Lawmakers are heading back to the state Capitol to approve a two year contract with state employees. State Representative John Townsend says employees agreed to pay more for their health insurance and pensions along with a pay freeze. He says the contract also allows furlough days which, “is tantamount to about a 3.3 percent reduction in total pay.”
Townsend is retiring from his Assembly seat after 12 years in the state legislature. A union worker who visited him at his Capitol office last week asked if he would show up for this one last vote.
The Fond du Lac Republican admits he and other state lawmakers have only been briefed on the contract, which is 417 pages long.
Contracts have been in negotiations for 18 months. If approved it would be retroactive to July of 2009 and would only continue through next June.
A vote on the contracts is expected on Wednesday.
Bob Nelson-KFIZ