State workers union taking legal action over Gov. Jim Pillen’s return-to-office order

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The union representing state workers is taking legal action over a contentious return-to-work order from Gov. Jim Pillen.

Last month, Pillen ordered an end to remote work for state employees.  They were ordered to return to their offices by Jan. 2.

The Nebraska Association of Public Employees – which represents over 8,000 employees – filed a demand to bargain in late November and later renewed that demand.

Following a survey, nearly 800 state employees are considering looking for a new employer.  Almost 600 more said they’re actively looking or have already applied for a new job.

In a press release Wednesday, the union said the state would not bargain over the changes.

Due to the refusal, the union is now taking legal action by filing a petition with the Nebraska Commission of Industrial Relations.

The petition alleges that the State of Nebraska violated the State Employees Collective Bargaining Act by refusing to negotiate.

The union also filed an additional motion requesting the implementation of Pillen’s executive order be halted while the petition is pending.

A hearing for the motion on temporary relief is scheduled for Dec. 28.

“We took this action today not just to protect the rights of our members, but to protect the public interest,” said Justin Hubly, the union’s executive director, in a press release. “The vast majority of our members work face-to face with the public at offices and worksites across our state. A critical number of state employees work in less public facing roles providing vital services to some of our most vulnerable neighbors. We remain critically short staffed and any action that would prompt us to lose any state employees will compound the problem.”

A spokeswoman for Pillen sent a statement to Channel 8 regarding the return-to-work order.

“The directives outlined in Governor Pillen’s executive order remain unchanged,” the spokeswoman said.  “Our state’s public servants are a valued workforce and Nebraska taxpayers are entitled to optimal service delivery. Working from home, even in a part-time capacity, does not lend itself to efficient and financially responsible operations from the state.”

The state’s chief negotiator Dan Birdsall also released a statement to Channel 8.

“Based on the Labor Contract, the State has discretion over the determination as to work locations and schedules. Agencies have been directed to make necessary preparation in line with the Governor’s Executive Order, which will go into effect on January 2.”

Hubly said, the union wanted to discuss remote work and outline what return to work at the office may look like in the contract negotiations that took place last winter.

He said when the union brought it up, the state did not want to talk about it.

“The governor didn’t want to talk about it then and he doesn’t want to talk about it now, but he wants to unilaterally change this and that’s where the dispute has come into play,” said Hubly.