VSEA.org

VSEA issued the following press release:

Vermont State Employees’ Association (VSEA) members working at the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital (VPCH) in Berlin tell their union that they are pleased the Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Administration (VOSHA) issued citations this week to their employer, directing VPCH management to immediately address the facility’s identified “serious” safety and health issues. VOSHA issued three citations (attached) and fined the VPCH $14,000.

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There is a joint worker/State committee (Safety & Health Maintenance Committee) that meets quarterly to discuss any and all safety and health issues in Vermont state offices or leased properties. Together, the two sides try to come up with ways to address the problems/issues and then formally present their idea(s) to the Governor’s office or other appropriate entity.

At yesterday’s meeting, a document was distributed that identified the top five state agencies and departments in terms of the total number of worker safety & health claims made from August 1, 2016, to June 1, 2017.

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One of the best ways to get involved in your union is to run for elected office. VSEA is now accepting petitions for the Officer and Board of Trustee positions listed here!

Learn More About VSEA’s Election Process Here

Governor Scott made good today on his threat to veto the budget submitted to him by lawmakers, despite the budget being balanced and containing no new taxes (both demands Governor Scott made of lawmakers, and they obliged).

It appears Governor Scott is prepared to hold Vermont’s
nearly unanimously passed budget (1 vote against) hostage just so he and his team can score political points at the expense of Vermont teachers. As some would say, "Sad."

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Seven Days reports this morning that the Scott Administration is directing agency and department heads to cut their annual budgets by 2 to 4 percent.

VSEA Executive Director Steve Howard correctly comments that, "[VSEA] think[s] state government is not adequately funded as it is now."

Let’s hope that tax fairness is part of the General Assembly’s plan to negate the need for another of these Administration-led, austerity-budget exercises.

Read the full story here.