The last vote was in 1963 accepting 97 rejections.
PROVIDENCE, RI (WLNE) – Members of the RI 94 Council voted to approve a new contract for state workers, including a $3,000 bonus for fully immunized state workers.
The contract was overwhelmingly approved on Thursday, with a final total of 1963 for and 97 against. Council 94 is the largest state union representing more than 3,800 state employees.
“This is done so we can keep your public servants,” said Lynn Loveday, Council 94’s Vice President of State, shortly after the negotiations – acknowledging that not everyone agrees. with bonuses.
Rhode Island House Vice Speaker Charlene Lima said vaccine bonuses are unfair to those who have vaccinated without an incentive.
“It is not fair to all the other state workers and city workers who have stayed to work through the whole of COVID and provide services and work so hard,” Lima said.
Governor Dan McKee told reporters on Thursday that these negotiations are long overdue and are something Rhode Island taxpayers can afford – even if it doesn’t increase injection rates. strains.
ABC6 asked council spokesman and Governor for Governor Dan McKee’s office when vaccinated state workers could see the tip of the bonus, but that answer was not made clear.
The four-year contract was agreed to by the McKee administration as well as the union before the vote.
Other contract terms:
- 10% salary increase in four years.
- 20 families get paid sick leave right away for their families. Before it was 10.
- Health care insurer, coverage, and coinsurance remain the same.
- Father/stepmother. A step-sister has been added to the Missing Leaves section- four days in total. Granddaughters, nephews, and cousins are also added to this section – a total of one day.
- The employee’s annual two-hour outing is added to the contract.
- No benefits are lost from the Master Agreement 2017-2020.
- COVID rewards will be split in half; with $1,500 to be paid to workers after the vote, and another $1,500 to be paid next July.
Members of the Rhode Island minority officer released a statement approving the contract saying,
“People should be paid for their work, not their private medical choices. The hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders who have been immunized should not be forced to pay bonuses to public employees who also choose to be vaccinated. The role of unions is to negotiate the best deal for their members – and they clearly have. On the other hand, the Governor must advance the best interests of all taxpayers – and he failed.
Council 94’s prize money is estimated at more than $11 million. No doubt other state employees will soon seek parity, which will soon cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars more. At yesterday’s COVID press update, it was said that the RI for vaccination was 94%, one of the highest vaccination rates in the nation. Obviously, this bounty provision is not intended to incentivize our unvaccinated population. Rather, it is an election gimmick based on taxpayers’ backs. Rhode Island can and must do better.”
This is a developing story, check back for details.
