LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The fight over pay increases continues in the state of Nevada as Senate Bill 440 goes under the microscope. The AFSCME union announced that it is suing Gov. Joe Lombardo over bargaining "violations."
On Tuesday, September 5, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), filed two legal actions against Governor Joe Lombardo for "violating state employee collective bargaining rights, enshrined in state law as NRS 288," according to the union.
“Collective bargaining rights give workers a voice on the job, regardless of who is elected Governor. Our arbitration win is final and binding – and is a contract the state entered, approved, and is obliged to honor. In filing these actions, we are protecting our right as workers to negotiate a binding contract. We continue to demand that Governor Lombardo honor our collective bargaining rights and agreements made by the state of Nevada,” said Heike Rüdenauer-Plumber, AFSCME Local 4041 member and a Development Specialist III with the state.
Union representatives point to the voted on, and approved by State Board of Examiners, 3% cost of living raise agreement from 2021 being vetoed by the governor as grounds for their legal actions this week.
This year's legislative session authorized funds from SB 440 to issue the raise back pay for workers represented by the union. Gov. Lombardo vetoed the bill after it passed in both chambers, and was owed from the binding previous agreement two years prior, according to union officials.
“We go into contract negotiations with the expectation that the state is operating under ‘good faith’ in what they are offering. When the governor voted against a contract his own agency negotiated, it was a violation of our collective bargaining rights and workers’ ability to have a say on our working conditions,” said Lisa Dehart, AFSCME Local 4041 member and a Social Worker III with the state.
AFSCME members say they are seeking the immediate disbursement of retroactive pay to workers covered under AFSCME’s arbitration.
As we have previously reported, State Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro, the Democratic Senate majority leader, said Republican lawmakers have opposed legislation intended to help address the issue. Senate Bill 440 would grant "an immediate, 2% raise to all state employees effective April 1st" and would fund arbitration for back pay owed to state public safety officers, Cannizzaro stated.
