Montana workers may get raise

HELENA – Members of Montana’s three state employee unions said Tuesday they have approved a plan proposed by union negotiators and the Schweitzer administration that would give employees their first pay raise in two years.

The plan, which calls for a 1 percent increase in base pay effective in January 2012 and a 3 percent raise in January 2013, must be approved by the Legislature.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s budget office has said the pay increase would cost the state about $22 million over the next two years.

The raise may not be enough to cover anticipated increases in employees’ health insurance costs.