Coordinated Compensation Update

As the holiday season has approached, we have been busy wrapping up the Coordinated Compensation Process for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. As a result of this year’s negotiations, the following has been approved for NERE Compensation. A 3% base wage increase, an increase in longevity which will double your longevity payments received, and funding of the Professional Development Fund in the amount of $225,000. We are very excited to see the increase in longevity payments as NEREs longevity has not been adjusted since 1984.

Over the course of this year mage has participated in discussions with the Office of State Employer (OSE) regarding increasing compensation rates to certain individual classifications. Due to these discussions, OSE submitted resolution 4M to adjust certain NERE rates of compensation. These adjustments will impact the following positions (please see the link HERE for detailed information regarding these adjustments).

• Corrections Shift Supervisors – Each step of each pay schedule will be increased by $1.30 for each Correction Shift Supervisor classification.
• Motor Carrier Sergeant 13, Motor Carrier Specialist Sergeant 13, and State Properties Security Supervisor 10 will see all steps of the pay schedule increased by 10%.
• State Police Lieutenant 14, State Police Detective Lieutenant 14, State Police Lieutenant 14, State police Laboratory Manager 14 will see all steps of the pay schedule increased by 15%.
• The following will see all steps of the pay schedule increased by 20%.
  • Architect Manager Licensed 13-15, Civil Technician Supervisor 12-13, Clinical Social Work Manager 13-15, Clinical Social Worker, Dentist Manager 17, Engineer Manger 12-15, Environmental Manager 13-15, Hazardous Materials Storage Inspector Supervisor 12, Historian Manager 12-15, Industrial Hygienist Manager 13-15, Land Surveyor Manager 13-15, Land Surveyor Manager 13, Occupational Safety Advisor 9-12, Public Utilities Engineering Specialist 15, Vocational Rehabilitation Manager 13-15.

 
I want to also share an encouraging update we have received from our MAGE lobbyists. While it is taking some time to make it through the legislature, there has been some movement in regards to returning to a defined benefit. This potential legislation would allow employees access to a similar retirement system that currently exists for public school employees. Defined benefit plans have historically been viewed as safer and more robust options for workers. We hope to see positive and swift movement on this from in the coming year.
 
While we are happy to share the positive achievements from this year’s negotiations, we also share your frustrations that both the Office of State Employer and the Commission did not agree with a few of our proposals for special wage increases for those classifications still experiencing wage compression. This is an issue we will not stop fighting for until we rectify the unfair wage compression. While we do not feel it is fair, it often takes advocating for these special raises through multiple negotiations. It took over 5 years of negotiating to obtain the 20% wage increase for medical professionals and many years to have a wage increase provided to Corrections Shift Supervisors. We will continue fighting until all NERE employees are provided the compensation they deserve.
 
For your reference, we have added our original proposal, the Office of State Employers original proposal and their response to our proposal, the Employment Relations Board recommendation to the commission to the members area of the website. These documents can be found under the “Association Policies and Documents” section of the members resource tab once you have logged in. This will give you insight into what exactly MAGE advocated for.