Dear ASEA and GGU member,

This morning you received a message from Governor Walker stating that he will sign the budget bill the Legislature passed in April, however, he has little choice but to veto the unfunded items in the bill. Those unfunded items occur in FY 2016 beginning July 1, 2015. He further stated that if the Legislature doesn’t pass a fully funded budget before July 1, 2015 he will ensure that the money remaining for FY 2016 after his vetoes is used for critical priorities such as life, health, and safety.

Because no one can predict with certainty that the Legislature will pass a fully funded budget prior to July 1, 2015 Governor Walker stated that the Administration will in early June be sending layoff notices to most employees.  That is a step the Administration must take to give the required notice of possible layoff to our members. Article 12.04 A of our contract states that “the appointing authority shall make every effort to give written notice to the employee at least thirty (30) calendar days if advance of the effective date of the layoff”.

I know that this is not good news to our members and other state employees and it is very unsettling to not know what the future holds regarding legislative action on the budget and the impact on you. Be assured that your Union has been very active in working with and urging the Legislature to fund a balanced budget and address the major issues in the budget including the funding of your 2.5% COLA. Specifically, Fate Putman, our lobbyist, and I continue to meet with and talk to individual legislators regarding the necessity to have a fully funded budget in place by July 1, 2015. That includes talking to members of the majority organizations in the House and Senate and to the House and Senate minority organizations. Additionally, I have testified before the minority democrats at a hearing last week in Anchorage and have continued discussions with the Governor and Commissioner of Administration regarding the necessity to fund our COLA and have a budget in place on July 1.

In an early morning phone call today the Commissioner of Administration expressed the Administration’s dismay that they must take this action but have no choice because of the legislature’s refusal to meet and fund the budget for FY 2016. He assured me that the Governor stands strongly with state employees in urging the Legislature to take positive action on the budget. He also reaffirmed that funding of our COLA, and adequate education funding, among other issues, remain a top priority of the Administration. We have received the same assurances from the Senate Democrats  and the House Democratic/Independent organization.

I have received messages from members asking what the Union is going to do.  We are going to continue our active and aggressive pursuit of urging the legislature to fulfill their Constitutional responsibility to fund a balanced budget for FY 2016. I also urge members to contact their legislators and urge the same. The one thing we can’t do is avoid layoffs if the Legislature refuses to pass a balanced budget. The power of appropriation rests entirely in the hands of the Legislature.

If you have any questions regarding the Governor’s message and the possibility of a reduced budget on July 1, 2015 please contact your Business Agent or me. I will keep you informed as further action is taken regarding this issue.

Jim Duncan
Executive Director