On November 13, Governor Jim Pillen issued Executive Order 23-17 which effectively ends remote work for state employees on January 2, 2024. In its current form, the Executive Order will worsen staffing shortages and limit our ability to retain and attract high quality public servants. It should be the top priority of our state’s leaders to provide excellent and efficient public services. The reality is that we will lose talented employees because of this order, which harms Nebraskans across the state.
To protect our members’ ability to continue working remotely, where appropriate, we sent a “demand to bargain” to the Governor’s chief negotiator on November 27. The chief negotiator responded to our demand that the state does not view remote work as a mandatory subject of bargaining. Our union leaders met with the chief negotiator to further discuss our demand and the requirements of the Executive Order. Based on the discussion, we are evaluating our next steps.
Meetings to Discuss Next Steps – December 12 & 13
We will host two meetings to discuss our next steps and answer your questions. An in person meeting open to all will be held in Lincoln on Tuesday, December 12 at the Firefighters Union Hall (241 Victory Lane) from 5:30-6:30pm. A virtual meeting open to union members will be held on Wednesday, December 13 at 7pm central/6pm mountain. Register for the virtual meeting here.
Day of Action and Press Conference – December 7
Union members will gather on Thursday, December 7 from Noon-12:30pm for a Day of Action and press conference at the State Capitol in the second floor rotunda. Members who cannot attend in person in Lincoln can watch the press conference live on our Facebook page. NAPE/AFSCME members are encouraged to wear green on December 7. We invite all State of Nebraska employees to join us in our day of action in Lincoln and online.
Stand With Us!
A union is a group of employees who unite together to protect each other’s best interests, primarily through contract negotiations. These negotiations are about more than just the employees. It’s also about making sure Nebraskans receive vital state services in the most efficient and effective way possible. If you are not yet a member, will you join us today and stand with us?