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Board Member Meets with Bill Author

Thursday morning, OPEA Board Secretary Tricia Parker from the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board, had the opportunity to sit down with Rep. Peterson and OPEA staff to discuss the benefit allowance issue.  Rep. Peterson is the author of HB 3108, which would change the calculation of the state employee benefit allowance.

 

“Rep. Peterson was very open to our input and repeatedly said that he didn’t want state employees to be hurt,” said Parker.

 

Peterson told the group that his concept revolves around a “global package”, or total compensation.  He wants state employees to have a compensation plan, both benefits and cash, that is closer to a business model. 

 

Rep. Peterson said he envisioned a four or five year plan that brings state employees to market in total compensation.  He said private sector employees don’t have a benefit allowance that is so generous.  However, he also emphasized that private sector employers don’t let years pass without providing pay raises. 

 

Rep. Peterson’s bill will be passed out of committee with the title struck, which is a procedural motion that indicates the bill is still a work in progress.  He has assured the Association that he is open to input from OPEA on the bill.

 

“It is only the third week of session and we have a lot of negotiation ahead of us,” said Parker.  “I believe the door is open for us to work through this issue with legislators and benefit state employees.” 

Posted on Fri, February 22, 2008 by Bud Elder

17 comments (Add your own)

1. wrote:
This bill is no good for state employees. It will mean money out of our pockets to pay for all of our health insurance. It will amount to around $90 for a single worker and $200 or more for married workers. We need to do all in our power to get this bill defeated. Ron Peterson is not a friend to state workers. He is taking money away from us. Call and write your representatives. Make 3108 a no go!

Fri, February 22, 2008 @ 5:29 PM

2. Chuck wrote:
Hoorah for Tricia Parker! It is great to see our leadership stepping up. Thanks for the report and that took a lot of guts!

Fri, February 22, 2008 @ 6:27 PM

3. mo wrote:
What is the 4 or 5 year plan? Wouldn't it be nice for it to be in place BEFORE the Legislature cut our benefits? Is this bill "as a work in progress" going to be tied to the $2700 across the board pay raise effective 7/1/08? If not, we cannot afford to consider it!!

Fri, February 22, 2008 @ 7:28 PM

4. wrote:
If you are married, HB3108 may take $3000 per year from your insurance benefit allowance. If you are single it may take away $1000 per year. Figure the math.

Sat, February 23, 2008 @ 12:49 AM

5. Tom wrote:
Why do legislators feel like they have to take away from the state employee. I guess the reason is, that we let them without complaining. Sure we complain, but is the complaining directed to the right people. Come on people, contact other state employees and persuade them to contact there legislators. We need to let them know that it is the state employees year for a raise without conditions. Leave our rightly earned benefits alone.

Sat, February 23, 2008 @ 9:01 AM

6. Our Governor...talking up teacher pay I am sure. wrote:
By Michael McNutt
Capitol Bureau
Gov. Brad Henry will be among the speakers at a session on struggling schools and increasing student achievement during the National Governors Association's annual winter meeting in Washington.

The governor left Friday for the three-day conference, which gets under way today at the J.W. Marriott Hotel.

Henry, vice chairman of the group's early childhood and work force committee, is scheduled to speak Sunday about Oklahoma's efforts to improve CareerTech education opportunities.

The session is intended to give the states' chief executives the opportunity to discuss efforts by governors to improve student achievement.

Henry and others in the session will hear Pedro Noguera, executive director of the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, talk about school reform and improvement.

Noguera is also expected to outline the social and economic imperative to improve struggling public schools and raise student achievement, according to the group's Web site.

Henry and other governors are scheduled to go Monday to the White House to meet with President Bush, said the governor's spokesman, Paul Sund.

First lady Kim Henry is accompanying the governor on the Washington trip.

She is co-chairman of the first spouses committee of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program, a national effort that targets at-risk youth and offers them education in job skills in a military setting, similar to the Thunderbird Youth Academy in Pryor.

As the co-chairman, the first lady is scheduled to place a wreath Tuesday on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Henry's spokesman said.


Who's paying for the trip?
The state is paying for the trip because Henry is attending the meeting in his official capacity as governor, the spokesman said.
The Henrys are scheduled to return Wednesday.

Sat, February 23, 2008 @ 10:38 AM

7. wrote:
If this concept worked so well for the private sector, then why are so many in the private sector struggling? Don't we have enough financial strikes against us? I've already survived a brush with cancer, but am afraid that if my benefits are grossly reduced, I'll no longer be able to continue my check-ups. That's the reason the cancer was able to develop in the first place--no health insurance to have regular check-ups. As it is right now, I can only afford to visit the one doctor for that specific cancer, but cannot really afford to have a complete check-up every year.

Please do not change our benefit package! I wish I could just tell these people to just back-off! Or better yet, live on our salary, with our insurance for a year.

Sun, February 24, 2008 @ 9:02 AM

8. Rickey wrote:
You know if Peterson really wants to fix something why does'nt he go after the waste going on in the education portion of state government. Like the new vehicles every year, (for personal use by principals and superintendents), and why does every school system need a superintendent, no matter how close together the school systems are. Where I live there are (5) school systems within (15) miles of each other, each has its own superintendent making $80,000 to $100,000 plus per year. The agency heads of (2) of the largest agencies in state government barely make over $100,000 per year and those people manage/supervise thousands of employees and are held responsible for thousands of lives each and every day, (365) days a year, not just when school years is in session!!!!

Sun, February 24, 2008 @ 10:20 PM

9. Glen wrote:
SO if he is so conserned with state employees, then he should initiate a bill that is for all agencies, not just some state employees, this should be straight across the board with all state agencies, teachers, hiway patrols everyone, not just some state agencies. he should help change the different retirement systems and make it just one for all state agencies.

Mon, February 25, 2008 @ 7:35 AM

10. Fred wrote:
If this bill passes, it will be a slap in the face of state employees. To give us a raise, then take it away with this bill is ludicrous to say the least. It is already hard to find people who want to work for the state of Oklahoma, this will make it even harder to find good employees.

Mon, February 25, 2008 @ 11:43 AM

11. AS wrote:
If HB 3108 is approved and the benefit allowance is cut, I WILL go to the private sector for employment. The benefits are what made me consider state employment in the first place. If that's taken away, I will go elsewhere. There are private companies that value their experienced employees and will take care of them better than the state is doing.

Mon, February 25, 2008 @ 12:43 PM

12. Bob Zapffe wrote:
I certainly agree with Tom and Rickey. Let's take the opportunity while eveyone is hot about this affront to state employees and threat to our welfare to actively recruit those employees who have been tagging along on benefits without belonging to OPEA. Looks like we'll need all the members we can muster to fight this threat to benefits and get a cost of living increase to keepavoid falling farther behind rising prices.

Mon, February 25, 2008 @ 5:08 PM

13. DJ wrote:
My question has always been "why is it our insurance is so much more expensive than in the private sector?". As a state employee, if they take away or even reduce my benefit allowance I won't be able to afford to stay, I will have to resign. My pay is not enough to cover the cost of the insurance. I hate the thought of having to start over in the private sector but then I also hate the thought of working for nothing!

Tue, February 26, 2008 @ 10:31 AM

14. Calling Out all State Employees wrote:
EVERYONE AIM TO BE AT THE MARCH 11 LOBBY RALLY BETWEEN 11:00 TO 12:30 THAT IS WHEN THE MEDIA WILL BE THERE. YOU WANT THE STATE EMPLOYEES TO GIVE A STRONG SUPPORT FOR OUR CAUSE TO LET THE LEGISLATURES AND THE GOVERNOR AND THE PEOPLE AT HOME WE ARE TIRED OF NOT GETTING WHAT WE DESERVE AND THAT IS A PAY RAISE AND TO NOT TOUCH OUR BENEFITS.

I LIKE THE IDEA SOMEONE GAVE WE SHOULD POST ON BULLETINS BOARDS HOW WE ARE BEING IGNORED HOW BAD OUR PAY IS TO THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY THAT I BELIEVE WE ARE NOW LAST IN THE UNITED STATES IN STATE WORKERS PAY. LET THEM KNOW THAT SOON THERE WON'T BE ANY STATE WORKERS TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA BECAUSE WE WILL BE GONE TO THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY WITH OUR EXPERIENCE ON THE JOB.

IF ANYTHING IMPROVE OUR BENEFITS THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE IN A WHILE.

*RETURN OUR 90 BACK TO 80 THAT IT USED TO BE.
*INCREASE THE STATE CONTRIBUTION OF $25 TO OUR SOONER SAVE. MOST PRIVATE INDUSTRY HAS THE 401K WHICH MATCH WHAT YOU PUT IN BUT THE STATE ONLY PUTS IN $25.
*INCREASE OUR LONGEVITY THAT HASN'T BEEN IMPROVED SINCE IT STARTED.
*GIVE US AN EXTRA 1 OR 2 HRS A MONTH TOWARD OUR SICK OR ANNUAL.
*TRY TO LOWER OUR HEALTH INSURANCE COST WHICH IS OUTRAGESLY HIGH COMPARED TO THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
*IMPROVE OUR RETIREMENT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO RETIRE SOONER BEFORE WE ARE DEAD.

Wed, February 27, 2008 @ 10:09 AM

15. Mary Lee wrote:
If this bill passes I'm quitting because I'm already looking for a job that I'm already doing for the State in the Private Sector and from looking it pays double and the benefits are better.

I will be attending the Lobby Day Rally on March 11 but all I think it will be is all talk. Remember our last Lobby Day slogan 8% will be great and the Governor came out and said what about 10% and everyone cheered to just make us happy and then in reality the Governor only gave us 4% or 5%. They never give us what we really need and I'm just tired of it and can't take it anymore. Its time to serve someone who really cares for there employees not like the State.

Wed, February 27, 2008 @ 1:07 PM

16. wrote:
The only thing we are focus on is a Pay Raise which I know we need so badly but why not try to improve or get more benefits.

Try to get something because everyone its seems we get nothing. If we can't get a pay raise at least try something else.

We need Something or we all will be GONE!!!

Wed, February 27, 2008 @ 1:11 PM

17. ??? wrote:
It seems like cutting the benefits is getting alot of news today. Why didn't OPEA get this stopped before now? Peterson is getting lots of press at the state employees expense. I don't understand why OPEA would be so friggin' happy & grateful to get to talk to somebody who is hurting state employees. I find this new OPEA attitude cloying & unpleasant.

Mon, March 3, 2008 @ 7:44 PM

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