Bill to protect South Prairie employees gets governor’s signature

Published 4:41 pm Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Sen. Pam Roach, R (rural Auburn), won legislative approval of her bill to protect South Prairie employees’ pension plan.

In 1998, South Prairie employees joined the Laborers’ International Union of North America and negotiated participation in a LIUNA pension plan. It was not until 2011 that they discovered state law prohibited new local government pension plans after January 1, 1990.

Senate Bill 5950 changes the date after which towns are prohibited from establishing new pension plans from January 1, 1990 to January 1, 1999.

“These workers contributed to their pension plan for 13 years before anyone discovered the conflict with state law,” Roach said. “All parties involved acted in good faith. South Prairie was the only town caught in this glitch.”

Gov. Chris Gregoire signed the bill into law on March 30.