SEA kinda, sorta coming back to bargaining table, maybe

The Nashua Telegraph runs an AP report that the State Employees Association will decide tonight whether to resume stalled negotiations about a new contract.

Leaders of New Hampshire’s largest employee union are meeting to discuss whether to keep negotiating over the latest contract proposal, end talks or send the proposed agreement to union members with the recommendation they vote it down.

Talks broke off last week following a tentative agreement between the union and the state. That increases the chances that Gov. John Lynch will lay off at least 750 state workers to achieve a required $25 million in personnel costs.

It's worth noting that because of the "Evergreen Clause", the SEA has no real incentive to sign a new contract or accept any cuts. The only leverage Governor John Lynch has to force a deal is to start laying people off. Otherwise, every day taht goes by makes it less likely that he can meet the $25 million savings mandated in the state budget.