No new contract for SEA

Lauren Dorgan reports in the Concord Monitor that negotiations between the Governor's office and the State Employees Association are going slowly:

Union leaders yesterday faulted the governor and his team, saying they lacked focus on the challenge and declined to consider creative suggestions.

"The only reason we are at the eleventh hour and the 59th minute on this is because of their action or, I should say, their inaction," said SEA Vice President Diana Lacey, who leads the union team. She said that from the outset union leaders had wanted to meet every day, rather than twice a week, to speed negotiations.

The state's contract with the SEA expired at midnight, but under the Evergreen Clause approved by the last legislature, the expired contract remains in effect until a new one is negotiated. This leaves little reason for the SEA to strike a new deal during a bad economy.