Recent news stories have highlighted the challenge of recruiting and retaining Alaska State Troopers. The state's new contract with the public safety officers' union will help meet that challenge.
With the contract, ratified in June, Alaska State Troopers saw the largest single-year pay increase in 17 years.
Troopers and airport safety officers received a 5 percent increase effective July 1. They will receive an additional 3 percent increase July 1, 2009 and 2010. Effective this month, a first-year trooper in Anchorage earns a base wage of $55,068 a year. The state pays an additional $10,404 a year for health insurance.
Public safety contracts include far more than just base pay. For example, if a trooper holds a bachelor's degree, another 3.75 percent is added to the base salary. We added a pay differential of up to 3.75 percent if a trooper holds a certificate from the Police Standards Council. A trooper also receives $63 a month for a uniform allowance.
Longer-term employees have the opportunity -- with a good evaluation -- to receive a 3.75 percent increase every two years. Previously, after an employee held the same job for 18 years, there were no more merit increases. This was a disincentive for those with the most knowledge and experience to stay on with the state. Leave accruals were also increased so that a 10-year employee earns over eight weeks of paid leave per year.
In parallel with contract negotiations, Gov. Palin appointed an Executive Working Group to review recruitment and retention issues throughout state government. Some of the group's recommendations were incorporated into union contracts. The Working Group will resume further deliberations this month.
With 27 percent of the state work force eligible to retire in the next five years, I am committed to following Gov. Palin's direction to negotiate fair and sustainable contracts, review non-monetary issues to improve employment conditions, and move forward on a geographic-differential study funded by the Legislature during the last session.
All of these efforts are positive steps to strengthening the state's ability to support troopers and airport safety officers.
Annette Kreitzer is commissioner of the Alaska Department of Administration. More information can be found on the state's Web site by searching for "State of Alaska" and "PSEA Contract."
By ANNETTE KREITZER