February 27, 2023
The Vermont State Employees’ Association (VSEA) recently filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) that alleges violations of the State Employees’ Labor Relations Act (SELRA) by the Vermont State Colleges administration, specifically bargaining in bad faith and allegations of retaliation against union activists.
All VSC bargaining units, including VSEA, met a few weeks back with VSC administrators to discuss anticipated changes that could occur as a result of a transition from the unification of the state colleges to the Vermont State University. Bargaining unit members allege that during this meeting, administrators withheld information, provided a misleading statement regarding anticipated layoffs, and within an hour after the bargaining session ended, announced that seven VSEA members were being laid off as a result of a plan to transition to an all-digital library. Four of the VSEA seven members being laid off are bargaining team members and union activists.
“It is clear that negotiators for the Colleges were withholding information while bargaining with us,” explains VSEA Bargaining Team member and Unit Secretary and Treasurer Monique Prive, who is one of the seven being laid off. “VSEA has been asking for information regarding any and all changes that a unification would have, but, to date, only limited information has been exchanged. VSEA met with the Chancellor’s office to negotiate anticipated changes in good faith, but our offer did not receive a response. Worst of all, Colleges’ negotiators reassured the VSEA team that it did not anticipate having to lay anyone off, and that they had not yet developed a plan for the library department. Clearly, the announcement an hour after bargaining ended that there would be layoffs can only mean that College negotiators knew all along what the plan was, even while sitting across the table from our team and telling them they didn’t. This is why VSEA has filed a ULP, and we continue to hold out hope that this action and other outside pressures will convince College administrators to reconsider their very bad decision.”
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