Ratifying our Tentative Agreement: What your voting choice means

Voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on contract ratification is an important choice that you’ll be making for yourself, for your coworkers, and for your families.

With less than a week remaining for you to make your choice, here are some thoughts for you to consider before you vote:

A ‘yes’ vote means that we can immediately begin receiving the benefits contained in the Tentative Agreement (TA); a three-year, 10% salary increase, and additional salary adjustments for more than 300 jobs classifications. This TA includes a permanent, $165 reduction in health care premiums (that takes effect in December 2023), reduces OPEB, and adds or maintains dozens of skill-based and retention differentials. Travel expenses will now be paid at Federal rates, and we won increases in uniform allowances and other reimbursements … along with improvements in working conditions.

A ‘no’ vote means none of the improvements we achieved will go into effect, and we’ll be stuck at our current pay level with an expired contract. If we vote ‘no,’ the State has no obligation to return to the bargaining table and to improve on the economic package we’re voting on.

The deadline for voting is next Friday, September 8. You can learn more about the Tentative Agreement, and how to vote, at the Contract Ratification Center.