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The most important NAPE/AFSCME actions right now are the negotiations for the 2001-2003 Collective Bargaining Agreement. You have a lot at stake in the negotiations. Click here for important details and updates!
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Recent NAPE/AFSCME Victories
- HHS Agency Head agrees to NAPE/AFSCME proposals to improve working conditions for Child Protective Service Workers.
- Corrections Security staff receive needed pay adjustments.
- Highway Maintenance Workers receive needed pay adjustments.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WINS: 1999-2001 CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS
COMPENSATION
- Average salary rankings for Nebraska state employees have moved up from 48th out of the 50 states.
- On Jan. 1, 2000, a Step Pay Plan went into effect which will for the first time provides a way for State employees to move to the tops of their salary ranges in yearly steps! NAPE/AFSCME is one of the few state unions to win such a pay plan.
- Night time pay differential has been continued and increased to 60 cents/hour.
- Overtime eligible employees have choice between l ½ pay and comp time for authorized overtime.
- A voluntary flexible spending account for medical and/or dependent care has been preserved.
- On-call pay has been continued at 8% of normal hourly pay (pay grade 14 equivalent or below).
- Mileage reimbursement has been increased to 31 cents per mile.
- Education assistance has been preserved.
HEALTH INSURANCE
- An option for early retirees to participate in our group health insurance, up to age 65, won in collective bargaining is included.
- A prescription card for our Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan won in collective bargaining has been continued.
- The state’s share of the health insurance premium split (79%) has been preserved even in Jan. 2000 when rates sky-rocket by a whopping 45% for family coverage.
- Nebraska state employees pay only 21% of family health insurance premium costs compared to the average in the surrounding states of 50%.
LEAVE BENEFITS
- Maximum vacation leave carryover has been continued to 35 days.
- Vacation maximum earnings rate exceeds that of surrounding states.
- Although sick leave earnings rates were decreased in 1999, the maximum retirement sick leave pay out was raised to 50 days, and effective July 1, 1999 - no yearly sick leave balancing back to 1440 hours takes place.
- Maximum sick leave earnings now match the highest of the surrounding states.
- Family medical leave provisions have been improved and an adoption leave provision has been continued.
- The Catastrophic Illness Bank has been continued.
- Injury leave and bereavement leave have been preserved while surrounding states charge these to sick leave.
EMPLOYEE RIGHTS
- Strengthened health and safety protections have been added to the contract.
- Respect for individual employees has been protected in the contract.
- Binding voluntary arbitration has been continued in the grievance procedure. A neutral outside professional Arbitrator jointly selected by the parties makes grievance decisions, not a Governor appointed personnel board.
- A state-wide employees assistance program has been continued.
- A Classification Appeals Panel has been continued where a panel of 5 (two appointed by the union, 2 by the state, and an outside panel member appointed by the panel) instead of the State Personnel Director makes final classification decisions.
You are visitor number  since November 1, 2000.
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