In the l970’s, through NAPE, state employees organized and worked to establish and ensure:
The current vacation package and holidays we all enjoy.
Free speech rights to participate in the legislative process.
Due process rights for state employees.

In the l980’s and 90’s, through NAPE and AFSCME, state employees have continued to promote improvements (through lobbying in the Unicameral) on issues such as:

RETIREMENT
Retirement, where the state contribution increased to 156% and the vesting period was cut in half, from 10 to 5 years.
In 1998, the total retirement contributions of state employees were increased from 9% to somewhere between 11% and 12%, depending upon the individual employee’s situation, to enhance future retirees’ standards of living. Over a career, this could be tens of thousands of dollars.
Safe and prudent investment of our retirement funds, individual employees’ options for the investment of these funds, increased portability as well as lump sum options at retirement.
State employees now can direct where the State contributions are invested.

STATE EMPLOYEES COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ACT
Passage of the State Employees Collective Bargaining Act - 1987. This major legislation has resulted in significant gains from the late 1980’s through the present. Nebraska is one of only 25 states where state employees have collective bargaining rights.

JOB SECURITY and STAFFING LEVELS
In l980 when Governor Charles Thone announced the closing of the Norfolk Regional Center, NAPE organized employees and allies in communities throughout northeast Nebraska to fight the closing, preserve mental health services and state employee jobs in Northeast Nebraska.
In the 90’s, NAPE/AFSCME did it again when Governor Nelson tried to close down a third of the beds at all three Regional Centers: Hastings, Lincoln, and Norfolk. No jobs were lost.
In the mid l980’s when a special session of the Legislature adopted a cost-cutting proposal to close small rural offices of the Department of Social Services and eliminate a number of jobs, NAPE organized employees and fought back . . . over-riding a Gubernatorial veto and preserving many of those jobs. During the HHS reorganization our union led the fight to preserve state jobs and services. NAPE/AFSCME has successfully lobbied for additional appropriations for safe staffing levels in agencies such as Corrections and HHS.

SUGGESTION BOX AND WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION
A suggestion box proposal which will provide individual employees with cash awards for cost saving ideas which are adopted by a panel of bargaining unit employees and management.
Passage of whistle blower protection for state employees.

STATE COLLEGE ORGANIZING WINS FIRST EVER CONTRACT
Nebraska State College support staff employees at Chadron, Peru, and Wayne organized with NAPE/AFSCME and in l996 negotiated their first two-year contract for l997-l999. For the first time, salaries and benefits were negotiated with employees having a voice, and the agreement being spelled out in writing. Among the major gains were the elimination of an “at will” employment policy and new protections for workers based on seniority and “just cause.” Negotiating wins continued to make improvements in the 1999-2001 State College Contract.

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