MSEA Opposes a Proposed Salary Freeze for State Employees

March 5, 2009 - MSEA opposes the introduction of Senate Bill 372, which would require that all state employees, including school personnel, be forced to take a two-year freeze in wages. This bill, introduced by Senate Republicans, would require that all state employees take a two-year freeze in wages and would hamper employees from exercising their collective bargaining rights if their contract were to open within the two-year window.

During MSEA's Day on the Hill, members talked to their legislators about the impact that a wage freeze would have on their families. A paraprofessional from Willmar told Senator Gimse, a co-author of this bill, that “she was the real person that this legislation would affect” and that he needed to think about her “real-life situation” when he supports this bill. Other members talked about the real threat of foreclosure and loss of health insurance coverage if they were to take a wage freeze.  learn more about this legislation