President's Post

Our Voices Will Be Heard

President Archuleta meeting with legislators to discuss our issues, and he urges you to speak out, too.

By Nick Archuleta, nick.archuleta@ndunited.org

North Dakota lawmakers will be convening the 68th Legislative Assembly on Jan. 3, 2023.

Since August, I have been traveling the state to meet with legislators in their home districts to discuss the NDU Legislative Agenda. Here’s what we’ve talked about:

• I have expressed our desire that the Legislature address the matters our members have told us are important to them and the work they do. First, we stress the need to raise salaries for public employees, including education professionals, across the state. To that end, we are recommending that the Legislature provide 8% salary increases to state employees in each year of the next biennium and that it provides 8% increases to the K-12 funding formula, with 75% of that new funding being dedicated to increasing salaries.

• I am also encouraging legislators to provide adequate resources to address the lack of attainable and affordable childcare. NDU is part of a coalition of likeminded organizations called the North Dakota Childcare Action Alliance. We have helped inform the discussions around the issue because we know that the lack of childcare services is keeping many out of the workforce, including public service. We can and must do better on this prominent issue.

• I am strongly stating NDU’s position that monies raised for public purposes should be spent accordingly, and not siphoned off to private, parochial or homeschools through voucher schemes. In the past four sessions, we have been successful in defeating seven such attempts. With the arrival of the Center for the American Experiment and other groups committed to undermining the public’s faith in K-12 public schools, we expect the fight to get harder.

• Finally, I am letting legislators know that NDU is committed to saving the NDPERS defined-benefit retirement plan. It is a vital tool to recruit and retain a talented public workforce. Additionally, the long-term extreme cost of closing the plan will have a negative effect on ND for generations to come.

Remember: YOU are NDU, and YOU have a role to play in accomplishing our legislative goals. Please visit www.ndunited.org/issues-action to learn how you can be a North Dakota Member Activist and help secure the future of Great Public Education and Great Public Service!