NM High Court Says State Violated Union Contracts (20 million to the approximately 20,000 workers)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/blog-4551-nm-high-court-says-s.html

05.31.2013

A District Court will now decide how to give back pay to the thousands of current and former state employees affected
By Joey Peters



In a victory for two state public employee unions, the New Mexico Supreme Court yesterday ruled that the State Personnel Office violated a 2007 collective bargaining agreement involving thousands of state employees.

The court's order of affirmance, which stems from a lawsuit dating back four years, means the state could be on the hook to pay as much as $20 million to the approximately 20,000 state employees involved in the collective bargaining agreements.

It also remands the case back down to district court to settle the details of the back pay, reads that SPO in 2008 "breached the State's contractual obligations, and acted contrary to the legislative appropriation and to the [Collective Bargaining] Act."

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the American Federal, State, County and Municipal Employees and Communications Workers of America, argues that the state violated the pay increases that were bargained and agreed upon in their respective contracts.

FULL story at link.

[Sherman A1]

1. K&R

Excellent!