2009-2010 Agenda/Platform

Click here for an overview of this year's Legislative Agenda

Compensation

1.  OPEA will pass legislation that establishes a four-year compensation plan to bring state employee pay to market. Market pay should also include:

• Overtime pay;
• Shift differential;
• Hazardous duty pay;
• Uniform allowances;
• Holiday pay.

2.  OPEA will pass legislation that establishes an annual cost-of-living adjustment according to the Consumer Price Index.

3.  OPEA will pass legislation requiring that the state employee pay raise be resolved each year by April 15.

4.  OPEA will work for pay equity in job classifications across agency lines.

5.  OPEA will work to have the first $50,000 of state salary exempt from state income taxes.

6.  OPEA will work for funding of HB 1114, which allows for state agencies to pay education loan assistance for permanent state employees who have completed a four-year degree and have outstanding education loans.

7.  OPEA should pass legislation which doubles the state employee longevity payment.

8.  OPEA will work for funding of the state performance pay system.

9.  OPEA will pass legislation requiring that agencies pay more than two hours compensation to employees who are called in to work or that they receive gas reimbursement for traveling from their homes.

Retirement

10.  OPEA will support the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirees System, Teachers Retirement System and Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System continuing as defined benefit plans.

11.  OPEA will work to have the excess contribution returned to retirees who retired prior to July 1, 1998.

 12.  OPEA will pass legislation providing a two percent annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for OPERS retirees.

 13.  OPEA will investigate finding other revenue sources to help fund the OPERS system.

 14.  OPEA will study the impact to the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board (OSEEGIB) and Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) of allowing retirees a one-time opt-in to the state insurance program at Medicare eligibility.

 15.  OPEA will work to have OPERS include an environmentally and socially responsible investment fund in the deferred compensation program.

16.  OPEA will pass legislation that provides a plan to return to the original 1988  commitment that the retiree health insurance subsidy to cover the Medicare supplement premium.

17.  OPEA will pass legislation allowing employees to receive retirement credit for time deployed to military service, while working for the state.

18.  OPEA will pass legislation increasing the SoonerSave match from $25 to $50.

19.  OPEA will pass legislation that adds a current retiree to the OPERS Board.

20.  OPEA will work to implement the Rule of 80.

21.  OPEA will pass legislation that allows all veterans to receive retirement credit for time served during wartime.

  Insurance

22.  OPEA will work to maintain the state commitment of paying the total cost of health, basic life, and dental insurance for state employees and 75 percent of health insurance cost for dependent insurance.

23.  OPEA will study making long-term care available to state employees.

Budget

24.  OPEA will work to obtain funding for increases in operations of state agencies, including retirement and insurance benefits, fuel, and equipment costs.

25.  OPEA will work in the legislative process to obtain additional funding for agencies with staffing shortages and high caseloads.

26.  OPEA will continue to fight TABOR and other expenditure constraints that limit resources to state government.

27.  OPEA will work to explore additional funding sources for state government, including the elimination of selected tax exemptions.

28.  OPEA will work to ensure that personnel costs are a line item in agency budgets.

29.  OPEA will pass legislation requiring that funds acquired when selling an asset of a state agency be returned the agency, not put in the state General Revenue Fund.

Personnel and Benefits

30.  OPEA will work to stop the erosion of the merit system by fighting the un-classifying of positions that do not meet the criteria of unique work activity, market condition and specialization. In addition, the Association will work to reclassify positions that have been removed from the merit system and do not meet the criteria.

31.  OPEA will work to implement flexible schedules for state employees to reduce commuting time and costs.                                                                                                                                                     

32.  OPEA will pass legislation which allows state employees to run for partisan political office.

33.  OPEA will pass legislation allowing employees to use more than six months of left over sick leave to purchase additional years for retirement credit when they leave state service.

34.  OPEA will pass legislation allowing state employees to retain more than 480 hours of annual leave that they are not allowed to take due to staffing shortages.

35.  OPEA will pass legislation requiring that appointing authorities certify to OPM that any individual salary adjustment/advancement has been reviewed so as to not discriminate against other employees of the agency.

36.  OPEA will pass legislation providing unclassified employees the right to file grievances.

37.  OPEA will pass legislation strengthening employees’ rights against retaliation for their participation in protected activities, such as whistle blowing, OPEA leadership, or filing grievances.

38.  OPEA will work to ensure that fair hiring procedures are utilized when filling positions at non-merit agencies, including posting positions before hiring.

39.  OPEA will work to obtain free hunting and fishing licenses for state employees and retirees.

40.  OPEA will pass legislation requiring that unclassified state employees receive a severance package when they lose their jobs in reorganization.

Privatization

41.  OPEA will continue to oppose the privatization of state agencies, functions and jobs.

42.  OPEA will work to ensure that the legislature has oversight when state agencies dispose of real estate property or assets worth more than $1 million.

 43.  OPEA will work to defeat private prison proposals in communities across the state.

Agency Legislation

44.  OPEA will work to repeal the provision in SB 1708 “The Oklahoma Uniform Anatomical Gift Act” that does not allow employees of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to receive compensation from an organ-sharing network.

45.  OPEA will support the construction of at least one public prison to improve the state’s negotiating position with private prison corporations and reduce costs of contracts.

46.  OPEA will support a legislative or initiative referendum to bring to a vote of the people to remove the Governor from the parole process and create a full-time Pardon and Parole Board comprised of merit-protected professionals with experience in criminal justice/parole.

47.  OPEA will work to provide Department of Corrections employees the option to transfer from the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) into the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System (OLERS).

48.  OPEA will work to obtain state funds to preserve jobs and services at the Oklahoma Employment Securities Commission.

OPEA Operations

49.  OPEA will form a committee of members to investigate funding local chapters with a percentage of dues.