This story was originally published in the Alaska Beacon.
A crowd of more than 60 members and supporters of the largest state employees’ union gathered outside the Alaska State Capitol on Friday for a Valentine’s Day-themed celebration to “show love” for public employees, and urge wage transparency and a fair retirement system.
The rally featured speeches from leaders with the Alaska State Employees Association AFSCME Local 52 and supportive lawmakers, and chants of “Fair wages! Respect! Retirement security!”
“So we came here today on the steps of the Capitol to make sure that public employees know that they are valued, that we respect them, and we’re going to continue to advocate for their needs and their issues,” said Heidi Drygas, executive director of the union, which represents 8,000 state workers.
“No public employee does this to get rich,” she added. “We have employees working under tremendous stress and pressure with low pay and a retirement system that’s not secure, and they’re feeling vulnerable and worried about their futures,” she said.
Some attendees held signs reading “Alaskans work for Alaska” and “Salary Study” written inside a heart – referring to a statewide salary study. The union is in contract negotiations with the state, and advocating for increased wages. They say the statewide salary study, commissioned by the Legislature in 2023, is essential to their case for increasing wages statewide. The lawsuit filed on Tuesday alleges the state has illegally withheld the study, after receiving unfavorable results.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration has said a final report on the study is not available because it asked for more data from the contractor performing the study.
“It is abundantly clear that this administration wants to delay this study,” Drygas said, speaking to the crowd. “Why? I think we know why. Because it says … we deserve raises!”
The Department of Law has yet to make a formal response to the lawsuit. On Friday, spokesperson Patty Sullivan said there was no additional update, and the department is “currently reviewing the claims to determine the most appropriate course of action.”
The union has asked the court to order the release of the salary study, so negotiators and lawmakers can evaluate the salary information in budget negotiations for next year.
The union estimates that Alaska’s public employees are paid 15% to 20% below-market wage, exacerbating the staffing and retention issues. An estimated 16% of state positions are vacant, as of November of last year, and union leaders said that adds workload to existing staff.
“Retention is the hardest problem, especially with DOC,” said union member Warren Waters, a probation officer with the Department of Corrections for 18 years, who attended the rally from Anchorage. He pointed to staff shortages and mandatory overtime. “And ever since defined benefits went away, we’ve struggled.”
The union rally also urged the Legislature to restore a public retirement system, which was eliminated in 2006. Legislation is currently being heard in both the House and Senate, who’s majority leaders call it a high priority to create a state pension program, replacing the current defined contribution plan.
Waters said a solid retirement plan would allow him to make plans for the future. “I would love to retire, but it’s so uncertain that I can’t,” he said. “Fortunately, I have employment so I can keep working, but I do not know when I can retire.”
Opponents of a new pension system question whether the state can afford it, and assert that there are other ways to attract and retain public employees.
Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau is one of the co-sponsors of Senate Bill 28, which would create a pension system and allow employees to choose between plan with defined benefits or defined contributions.
“We need to get you a pension!” Kiehl said, speaking to the crowd. “We need to get you decent pay. We need to get you the tools in your hands, and the co-workers next to you, to get that work done!”
SB 28 is currently being heard in the Senate Finance Committee.
Corinne Smith started reporting in Alaska in 2020, serving as a radio reporter for several local stations across the state including in Petersburg, Haines, Homer and Dillingham. She spent two summers covering the Bristol Bay fishing season. Originally from Oakland, California, she got her start as a reporter, then morning show producer, at KPFA Radio in Berkeley. She completed a master's degree focused on investigative journalism in 2024 at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in Los Angeles. She is thrilled to be back in Alaska and based in Juneau, covering education and social and criminal justice.
