Leader Hortman Statement

May 25, 2017

Leader Hortman Statement

ST PAUL—This afternoon, the Minnesota House passed a Republican bill that pits one group of workers against one another. The bill includes funding for pensions and would approve contracts including raises and paid parental leave that state employees already have negotiated. Those contracts went into effect temporarily, but required legislative approval to continue. Without legislative approval, the raises and benefits contained in those contracts will cease on May 22nd. The bill also contains a provision which would take away the power of local units of government to enact ordinances that affect wages and employee benefits. The Governor stated his intention to veto the bill because of the inclusion of the provision limiting local governments.

House DFL Leader Melissa Hortman released the following statement:

“Republicans’ choice to tie approval of existing raises and benefits to their controversial proposal to limit the powers of local units of government is cruel. They easily could have put the pension provisions and approval of the existing contracts in a separate bill. Instead, the result of their decision today will be to force new parents who are currently out on leave back to work and to take away raises workers have earned."

Preemption would take earned sick and safe time away from 150,000 Minnesotans.

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