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Show 1 Utah PEA officials discuss pay package Officials of the Utah Public Employees' Association met with local members in Vernal Wednesday evening of last week to report on their successes despite the "disastrous climate" of the recent legislative session. They also awarded scholarship monies to a Social Services Ser-vices worker. During the association's Uintah Basin District Spring Business Meeting, Executive Director Clark L. Puffer said the six percent pay package appropriated for state employees was neither adequate nor equitable. "But is was considerably better than the two percent package initially proposed by the House leadership," he said. On July 1, public employees will receive an across-the-board increase of four prcent. No such blanket raise was originally considered. "UPEA secured some other important im-portant concessions, too," said Puffer. Association lobbyists worked to have merit pay reinstated with funding; a task which was not accomplished during the past two legislative sessions. "Furthermore, the two percent earmarked ear-marked for merit must be used for salaries and not other departmental expenses," Puffer continued. UPEA will negotiate the disbursement disbur-sement of productivity increases with the Office of Personnel Management not only for its members, but for all state employees. With that two percent, it is believed 75-85 percent of the workers in each agency will be able to receive merit increases of 3.5 percent. Puffer also reported that another legislative objectiVe of th was to impress law Jl fact that they have nSi employees and plK equitably. "Even wSl given like appropriate Hi, negohate greater SK .ditional funds notawX?? employees. Now this DZ. V flagged, we hope iSs . it," said Puffer. ators UPEA Governmental Director James B. EldreL?1!' how the organization's m, w.11 establish small uniR' the state. "This wm H'. contact with and bZ legislators," he said fective, grass roots ' 1 prevent the seating of, sympathetic to our needs'' - In assessing the votine r. ' Senator Glade Sowaxds ona onetofive,Eldredge'veh? ratir."HesUpporLSte proposals," he said. U): At the conclusion of tl Puffer presented a $ioo L Serreto aid him award is presented annually C ) and the Utah State EmZJff Unta. to a Uintah Basing In accepting the award, Serrea. is motivated to continue his erir to "improve myself so as to be, complete person and a better cit Serre is a member of the ftr board of directors and is inv many community youth program! ' |