Bill > S0743

This bill allows state union employees to negotiate longevity payments in their collective bargaining agreements beginning on July 1, 2025. The legislation amends several sections of Rhode Island state law related to longevity payments, including laws governing employees of the Board of Governors for Higher Education, Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education, state merit system, legislative and judicial branches, and quasi-public corporations. Previously, in 2011, the state had ceased providing automatic longevity increases for most state employees, which were additional salary percentages earned based on years of service. This bill reverses that restriction, giving state employee unions the ability to bargain for longevity payments in future contract negotiations. The new provision specifically states that despite any existing rules or regulations, state employees can negotiate these longevity payments in their subsequent collective bargaining agreements starting in July 2025. The bill takes effect immediately upon its passage, providing a pathway for unions to potentially restore these service-based salary increments in future contract negotiations.