House and Senate negotiators have rejected negotiated pay increases for more than a dozen labor union contracts for the upcoming fiscal year. A conference committee on the operating budget met for the first time in days today, to close out the item on the pay increases. A companion bill to that, to repeal scheduled cost-of-living adjustments for certain state workers not covered by unions, has passed the Legislature.repeal scheduled cost-of-living adjustments for certain state workers not covered by unions, has passed the Legislature.
United States now heads Arctic Council
The United States today assumes chairmanship of the Arctic Council, the international body of representatives from eight nations with territory in the region. U.S. delegates say they will focus on the impact of climate change on the Arctic and its peoples. And as KUAC's Tim Ellis reports, observers say the council's work won't be disrupted by divisions among some of its members.