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State union contracts on brink of approval - finally
April 3, 2003

Peter Benner, the executive director of Council 6 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees - the largest state workers union - said Thursday's vote should give members "major peace of mind." (MPR Photo/Michael Khoo)

St. Paul, Minn. — (AP) A drawn-out fight over state union contracts moved near conclusion Thursday after the Senate voted 39-26 to ratify the deals after stripping health coverage from gay and lesbian partners of state workers. The same measure is on course to pass the House soon and gain Gov. Tim Pawlenty's signature.

The contracts were reached after a two-week strike in 2001, but have been in limbo since. Both chambers of the Legislature need to ratify them; the GOP-controlled House has refused to unless the domestic partner benefits were removed.

"It's not fair we're being put in a position of having to vote for discrimination or for the contracts," complained Sen. Ellen Anderson, DFL-St. Paul. She voted for ratification "under protest," she said.

It's not fair we're being put in a position of having to vote for discrimination or for the contracts - Sen. Ellen Anderson, DFL-St. Paul

Most in the Senate's DFL majority support the domestic-partner offering but knew that preserving it would put at risk pay and benefits for all state workers.

The deals must be approved by mid-May or they are considered void. Raises gained after the strike, which differ by union, were in place pending final approval. Rejection would mean wages would revert to 2001 levels.

The Legislature typically ratifies contracts on an all-or-nothing basis. Some warned that picking and choosing in this case would set a dangerous precedent.

But Sen. Michele Bachmann, R-Stillwater, said the Legislature should be examining contracts more closely.

"We were elected to be the voice of the people," she said, "and the people are the ones paying this contract."

The two-year contracts are due to expire July 1 anyway. Ratification is important because the administration and unions will build off the most recently approved contracts when negotiating the next ones.

The executive director of Council 6 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees - the largest state workers union - said Thursday's vote should give members "major peace of mind."

"They now know that the pay and benefits they've had are locked in," Peter Benner said.

The Senate defeated an amendment that would have blocked future administrations from offering similar benefits in the future. The contract before legislators was negotiated by the administration of former Gov. Jesse Ventura, a strong supporter of the domestic-partner provision.

They also turned down two amendments by the only openly gay senator, DFLer Scott Dibble of Minneapolis. One would have reinstated the benefits and the other would have allowed gay partners to buy coverage from the state insurance provider.

"We should be embarrassed today," he said, noting that such offerings are expanding in the private sector. "We're moving backwards, they're moving ahead into the real world."

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