Advantus helped Osage Bio Energy develop the United States’ first major barley to ethanol production facility by helping to establish positive community relations and streamlining permit issues with DEQ. [Read More].
Case Study - Virginia Government Employees Association
Advantus created a comprehensive communications and public relations plan designed to preserve jobs and benefits for thousands of workers employed by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Advantus and the Virginia Government Employees Association together played a significant role in protecting the interests of the state’s workforce during one of the most challenging fiscal times in Virginia’s history.
The Client:
The Virginia Government Employees Association (VGEA) is a non-partisan, nonprofit association that represents state employees and retirees on health and benefits and other workplace issues, while promoting cooperation and professionalism among the Commonwealth’s workforce.
Advantus, which provides management services for VGEA, recently developed and implemented an advocacy campaign to preserve jobs and benefits for state workers that were threatened by budget cuts.
Specific Challenge
In 2009 and early 2010, Virginia’s legislative leaders faced one of the worst economic downturns the state had experienced in decades. Spending plans proposed for the 2010-12 biennium included the elimination of numerous state programs, cuts to community health services, and even the closing of some prisons. State workers’ jobs, salaries and benefits were also at risk to be impacted by these significant budget cuts.
Strategies and Tactics
Leveraging the resources, experience, and connections Advantus team members have developed through more than a century of lobbying and government work, the firm employed lobbying, media and public relations, and online communications to lead a grass roots effort to advocate for state workers.
The VGEA also prompted its 20,000 members to make their voices heard by developing and distributing materials for them to implement advocacy activities with their own local elected officials and state budget conferees.
Results
The Governor and General Assembly listened and responded to VGEA’s concerns. Through the efforts of VGEA staff and members, working cooperatively with members of the General Assembly and the administrations of two Governors, VGEA was successful in representing state workers’ interests, almost entirely avoiding proposed employee furloughs and layoffs, and increased health insurance and contributions to their pension plans.
These legislative gains top the list of work Advantus and VGEA have accomplished to protect the interests of state workers. Past lobbying successes in which Advantus has played a critical role include:
- Reducing state employee retirement plan contributions from 5.5 percent to 5 percent.
- Implementing an annual cost of living increase and retroactive allowance for state retirees.
- Creating an “opt-out” system in the deferred compensation program, applying to new hires.
- Allowing state employers to pay the employee’s portion of contributions to their retirement accounts, and make these 5 percent contributions available to employees who terminate state service without taking a retirement benefit.
- Reducing health care premiums for state retirees through the use of health care credits based on length of service with no limits on allowable years of service that could be credited.