RESOLUTIONS PASSED DURING THE 2009 DELEGATE ASSEMBLY
MAINTAIN THE EXTERNAL COST ADJUSTMENT
WHEREAS, in spite of rising unemployment, costs continue to escalate; and
WHEREAS, Wyoming State Employees continue to earn salaries below competitive
market value; and
WHEREAS, Wyoming Public Employees are among the most talented and dedicated
in the nation; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED WPEA does hereby support and encourage WPEA staff
to engage in efforts, including lobbying and education, that will maintain the external cost adjustment currently allocated
in the Wyoming Standard Budget.
WHISTLE BLOWER PROTECTION
WHEREAS, the reporting of government waste, illegal, unethical, or prohibited
activities within Wyoming State Government are vital; and
WHEREAS, employees are often hesitant to report such activities due to fear
of retaliation; and
WHEREAS, there are currently very limited whistle blower protections for
Wyoming State Employees; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED WPEA does hereby support and encourage WPEA staff
to engage in efforts, including lobbying and education, that will create, support, and enforce rules, regulations, policies
and statutes that provide State Employees with Whistle Blower protection and protection from employer retaliation for reporting
government waste, illegal, unethical, or prohibited activities in good faith.
FUNDING INEQUITIES DISCOVERED BY THE HAY STUDY
WHEREAS, in spite of rising unemployment, costs continue to escalate; and
WHEREAS, Wyoming Public Employees are among the most talented and dedicated
in the nation; and
WHEREAS, the State of Wyoming did engage in the Hay Study, which did determine
that Wyoming State Employees earn salaries below competitive market value; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED WPEA does hereby support and encourage WPEA staff
to engage in efforts, including lobbying and education that will result in the funding of the salary inequities discovered
through the Hay Study and pay Wyoming State Employees a competitive wage.
OVERTURN EXTERNAL COST ADJUSTMENT TIED TO PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS
WHEREAS, the Wyoming State Employee Performance is based on Subjective, rather
than Objective measurement; and
WHEREAS, studies continue to prove that such a practice does not improve
employee performance; and
WHEREAS, the ECA is not a performance payment therefore receiving it should
not be tied to employee performance appraisal; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED WPEA staff engages in efforts, including lobbying
and education that will result in the removal of this provision.
INCLEMENT WEATHER CLOSURES
WHEREAS, Individual Departments and offices make the decision to close an
office due to inclement weather, except in Cheyenne where the Governor or his Designee makes the decision for all the State
offices in Cheyenne; and
WHEREAS, the Governor or his Designee make the decision for all Departments
with offices in the affected areas to close due to inclement weather, based on information from said offices in the affected
areas; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED WPEA approaches the Governor on inequities.
RETIREMENT BENEFIT
WHEREAS, the State currently pays the employee portion of retirement; and
WHEREAS, this is the best hiring and retention benefit practice; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED WPEA does hereby support and encourage WPEA staff
to engage in efforts, including lobbying and education that will maintain the State’s 100% contribution to the employee
portion of the retirement plan.
STATE INSURANCE CONTRIBUTION TO GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM
WHEREAS the cost of living expenses have and will continue to increase; and
WHEREAS most State employees are below market pay; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED WPEA does hereby support and encourage WPEA staff
to engage in efforts, including lobbying and education that will maintain the 15% employee and 85% State contribution for
health premiums.
DELTA DENTAL BENEFIT INCREASE
WHEREAS, the cost of rising dental care for Basic Services under the State
Voluntary Option 1 Plan of the Delta Dental Plan of the Group Health Insurance plans which covers Oral Surgery, Restorative
Dentistry, Endodontics, Periodontics, and Periodontal maintenance, and the Major Services of Prosthodontics (partial dentures,
complete dentures), Restorative Crowns and Onlays, Oral Surgery, and Dental Implants are currently only covered at 50% with
a maximum benefit of $1500 per person per year, with an additional limit of $1000 limit for Dental Implants; and
WHEREAS, coverage for the above services is grossly inadequate considering
the cost of present day procedures. For example, a person requiring two implants for a bridge would be covered for only $1000,
where the implants alone presently cost approximately $3000 each, in addition to any other costs during the procedure. One
upper denture costs approximately $2000, plus the extraction of teeth. A root canal costs approximately $900, and crowns $1000
each; and
WHEREAS, many times you have one or more of the procedures above done at
the same time or in a series until all the dental work is completed; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED WPEA seek a Voluntary Option 2 of the Delta Dental
Plan increased to pay 75% with a maximum yearly benefit per person of $7500, with no additional limit on dental implants;
and furthermore,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED WPEA seek a Voluntary Option 3 of the Delta Dental
Plan to provide the services of orthodontic care.
HEALTH INSURANCE ADDITONAL COVERAGE FOR ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES
WHEREAS, the current Group Health Insurance
plan excludes alternative therapies, such as, but not limited to hypnotherapy, medical food, acupuncture, etc.; and
WHEREAS, such therapies are known to have medicinal benefits and cures, and
are now commonly covered by most insurance plans; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED WPEA research with the Group Health Insurance plan
the cost of the added coverage for alternative therapies such as those stated above.
OUTPATIENT SPINAL ADJUSTMENT THERAPY
WHEREAS, medical costs are rising, and the current yearly maximum of $1125
for Outpatient Spinal Adjustment Therapy is too low; and
WHEREAS, the current yearly combined maximum of $2500 for Outpatient Physical,
Speech, Hearing, and Occupational Therapy is too low; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the yearly maximum for Outpatient Spinal Adjustment
Therapy be raised to $1500; and furthermore
BE IT RESOLVED the yearly combined maximum for Outpatient Physical, Speech,
Hearing, and Occupational therapy be increased to $3000.
GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE PREFERRED PROVIDERS
WHEREAS, there are very few enrolled Preferred Providers within the Group
Health Insurance plan; and
WHEREAS, medical costs are rising and there are many communities within Wyoming
that have no Preferred Providers; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED WPEA work with the Group Health Insurance to aggressively
pursue enrolling all health providers, hospitals, etc. to enroll as Preferred Providers by negotiating rates and services
that will benefit both the Provider and the Group Health Insurance plan as well as the insured employee and/or family.
SURVIVING DEPENDENT HEALTH CARE COVERAGE
WHEREAS, health care
coverage is important to all persons; and
WHEREAS, state employees
provide dependent coverage; and
WHEREAS, when an
employee dies their family coverage ceases, now
THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED WPEA does hereby support rules and statutes that would allow surviving dependents to continue to elect permanent
coverage under Wyoming Group Health benefits.
DUES INCREASE
WHEREAS, the Wyoming Public Employees Association/SEIU Local 1990 represents
public employees through its legislative agenda and Laramie County School District #1 contract negotiations; and
WHEREAS, the Wyoming Public Employees Association/SEIU Local 1990 staff has
effectively lobbied to help represent public employees by securing a 3% ECA in 2004; a 3.5% ECA for state and a 17% raise
for LCSD #1 classified employees in 2005; $4M for state market inequities and a 14.29% raise for LCSD #1 classified employees
in 2006; a state 5.5% ECA in 2007; a 4% state ECA and a 4.3% ECA block grant allocation for LCSD #1 employees in 2008; and
finally, in 2009 a 4% state ECA and 3.7% ECA block grant allocation for LCSD #1 classified employees; and
WHEREAS, the current dues structure of the Wyoming Public Employees Association/SEIU
Local 1990 does not provide revenue sufficient to increase the number of staff and continue day-to-day operations; and
WHEREAS, Wyoming Public Employees Association/SEIU Local 1990 has not experienced
a dues adjustment since 2000; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED Wyoming Public Employees Association/SEIU Local
1990 establish a dues increase, with proper notification by the WPEA Board to all members no later than June 1st,
2009, for the increase to take place on the July 2009 pay advice, based on the following formula:
50 cents per year for the next two (2) years
$20.50 – 2009
$21.00 – 2010
