Hundreds of state workers from the AFSCME union rallied in the State Capitol Rotunda this afternoon, urging lawmakers to approve their new contract. The crowd booed when Saint Cloud corrections counselor Tia McDougle pointed out legislators rejected the contract. “They took away our modest raises of just two and 2.25 percent but gave themselves a 45-percent raise, and that’s not right.” “No!” the crowd roared.
Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says the Dayton administration has now clarified that the salary increases will come out of existing agency budgets and an increase will not be necessary to pay for them. Gazelka says the Senate will pass the state employee contracts before Easter. The House has been resistant but Gazelka predicts they’ll move in the same direction.