How and When to Get Involved in Your Union

​​Table of Contents:

Introduction

How To Get Involved

When To Get Involved

Introduction

Thank you for showing interest in learning more about participating in the Vermont State Employees’ Association (VSEA). Your union will be stronger with your voice added to the chorus. This guide serves as a tool to help members understand the varying levels of union participation, how to get involved in different areas of VSEA, and when key decisions and/or processes take place.

If you have questions about anything in this guide, please reach out to vsea@vsea.org.

How To Get Involved

Annual Meeting

Each September, VSEA members attend the union’s most important event of the year which is Annual Meeting. At the meeting, there is a presentation of VSEA’s operating budget, member dues and bylaw changes. These presentations are followed by a vote of the full body of members in attendance. At the meeting, you will also have an opportunity to share your opinion on agenda topics and raise issues of your own. The Annual Meeting is held at different locations of the State each year, and a hybrid remote option may be available for those who cannot attend in person. Breakfast and lunch are provided for those in person. For more information, please visit the VSEA Annual Meeting page, which also includes a recap of last years’ meeting.

Unit Annual Meeting

Each Bargaining Unit Annual Meeting is held on the same weekend as the Annual Meeting. This is where unit officer and bargaining team nominations are made.

VSEA Council

The Council meets quarterly to hear Committee reports, Unit proposals, and to recommend action to the Board of Trustees on matters concerning the budget, member dues, bylaws, legislative priorities, and VSEA policy, retaining authority to override the Board of Trustees on certain matters. The Council is a communications tool to disseminate information to the local Chapters and to VSEA members in Departments and Agencies across Vermont. The Council is comprised of members elected from Departments, Agencies, and VSEA Chapters. Learn more about the VSEA Council and find a representative near you.

If you are interested in becoming a Council member, click here to sign up.

Board of Trustees

Day-to-day union matters are overseen by the VSEA Board of Trustees, a democratically elected group of VSEA members representing all VSEA Bargaining Units, who dedicate their time to managing the internal affairs of VSEA and assuring that VSEA policies are adhered to.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the Board of Trustees, click here for more information. 

Bargaining Units

Prior to the expiration of each contract bargaining teams negotiate the next contract with management. VSEA Bargaining team members fight to improve and protect our wages, benefits, and working conditions. Members have full access to Bargaining Teams to communicate needed improvements in their respective contract.  

VSEA Bargaining Units consist of the following: 

Local Chapters

The chapters are the “glue” that binds together, by region, all VSEA members who are distributed among our bargaining units. By default you are assigned to the chapter where you work, however, you have the choice to join the chapter where you work or where you live. If you would like to join where you live, please contact VSEA Headquarters to make the change. 

You can really experience solidarity when you are in a room with people in the same union with you who work for the many departments that are state government. It’s amazing the ideas and support members provide to each other. 

Chapter meetings may be held as often as monthly but should be held at least quarterly following each Council meeting.  VSEA bylaws require that each chapter meets annually – these are the meetings held during July and August of each year. Sometimes you may hear comments about what “the union” is doing or not doing.  But “the union” is US and that means “YOU!” Please attend your next chapter meeting and meet other members in your area. There are no requirements as an attendee, it is up to you how involved you want to become.  You may well decide that you are the person who can make a difference and move things ahead. 

Most people hear the word “local” and think of the regional branch of a large union such as the Steelworkers or Teamsters. VSEA has “locals” too and we call them our “chapters”. Vermont is not a large state in terms of area, but it sure takes a long time to drive from one end to the other! A drive from Bennington or Brattleboro to Montpelier takes a couple of hours. The VSEA headquarters is based in Montpelier, but the union is where YOU, the members, are – at the more than 425 worksites. VSEA set up 15 regional chapters so that members would have a way to connect, communicate, and hold leadership accountable without having to trek to Montpelier. 

VSEA chapters provide members with a way to have direct participation in their union. Chapter meetings are gatherings at which members can speak their minds and identify issues for VSEA leadership and staff to work on. But that’s not all. Some chapters have had legislators attend meetings to explain legislative actions and hear members’ concerns. Chapters are a critical piece of the VSEA system through which we have members take action when the legislature is in session. And you know what? It works! Just as one example, members were very effective in helping get the Pay Act funded and we made use of the chapter structure. 

If you have any questions about what chapter you are in, who the president or when meetings are held, contact VSEA HQ by calling 802-223-5247 or email vsea@vsea.org 

View Upcoming Chapter Meetings. 

You can find your local VSEA Chapter and Chapter Officers here

Member Committees

From planning events to resolving conflicts to meeting with management to address concerns affecting a particular department, much of the work that union members do happens in VSEA Member Committees. Sign up to join VSEA Committees Online Here, or download this form (PDF) and send it into union headquarters (155 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05602). 

You can find a full list of VSEA Member Committees here.

Steward Program

A Steward is a respected worksite leader who represents all co-workers fairly, solves problems at the local level, identifies and acts on members’ concerns, builds your union, and protects and defends the contract. 

The VSEA Steward Program includes a series of quarterly trainings focused on developing the skills needed to perform their duties. The Steward is one of the most important roles in the Union. It is critical for Stewards to engage in continuous training and to build relationships and coordinate efforts with other Stewards, member-leaders, and staff.  

Find a Steward by Bargaining Unit here. 

Learn more about, and apply for, becoming a Steward here.

Stay Informed

VSEA makes it a priority to keep members updated on key events, legislative and policy fights, and victories within the union. Through a wide array of print publications, our weekly newsletter, regular email notifications, the VSEA website, social media like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and worksite bulletin boards, VSEA keeps you up to date on the latest issues facing state employees throughout Vermont.  To get more involved, find a coworker who’s active in the union and learn what’s going on near you. You can also contact a member of your local chapter, bargaining team, council, or the Board of Trustees. 

Need to update your contact info? Update your contact information here! 

Emails: Sign up to receive emails from your union. These emails include union meeting notices, bargaining unit updates, VSEA HQ alerts, VSEA insurance enrollment information, new Advantage Program benefits, and more! Subscribe to VSEA Email Updates 

Week in Action Newsletter: Your union’s weekly newsletter, Week In Action, is sent every Friday afternoon. Week In Action is the best way to stay up to date with weekly VSEA news! Subscribe to Week in Action 

SMS Text Message Alerts: Texting is a great way for VSEA to let members know about important state employee issues or fights in a timely manner, but VSEA can’t text you if we don’t have your correct cell phone number. Sign Up to Receive Texts 

When To Get Involved

Budget Development

The VSEA operating budget is discussed, debated, and approved at the Annual Meeting held in September. The Board of Trustees (BOT) sets the meeting date, location, and content (comprising the Annual Meeting Warn) at the June BOT meeting. The Annual Meeting Warn is posted to the VSEA Annual Meeting page, and the meeting time and date can also be found via the Events Calendar. 

Annual meeting is not your only opportunity to learn more about, and influence, the VSEA operating budget. First, you can run for VSEA Treasurer (see VSEA Elections below), or you can run/apply for an open BOT or Council seat. Both bodies have roles in approving the budget for consideration at annual meeting. Second, you can apply to join the Budget Committee. Finally, you can watch a BOT meeting when they are discussing the budget and provide comment during the designated time for member input (alternatively, you can always reach out to one of your Trustees, VSEA Officers, or a Council member). Make sure you receive VSEA emails to know what the monthly BOT agenda is.  

Budget Committee goals:  

  1. Develop and recommend to the Board of Trustees, not later than April 10 of each year, a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. 
  1. As requested by the VSEA Treasurer, assist in the presentation of the proposed budget to the VSEA Council at its June meeting and the VSEA annual membership meeting. 
  1. Assist the Treasurer and budget process by evaluating: (1) budget-related ideas and requests from members, budget (2) proposed expenditures for the current and upcoming fiscal years; (3) budget pressures and trends.  Make constructive recommendations regarding fiscal issues. 
  1. Develop a 5-year projection on VSEA finances to help aid the long-range decision making of the VSEA Board of Trustees 

Apply to join the VSEA Budget Committee 

Union Dues 

Changes to union dues are largely driven by the operating budget and are approved at the Annual Meeting, so the timeline and method for involvement is the same as the Budget Development section above with one key exception: there is a Member Dues Structure Committee which has the following goals: 

  1. Study and offer information and recommendations as appropriate of the VSEA dues structure. 
  1. Determine whether a more equitable structure can be recommended for the consideration of the general membership at a VSEA Annual Meeting. 
  1. Investigate the dues structures for comparable public service unions and evaluate the effects of a possible equitable dues structure (i.e. dues as a proportion of salary). 

Legislative Priority Setting

The Vermont legislature convenes every year in January through at least May. This means that the union needs to prepare its priorities in the fall and early winter. Every year, the Legislative Committee develops a slate of potential priorities for VSEA based on discussions with State staff, the Board of Trustees, VSEA Council, and VSEA staff. This slate is developed into a survey distributed to all union members to determine legislative priorities for the year. Make sure you receive VSEA emails to ensure you receive this survey.  

Apply to join the VSEA Legislative Committee 

Collective Bargaining Priorities

Collective bargaining occurs every two years. By negotiating and enforcing contracts with management that clearly stipulate the rights we have as workers, VSEA members protect the opportunities and freedoms that we enjoy at our jobs and defend our rights to participate effectively in the key decisions that affect our wages, benefits, and working conditions. This is why it is so important for members to take part in this process by 1) reaching out to a bargaining team member to let them know what issues are most important to you, your family, and your coworkers, and 2) completing the collective bargaining survey when it is distributed to members.

Visit the VSEA Bargaining Units page to see who is in your bargaining unit.  

Steward Program

The VSEA Steward Program includes a series of trainings focused on the challenges facing members and state employees. Steward trainings are held every quarter. The Steward is one of the most important roles in the Union. It is critical for Stewards to engage in continuous training and to build relationships and coordinate efforts with other Stewards, member-leaders, and staff. Together we build a stronger VSEA and better represent the workers who provide important state services for the public good. 

Learn more about, and apply for, becoming a Steward here.

Articles and Bylaws Updates

The VSEA Articles and Bylaws (must log in to view) are the policies that govern how the union operates. This includes things like what powers and responsibilities the different VSEA boards, units, and committees have, how the budgeting process works, and how Annual Meeting is run. There are bylaws for the VSEA as a whole, bargaining units, and chapters. Every year in February and March, the VSEA Bylaws Committee solicits input from the Board of Trustees (BOT), committees, unit officers, bargaining teams, staff, and membership to develop recommended changes. These recommendations are then presented to the BOT in April or May, in preparation for the June Council meeting. The BOT determines the slate of bylaws changes to be presented to the Council. While the Council cannot modify any bylaws, it can vote on whether it recommends adoption at Annual Meeting. Members ultimately can approve or reject the bylaws changes at Annual Meeting in September.  

Questions About This Page?

Please email vsea@vsea.org.