WYOMING PUBLIC EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
55TH ANNUAL DELEGATE ASSEMBLY
ADOPTED RESOLUTIONS
MAY 13, 2017

RESOLUTION NO. 1
WPEA BOARD REDISTRICTING

WHEREAS District 2 (Laramie) and District 3 (Rawlins, Elk Mountain, Arlington, and Saratoga) combined into one District when District 3’s Board of Director was elected to WPEA President in 2016 leaving District 3 vacant; and
WHEREAS the resolution passed in 2015 combined the two Districts with the vacancy of the Board seat in District 3; and

WHEREAS the Board Districts would require a reorganization due to the vacancy; and

WHEREAS Districts 1a and 1b represent Cheyenne area state employees and District 13 represents Laramie County School District No. 1 classified employees from Cheyenne; and

WHEREAS the retired chapter of the Association is without a district number; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the current District 13 will become District 2 representing Laramie County School District No. 1 classified employees, District 3 will continue to represent Laramie, Rawlins, Elk Mountain, Arlington, and Saratoga, and the state retired chapter shall be designated District 13, with all other Districts remaining as designated.


RESOLUTION NO. 2
BY-LAWS CHANGES

Wyoming Public Employees' Association Inc.
By-Laws

Article IV
Meetings

Section 9 – Delegate Qualifications, Elections, and Absences: District Representatives shall automatically serve as delegates from their district to the Delegate Assembly, at both annual and special meetings. Delegates shall be elected from chapters within a District or from the general membership of the District.

Article IX
Districts and Chapters

Section 8 – District Representative Duties: …. f. During their term serve as an automatic district delegate to the annual Delegate Assembly.

Section 10 – Voting Delegates: Each District/chapter of the Association shall elect voting delegates at least forty-five (45) days before the Delegate Assembly to represent the District/chapter at the annual meeting of the Association, said delegates expenses to be paid by the general fund of the Association, under guidelines established by the State Board of Directors. Each said voting delegate should serve for one (1) year. The number of delegates..... The District Representative shall serve as an automatic delegate for his/her district.


RESOLUTION NO. 3
PROTECT STATE EMPLOYEE LONGEVITY

WHEREAS the legislature and administration of the State of Wyoming have found it appropriate to reward employees who have provided continuous service to Wyoming state government; and

WHEREAS such reward in the form of monetary compensation has served as an incentive for employees to remain in the service of the State of Wyoming; and

WHEREAS longevity is the only consistent benefit set at $40 per month for each five years of service which supplements pay and rewards loyal, experienced employees; and

WHEREAS it is deemed desirable to continue to recognize those employees for their continuous service in addition to the regular salaries paid to those employees; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that all WPEA District members do hereby support and encourage the WPEA staff to engage in efforts including lobbying and education that will protect and maintain the longevity pay currently allocated to State Employees; and that longevity pay continue to be included in the Wyoming Standard Budget.


RESOLUTION NO. 4
STATE INSURANCE CONTRIBUTION TO HEALTH INSURANCE

WHEREAS most State employees are below market pay; and

WHEREAS the cost of living expenses have and will continue to increase; and

WHEREAS the cost of health care will continue to increase with the cost of inflation; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the WPEA staff lobbies to continue the share paid by the employee remain at 15% and the share paid by the State remain at 85% for health insurance premiums.


RESOLUTION NO. 5
EXTERNAL COST ADJUSTMENT

WHEREAS inflation including higher costs for food, housing, transportation, etc., continues to grow; and

WHEREAS state employees have not had an increase in pay since July 2015; and

WHEREAS state employees have gone seven (7) out of the last nine (9) years without increases to their pay; and

WHEREAS stagnant salaries signify an employee has less purchasing power for their work output; and

WHEREAS agencies report their turnover rate of employees continues to rise; and

WHEREAS agencies also report the number of applications received for vacancies continues to drop; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the staff of the WPEA lobby the governor and the legislature for an external cost adjustment for all employees to keep their salaries in line with inflation.


RESOLUTION NO. 6
STATE EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PACKAGE

WHEREAS state employees receive a benefits package that includes medical insurance, annual leave, sick leave, deferred compensation, retirement pension, retiree health insurance, among others; and

WHEREAS these benefits are instrumental in recruitment and retention of the best and brightest employees; and

WHEREAS these benefits allow employees and their families a work-life balance; and

WHEREAS these benefits are essential for producing a productive labor force; and

WHEREAS these benefits are typical at most companies with a similar sized workforce; and

WHEREAS employee benefits are subject to interim study; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the leadership and staff continue and enhance efforts to educate legislators on the necessity of the state’s employee benefit package and to combat myths and rumors in regard to those benefits; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that WPEA staff lobby the legislature so employees maintain the current benefits package.


RESOLUTION NO. 7
RETIREE INSURANCE

WHEREAS an adjustment to retiree health insurance was set for the State to supplement retirees up to age 65 with an additional $11.50 per month per year of service up to 30 years and those older than 65 an additional $5.75 per month per year of service up to 30 years to supplement their costs; and

WHEREAS recent action during the Legislative session sought to eliminate the $5.75 per month for retiree health insurance; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that WPEA will continue to support legislation that supports and maintains the current level of benefits for retiree health insurance contributions from the State.


RESOLUTION NO. 8
UNIFORM APPLICATION OF SICK LEAVE DONATIONS

WHEREAS the State of Wyoming’s Personnel Rules allow for employees to donate sick leave to employees in need; and

WHEREAS the rules leave the ability to solicit donations up to the agency director; and

WHEREAS each agency director has individual experiences and biases different from other directors; and

WHEREAS it is up to each individual agency director to decide whether each request will be denied, approved for solicitation within the agency, or approved for solicitation outside the agency; and the rules allow each director to decide how each request is to be handled with no guidance or uniform application; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that WPEA staff work with the Compensation Commission and the Human Resources Division of the Department of Administration and Information to ensure uniform application of sick leave requests.


RESOLUTION NO. 9
OBSERVATION/MOVE OVER REQUIREMENT ON ROADWAYS

WHEREAS any municipal, county, public service corporation, highway construction, highway maintenance or any parked vehicle using flashing lights in performance of duties on roadways; and

WHEREAS the individuals performing duties on roadways with vehicles traveling past them in excess of posted speed limits could be considered vulnerable to hazardous conditions; and

WHEREAS current roadway procedures required vehicles to merge into the lane farthest from the parked vehicles; and

WHEREAS anyone driving on a two (2) lane road with posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour or greater should slow to 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit except when directed otherwise by law enforcement; and

WHEREAS vehicles not heeding the recommended speed limit or merging into the farthest lane can be ticketed and/or convicted of a moving violation; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that WPEA support legislation of a misdemeanor violation conviction that would impose a fine not more than $120.00.


RESOLUTION NO. 10
DIGNITY OF PUBLIC SERVICE

WHEREAS too often members of the legislature will deride public employees; and

WHEREAS public service is a noble career choice that involves sacrifice, dedication and professionalism; and

WHEREAS government employees are necessary in carrying out effective and efficient government; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we affirm the dignity of public service and we take the opportunity to remind our leaders of the sacrifices we make in pursuit of the public good.