2026-27 State Pay Plan

3 Ways to Get Involved TODAY

1. Share your story at the form on this page!
2. Ask your colleagues to join our union (MFPE.org/Join)!
3. Attend a worksite meeting (or help organize by emailing [email protected])!

MFPE Member Resources:

• Find a full list of worksite meetings HERE.
• Review the 'State of Montana Benefit Plan: Sept. 2026 Update' HERE
• Find a shareable bargaining flyer HERE.
• Mentions in the news:
  • NonStop Local: Montana employees see large increase to health care costs 
  • MTN News: State employee health plan to require members to cover more costs next year
  • ‘Downright unaffordable’: State employees in Montana to face higher healthcare costs

September 10th Update: Initial Proposals Are Exchanged:

The bargaining team met early in the morning at MFPE HQ to finalize the first proposal in Pay Plan negotiations. Building the proposal around the feedback, priorities, and needs identified in hundreds of member surveys. The first proposal:

• Wages
  • Increase base pay by $3.00 per hour or 6%, whichever is greater, on July 1 of each year of the biennium.
• Health Care
  • In 2027, maintain current employee premiums
  • Limit deductibles to $1,500.
  • Limit maximum out-of-pocket costs to $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for a family.
  • This is compared with DOA’s current proposal of $3,000 deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket costs of $8,000 individual / $16,000 family.

• Longevity
  • Increase longevity by an additional 0.5% at 5 years, and at each additional five-year service increment.
• Leave
  • Add three additional working days to each vacation accrual rate.
• Sick Leave Payout
  • Increase the lump-sum payment upon separation to one-half of the pay attributed to accumulated sick leave.
• Travel
  • Increase per diem rates from 70% to 85% of the standard federal rate.
• MUS
  • Increase the State’s share to provide the Montana University System with funding sufficient to cover 77% of the cost of the raise for MUS employees in current unrestricted funds programs.

September 3rd Update: MFPE Members Kick Off Pre-Budget Bargaining:

MFPE members have officially begun Pre-Budget Bargaining with the State of Montana, opening another opportunity to improve wages, benefits, and working conditions for state and higher education employees.

At the first bargaining session, the State presented information on health insurance costs and projections, as well as an overview of Montana’s budget outlook. MFPE’s bargaining team spent the day digging into the numbers, asking questions, reviewing over 500 bargaining survey responses, and preparing for the work ahead.

The team returns to the table on September 10 to present its initial proposal on wages, health care, and other benefits—built from feedback provided by hundreds of MFPE members across Montana.

Pay Plan Bargaining is up to us—MFPE members. Winning the strongest agreement possible will take members staying informed, sharing their stories, organizing their coworkers, and taking action together.