for Retirees

     WHEREAS, employees having retired from Wyoming State Government positions and having loyally served the State of Wyoming until retirement eligibility; and

     WHEREAS, the last Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) given to the retirees was made in 2008; and

     WHEREAS, many retirees are living at or below the current poverty levels; and

     WHEREAS, the State of Wyoming has neglected their responsibility to these citizens for 13 years; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that WPEA support and work to pass a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) or a 13th check for our retired members in the Wyoming Retirement System.

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PRIORITY NO. 2—BENEFITS (INSURANCE/RETIREMENT/LEAVE)

Restore Employee Group Health Insurance Employer Contribution to 85%-15% Premium Split

     WHEREAS, the Wyoming Health Insurance program has reported the reserve account has reached solvency; and

     WHEREAS, the premium split of 82%-18% was only necessary to correct the reserve account balance; and

     WHEREAS, the 82%-18% split negatively impacted the compensation of state employees; and funds to the school districts block grants;

     WHEREAS, employees premium increases reduce take home pay; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that WPEA propose the insurance premium contribution by employer be restored to the previous 85% State and 15% employee split affording a positive adjustment to employee compensation.

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Retirement Protection

     WHEREAS, all state employees and Laramie County School District No. 1 classified employees are part of the Wyoming Retirement System, and

     WHEREAS, the plan(s) need to be protected from being changed to a 401K plan; and

     WHEREAS, the pension payments help to stimulate and stabilize both the state and local economies and offer retirement security, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that WPEA lobby to protect the defined benefit pensions in Wyoming for past, current, and future employees; and further,

     BE IT RESOLVED to stop a new tier plan to be implemented for future employees.

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Maintain Vacation and Sick Leave Calculation

     WHEREAS, state employees have received vacation and sick leave based on a calculation per years of service; and

     WHEREAS, vacation and sick leave are accrued and can be carried over from year-to-year; and

     WHEREAS, state employees are paid the maximum limit of vacation and sick leave upon leaving state government within the restrictions of the leave formula set in the Wyoming State Personnel Rules; and

     WHEREAS, state employees have been afforded this benefit as recognition of their loyalty to the State of Wyoming; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that WPEA work to defeat any proposed legislation that would change the way the vacation and sick leave are calculated and maintain the current programs.

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Laramie County School No. 1:

Vacation, sick, personal time off changing to PTO

     WHEREAS, Laramie County School district No. 1 is rumored to go to PTO (Paid Time Off); and

     WHEREAS, each unit has vacation, sick, personal leave; and

     WHEREAS, they receive accrual rates and pay for unused time upon separation; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that WPEA staff and unit officers protect all leave as it is in the unit contracts; and further,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that no employee be forced to forfeit or lose any accrued leave or pay.

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PRIORITY NO. 3—WYOMING STATE PERSONNEL RULES/POLICIES

Chapters 8 and 9 Wyoming Personnel Rules

     WHEREAS, Chapters 8 and 9 Wyoming State personnel rules concerning the grievance procedure and Performance Management Process are unfair and not equitable to all employees; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that WPEA seek to reopen Chapters 8 and 9 of the Wyoming State Personnel Rules for recommended changes that make the processes fair, equitable, and impartial for all employees.

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Discipline of Employee Conducted by Neutral Party

     WHEREAS, when an agency needs to have employee work issues investigated it is usually a co-worker from the same agency doing the investigation and is probably not fair and impartial to the employee; and

     WHEREAS, the investigator may have the same agency head or supervisor;

     WHEREAS, the employee deserves a fair evaluation and determination on the finding of facts, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that all investigations on employee work issues and discipline need to be conducted by a neutral individual outside of the agency that the employee is employed by.

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Employee Moving Expense

     WHEREAS, when an employee is transferred at the request of the agency and must physically move from one location to a different location; and

     WHEREAS, expenses for the move are incurred by the employee; and

     WHEREAS, this causes an undue hardship on the employee; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, in the case of an agency transferring an employee to a position requiring a move to another area within the state, the agency should pay the expenses of the move so as not to be a hardship on the employee; and further,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that WPEA support and work to pass legislation to require the agency to pay moving expenses.

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PRIORITY NO. 4—WPEA AND PAC BY-LAWS/POLICIES

Annual Meeting Cancellations

     WHEREAS, unforeseen circumstances can cancel an annual meeting making it impossible to conduct association business in a timely manner; and

     WHEREAS, every effort is made to conduct business in even and odd numbered years; and

     WHEREAS, the schedule may have to be adjusted to get back on schedule; therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that in the WPEA By-Laws under Article IV Meetings, Section 1 – Annual Meeting add as (d.) shall, in the event of an Annual Meeting being cancelled, the next scheduled meeting shall include topics from both the even and odd numbered years to allow association business to be conducted.

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Non-member Participation in Retiree Chapter

     WHEREAS, membership in the Retirees Chapter (District 13) is offered to all retiring members; and

     WHEREAS, non-members have contacted WPEA seeking membership in the Retirees Chapter to participate in benefits such as VSP and Delta Dental; and

     WHEREAS, non-members have offered to pay dues at the current active membership rate plus the cost of the service(s); and

     WHEREAS, the WPEA By-Laws have no provision offering membership to non-members in the Retirees Chapter; and

     WHEREAS, the By-Laws have no provision addressing the rate of dues regarding non-members; now therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that WPEA establish a provision allowing non-members the opportunity of membership at the current monthly rate of dues or any rate that exceeds the current rate per month.

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Dues Increase to $25 per month; effective July 1, 2022

     WHEREAS, the Wyoming Public Employees Association membership dues have not been adjusted for several years; and

     WHEREAS, the funding of WPEA is not keeping up with the impact of inflation; and

     WHEREAS, WPEA needs to increase the dues of membership by $3.00 to meet the budgetary requirement of providing services to its membership; and

     WHEREAS, WPEA recognizes its loyal members and will grandfather current members at the current rate of $22 per month; and

     WHEREAS, WPEA current membership can voluntarily increase their dues to $25.00; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, beginning July 1, 2022, all new members will enroll at the dues rate of $25.00 per month; and further,

     BE IT RESOLVED, any grandfathered member may choose to participate in the new dues rate and help increase WPEA’s revenue source.

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PAC Chair Selection or Appointments

     WHEREAS, WPEA/PAC chairs are selected and appointed by the District Representative; and

     WHEREAS, a PAC Chair represents the County where they live and not the Board District; and

     WHEREAS, several counties do not have a PAC Chair; and therefore,

     WHEREAS, the Board of Director and/or District Representative is the acting PAC Chair; now

     BE IT RESOLVED, that Section V.A.1. of the WPEA/PAC By-Laws be changed to adopt that PAC Chairs and Vice Chairs be selected and appointed by the Board President or district representatives; and further

     BE IT RESOLVED, that WPEA Board of Directors and District Representatives can be appointed to be a District/County PAC Chair or Vice Chair.

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Legislative Candidate Interviews

     WHEREAS, A candidate seeking endorsement from the WPEA/PAC who has not previously served in an elected position; and

WHEREAS, WPEA/PAC needs to educate candidates on our issues and learn as much as the committee can about each candidate before an endorsement can be considered; therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, a first time candidate must participate in an in-person candidate interview to be considered for an endorsement; and further,

     BE IT RESOLVED, a candidate who has a voting record, has been through the WPEA/PAC interview and received an endorsement can be considered for endorsement based on their voting records regarding public employee issues.

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Same Day Registration

     WHEREAS, Wyoming voters turn up at the polls believing to be registered, and

     WHEREAS, registered voters lists are purged periodically eliminating any non-voters, deceased individuals, etc., and

     WHEREAS, voter information changes because of name changes, address changes or incorrect information, etc. requiring a new registration; and

     WHEREAS, voters who take an interest and are actively pursuing the right to vote should not be restricted from registering on election day (same day registration); now therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED, that WPEA support continuing same day registration and fight any legislation that would change that opportunity for Wyoming voters.

 

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