January 23, 2013
CONTACT: Terri McCoy, (406) 444-2807

Secretary Linda McCulloch Supports State Pay Plan Agreement;
Asks Legislature to Approve House Bill 13

HELENA – Secretary of State Linda McCulloch is urging lawmakers to approve the State Employee Pay Plan as ratified by union members.  The agreement calls for a 5% statutory base pay increase for most public employees in 2013, and a 5% increase in 2014.

“Montana’s state employees selflessly negotiated a two-year pay freeze in 2009 to support the state in a weak economy. They were then denied an increase the following biennium,” Secretary McCulloch said. “Montana now has a budget surplus due in part to our state employees, and they deserve to be fairly compensated.”

Many state employees have not had a statutory base pay increase since 2008, despite inflation and the rising cost of health care premiums. A negotiated agreement calling for a 1% increase in salaries for most public employees in 2011 and a 3% increase in 2012 was rejected by the Montana Legislature in 2011.

McCulloch’s letter to the House State Appropriations Committee.