Carson City briefs for February 8, 2005

Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2005 | 9:36 a.m.

Union rally planned

A union that represents about 4,200 state workers is planning a rally in front of the Nevada legislative building Friday to push for collective bargaining rights and better benefits.

The State of Nevada Employees Association said Monday the demonstration will focus also on cost of living increases and health insurance reform.

The union said it wants the right to bargain collectively for salaries and other benefits. County and city government employees have had the that option since 1969. Now state workers doing the same tasks are receiving lower wages than those in local governments, the union complains.

The state group also wants the state and local government workers to be allowed to form a pool to for health insurance. A larger group would be able to negotiate for better benefits, the union said.

The union also wants cost of living increases. Gov. Kenny Guinn has included 2 percent cost of living increases in his budget for state workers, schoolteachers and university officials in both of the coming two fiscal years.

Berman to run for secretary of state

Merle Berman, a former state Assemblywoman who lives in the Las Vegas Valley, announced Monday that she is seeking the Republican nomination for secretary of state in the 2006 election.

Secretary of State Dean Heller has announced he will run for Congress next year.

Berman was elected in 1996 to the Assembly and served three terms. She is currently a member of the Nevada Ethics Commission and is a real estate investor.

She said her public service makes her "well suited to serve Nevada in the oversight of elections, business governance as well as securities and investments."