Election officially confirms BISHCA employee John Reese as new VSEA President! Other newly elected officials include:
Shelley Martin – First Vice President
Jeff Briggs – Second Vice President
Tracey Tapley – Clerk
Lucas Herring – Treasurer
"The workers insisted they are not just out to save their jobs, but to preserve a high quality of care for people who need it. The alternative is likely to be an increase in Vermont’s mentally ill residents showing up in its prisons, as has happened in other states that close psychiatric hospitals, they said. ‘Corrections actually will be where many of these people will go,’ Malloy said. ‘The Los Angeles County Jail is the largest psychiatric facility in the country.’"
"The landslide vote to repeal the bill — 62 percent to 38 percent, according to preliminary results from Ohio’s secretary of state — was a slap to Gov. John R. Kasichh, who had championed the law as a tool for cities to cut costs. The bill passed in March on a wave of enthusiasm among [anti-worker candidates] fresh from victories. A similar bill also passed in Wisconsin."
Great victory for working people and evidence that you do still have a voice and all you need to do is start making it a little louder!
"…I question any critic to see the treatment that occurs in the hospital. The staff (psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, psychiatric technicians, activity therapists and the support staff) are, on a whole, a dedicated group of people working the best they can to provide quality treatment to our fellow citizens in extreme states. People need to understand that the treatment provided is more a question of political and fiscal will than anything else."
In the piece, VSEA Steward John Brabant articulates the fears of thousands of state employees who have heard this "program cut" rhetoric before. On the plus side, Governor reafiirms his belief that there aren’t enough employees now to adequately staff programs and services.