House Bill 1436 needs your help-NOW

House Bill 1436 is a very important piece of legislation that needs your support. It will require that public employees continue to receive step increases when no successor agreement is reached before their contract expires. Last week it appeared this bill was headed for passage. Now it looks as if it could go down to defeat unless you act immediately.

Under current law there is no guarantee you will receive the step increases to which you are entitled under your existing contract.

House Bill 1436 levels the playing field by removing the unfair advantage given employers, who require you work (without the ability to strike) during the period between contracts. If this bill passes, you will receive the step increases provided for in the expired contract until a new agreement is reached.

Public employers are saying that the bill is vague and should therefore be killed. We have also heard that some employers are misinforming legislators, saying the bill includes COLAs. If they cannot get the bill killed in the Senate, they want to see it amended so that it will go back to the House and they will try to kill it there. These tactics must not succeed!

Please call your state senator and ask him or her to vote in favor of HB 1436, as it is currently written, so that you will receive the benefits for which you bargained.

Tell your senator that HB 1436 deals only with step increases and does not included COLAs.

You can find your state senator on the NEA-NH Web site, www.neanh.org, through the Legislative Action Center. Click the “Elected Officials” tab. If you want to help, you must call or send an e-mail message now, because time is of the essence.

Please e-mail me and tell me what your senator says.

Thank you.

Rick Trombly
Director of Public Affairs
NEA-NH