Nearly a dozen Vermont state employees working in the State’s Risk Management Division recently learned that their service has been put out to bid to private, for-profit vendors, some located out of state. The bids are due February 26, and the jobs of the seasoned VSEA members who provide Workers’ Compensation, Liability and Security services are at risk.
- Here’s just a few of the reasons the workers want to keep their services public:
- Workers represent more than 100 years of combined and specialized knowledge;
- Workers are the ones helping state employees get back to work after suffering a work illness or injury;
- Workers are “Vermonters serving Vermonters,” and they know the people they serve;
- Workers know state worksites and the nature of state employee work, across the board; and
- Workers understand the system’s challenges and how best to navigate them.
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VSEA members belonging to three of the union’s largest bargaining units (Non-Management, Corrections & Supervisory) and the union’s Judiciary Unit are in very difficult negotiations right now with the Shumlin Administration and the Court Administrator. For the first time in three contract cycles, VSEA’s big three Units are in front a fact finder because of the State’s hardball tactics and, frankly, a lot of bad proposals. This after years of the Administration’s cuts to services and positions, numerous botched multi-million-dollar IT project failures, documented abuse of sole-source contracting with private vendors and other examples of financial mismanagement across state government. Very few the fault of VSEA frontline workers.
While state employees (many your family, friends and neighbors) wait for a fact finder’s report to be delivered (could be weeks), please join VSEA members in sending this simple message to the Shumlin Administration and the Court Administrator. Vermont state employees deserve a fair contract now!
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In this week’s issue:
Last night, VSEA members like DCF worker Kara Haynes (pictured here, glasses on head) had the opportunity to discuss staffing issues with a group of lawmakers, who were invited to attend the first of four issue education receptions; last night’s theme being "staffing."
Another reception is scheduled for tonight. The issue is "privatization," and it is expected to feature workers from the State’s Risk Management Division, who are currently engaged in a battle to keep their service public.
The two remaining receptions are:
- February 3: Temporary Workers
- February 4: Security
Each reception begins at 5:30 p.m. and goes until 7:00 p.m. at VSEA headquarters at 155 State St.
Dear Judiciary Members:
On Friday, January 23, we met with the Administration to discuss non-financial and financial proposals. The day featured some slight, positive movement by management on non-financials, but they remained unbending on their financial proposals.
The Administration proposed zero COLAs for 2 years, eliminating the Employee Development Fund and the Columbus Day holiday, and cuts to our overtime and mileage reimbursement. We brought forward the following measures that we feel recognize the respect and dignity that we deserve:
- Increase Docket Clerks to a Pay Grade 18, without a formal reclass;
- A Cost-of-Living Adjustment in years one and two;
- Adjusting the After-Hours RFA Rate of Standby Pay to a percentage amount for each hour on duty, instead of a flat dollar amount for each pay period;
- Addition of standardized training on policies and procedures for After-Hours Relief from Abuse work;
- A sliding scale for the Judiciary and employee share of the premium cost of the State Employee Health Plan and employee health benefits that are proportional to an employee’s income; and
- 100 percent coverage of employee life insurance premiums by the Judiciary.
Learn more about our opening financial proposals and management’s on the Judiciary Unit’s “members-only” page on the VSEA website.
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