Questions and Answers on Tentative Agreement

Furthermore, the Union bargaining team notified the State that they would not “bargain away” the two per cent increase scheduled for April 2008.

Q 2: Please explain the exact dates I will receive a wage increase?

A: You will receive a 2% wage increase the pay date after the first full pay period in April, 2008.

Your next wage increase will be a 1% increase effective October 1, 2009.

Your next wage increase will be a 3% increase effective October 1, 2010.

If you are still proceeding through the Step Increases, you will also receive those increases during the next three years.

Q 3: I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield Insurance. What is the State Health Plan?

A. The State Health Plan is the self insured fund that is administered by Blue Cross/Blue Shield. They are the same thing.

Q 4: Why are the mail order prescription co-pays double the amount of the retail co-pays in the State Health Plan?

A: They are higher but you can receive a three month supply of your medications, therefore it is still a cost savings for maintenance medications over the retail pharmacy.

Q 5: What is the “Generics Preferred” Program?

A: For employees enrolled in the State Health Plan, the Generics Preferred Program means that when you go to the Pharmacy with a prescription, you will be required to try the generic alternative if available first. If that does not work, your physician may justify the name brand drug at the higher co-pay level and Express Script must authorize it. If you choose to receive the name brand without the physician’s justification you will be responsible for the co-pay and the difference between the price of the generic drug and the name brand drug.

Q 6: What is the “Drug Quantity Management” Program?

A: The FDA develops a recommended dosage for all drugs. If your physician writes a prescription for an amount over the recommended dose you will only receive the FDA recommended dosage that they consider safe and effective unless prior authorization is obtained by Express Script through your physician.

Q 7: What is the “Step Therapy” Program?

A: There are specific classes of drugs involved with this program. If your physician writes a prescription for a preferred brand or non preferred brand name drug, you will be required to try the lowest cost drug first. If the drug does not work, the physician can justify the higher cost drug.

Q 8: As far as travel goes, can I claim the usual $7.25 for a routine in-state meal?

A: Yes, you can claim the maximum but you must have the receipt to show that you were charged that much for your meal.

Q 9: I do not understand this new formula for computing my overtime and compensatory time.
A: Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, only “actual time worked” counts when determining when an employee is eligible for overtime. The State of Michigan has previously included all types of leave as “time worked” when calculating overtime or compensatory time. Annual leave, sick leave, holidays, school/community participation time, administrative leave, and compensatory time have all counted as time worked. This agreement carves out sick leave as not being “actual time worked” for the purposes of calculating overtime or compensatory time.

For the Technical & Human Services Support Bargaining Units:

Example: Tom, as a member of the technical bargaining unit (or human services support unit), is eligible for overtime after 40 hours of work. He works the following schedule:

Under the old system, Tom would be paid for 8 hours of overtime on Saturday. Under the NEW system, Tom would receive straight time for his pay on Saturday. If he worked Sunday as well, he would receive overtime pay for time worked on Sunday.

For the Scientific & Engineering Bargaining Unit:

If you receive hour per hour comp time when you work over 80 hours in a pay period, you will see no change at all. At the 11 level and above, if you receive cash paid overtime for any of your overtime hours, you will see a change if you take sick leave during the pay period. For example, you work nine (9) days straight (M-F of the first week, M-Th of the second week), call in sick for eight hours on Friday. If you work eight (8) hours of overtime on Saturday, you will receive straight time for that time worked on Saturday. Any sick leave you take during the pay period does not count as “actual hours worked” so you do not receive overtime pay until you actually work 80 hours in the pay period.

Q 10: When will I receive my ballot?

A. Ballots will be mailed from the Lansing office no later than November 9, 2007.

Q 11: I became a state employee not long ago, am I eligible to vote?

A: All bargaining unit employees paying full membership dues as of October 9, 2007 are eligible to vote.

Q 12: When will the ballots be counted? By who?

A: Wednesday, November 28, 2007. The Union has an established Election/Tally Committee that has a lot of experience in counting votes and certifying election results.

Q 13: Can one unit turn the Tentative Agreement down and others vote for it?

A: Yes, each vote is counted separately.

Q 14: What happens if one bargaining unit turns down the Tentative Agreement?

A: The Civil Service Commission values voluntary agreements, mutually agreed to by both the Union and the Office of the State Employer (OSE). However, if a bargaining unit does not approve a tentative contract agreement, the Union must notify both OSE and the Civil Service Commission. The tentative agreements reached during the course of these negotiations, are rejected, and the Civil Service Commission assumes jurisdiction of the entire contract and may impose its own provisions. The union membership does not vote on the terms of the Civil Service provisions.

Q 15: Who votes on which contract?

A: Only eligible voting members from the respective bargaining units vote on their particular contract (i.e. Technical bargaining unit employees vote on the Technical contract, etc.)