The bill setting salaries for state workers including cost of living increases passed the Assembly on Thursday despite objections from Republican members.
The issue raised by representatives of the NSHE faculty alliance is that employees represented by a collective bargaining unit — a union — are in line for a 3 percent pay raise in 2023. Employees not represented by a union will only get a 1 percent raise.
Ways and Means Chair Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas, argued that in Nevada, employees don’t have to join a union but are still eligible for the benefits union members negotiate.
“We do have freeloaders in this state,” said Carlton, a longtime Union member.
She said non-union employees get negotiated benefits and pay “whether you pay dues or not.”
That prompted Republicans, including Minority Leader Robin Titus of Wellington, to say that seems to be a lever to push workers into joining unions.
Before the floor vote, Titus said hard-working state employees don’t deserve to be called freeloaders.
“We should not force people to join a union to get pay raises,” she said.
Lawmakers were told that expanding the 3 percent raises to all state workers would cost an additional $15 million.
Tom Roberts, R-Las Vegas, a former Metro police officer, said during the committee hearing that he was involved in collective bargaining for his entire career.
“This is unfair,” he said.
Faculty representatives pointed out the legislation authorizing collective bargaining for state workers limits that ability to just certain employees such as peace officers and correctional officers. Others such as NSHE workers are not eligible and can’t bargain for benefits, work conditions or pay raises.
The “Pay Bill” passed on a party line vote. It goes to the Senate.
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