LINCOLN — The largest union representing Nebraska state employees announced last week that its members would vote soon on a tentative agreement with Gov. Jim Pillen’s negotiators. The Nebraska Association of Public Employees, known to many in the state as NAPE/AFSCME, is set to meet and vote on the proposed contract for 2025-2027 starting Jan. 13.

The union has said it won’t release the language of the contract until after its members weigh in. But it highlighted some potential changes.In a Jan. 8 post to its more than 8,000 members, union leaders, including executive director Justin Hubly, wrote that they had secured raises of 6.5% to 19% over the next two years.

They also touted paid maternity leave, higher pay for people who speak multiple languages, better pay for some overnight shifts and more flexibility to donate sick leave to other workers. The union also highlighted having pushed up the minimum wage of state contractors to $15 an hour, which would help state employees better compete with contracted labor.

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