State employee unions put trust in unified negotiations

State employee unions put trust in unified negotiations Lansing State Journal lansingstatejournal.com: "Alarmed by a lack of response from state employee unions in crafting $145 million in concessions, state officials laid down a gauntlet in late July.
Come to the table, or prepare for layoffs Oct. 1.
State employee unions responded last week: We will agree to talk with you, but only with one voice.

Bargaining together for the first time, five state employee unions representing about 35,000 workers said they will negotiate together on wages and benefits as part of a new three-year contract.
The wage and benefits portion of that contract begins Oct. 1, 2012.

It's part of a bid by unions to flex their muscle and show solidarity as they negotiate several crucial issues that might include requiring all state employees to pay 20 percent of their health care premiums, retiree health coverage and other pay or benefit reductions totaling $145 million.
Such a united approach by civil service unions may represent a nationally rising trend as financially strapped states, facing federal funding cuts, square off with employees over pay and benefits, said Gary Chaison, a labor relations expert and professor of industrial relations at Clark University in Worcester, Mass.

So far, only civil service unions in a few states, such as Connecticut, have tried the approach.

'It gives them much greater power,' Chaison said.
'They see a common argument being used against them, the need to reduce the budget and they are fearful that a weaker union will agree to concessions."