AFSCME reaches tentative agreement with state

Iowa’s largest union has reached a tentative agreement with the state, avoiding 479 layoffs that could have resulted from Gov. Chet Culver’s 10 percent budget cut ordered last month, which many feared would impact public safety.

The 479 positions include front line correctional officers, parole probation officers and other support positions.

Culver called on AFSCME and two other unions that represent employees of the Department of Corrections and the Department of Public Safety to reopen their contracts in an attempt to avoid deep job cuts. AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny Homan said Monday the union did everything it could to save the jobs of its members.

The changes to the contract, which will be voted on by union members no later than Nov. 25, include:

1. Each of the approximately 20,000 state employees who are covered by the AFSCME Master Agreement will be required to take five mandatory unpaid days during the remaining 7 months of FY2010 which ends June 30, 2010. This provision will create approximately $22 million in savings, the governor’s office contends.
2. The deferred compensation program for state employees will undergo temporary changes to suspend the state’s contribution through June 30, 2010. The employees’ contribution to the deferred compensation program will remain as currently allowed under the AFSCME Master Agreement. This provision will create approximately $4 million in savings.
3. No AFSCME Iowa Council 61 executive branch state employee will be laid off between the date of approval and the end of the current fiscal year.
4. Non-union employees who are laid off will not be permitted to displace employees who are union members.

“I want to thank the leadership at AFSCME for joining with us to save these essential public service jobs,” Culver said in a statement. “This understanding will help preserve vital services for Iowans while meeting our obligation to balance the state budget.  This is a positive step forward and I encourage the membership to vote yes on this measure.”

Last month, Culver finalized 34 departmental budget cut plans, which will result in 180 layoffs and the elimination of 229 open positions.

There has been no mention of contract negotiations with the other two unions that represent state corrections and public safety departments employees: the State Police Officers Council, which represents about 650 sworn officers and game wardens, and the Iowa United Professions which represents 3,000 members, including social workers and corrections counselors.