VSEA.org

Contract-Ratification Ballots Being Emailed Next Week!

VSEA Executive Director Warns Senators About
“Five-Alarm Fire” In Corrections

Two Years In, How Is COVID Impacting Your Work/Family Balance?

Worried About Your Pension? Need More Staff? Here’s A Chance To Let Lawmakers Know.

What’s Happening At The State House This Week?

2022 VSEA Legislative Zoom Dinners Continue Next Week

Are You Paying For Child And / Or Elder Care?

Reminders:

Aflac For VSEA Members

Scholarship Application Available Now!

Dues Clarification

View/Download Your Contract on VSEA.org

Solidarity Stories:

New National Study Finds 52% Of State & Public Employees Consider Leaving

Starbucks Organizing Drives Spread Nationwide

PEW Reports On America’s Hiring Crisis, Including State Employment

CoreCivic Hikes Rates To Address Two Facilities 100% Turnover

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The Vermont House and Senate Committees on Appropriations are holding two Public/Advocate Hearings on the Governor’s Recommended FY 2023 State Budget on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and Wednesday, February 9, 2022, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. via videoconferencing technology (Zoom).

Anyone interested in testifying should sign-up in advance of the hearings through one of the online forms no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 7, 2022. Instructions on how to access and participate in the hearing will be sent once you have signed up for one of the hearings.

Link to form to sign-up for February 8, 2022

Link to form to sign-up for February 9, 2022

Joint Committee YouTube Channel

The VSEA Awards/Scholarships Committee is currently soliciting applications from students seeking financial assistance in the pursuit of post-secondary educational goals.

The Committee will announce the recipients of the scholarships at the June Council Meeting.

Deadline: 4:30 p.m. on May 13, 2022

Learn more or view/download the 2022 VSEA scholarship application here.

Senators Hear From Frontline Workers About Dangerous Crisis In Care Of Vermont’s Youth

What’s Happening At The State House This Week?

VSEA Strategic Analyst’s State Budget Overview

Latest DHR Employee Engagement Survey Results Are Alarming

Staffing Crisis Drives Overtime Up

2022 VSEA Legislative Zoom Dinners Begin Next Week

Are You Paying For Child And / Or Elder Care?

Aflac For VSEA Members

Reminders:

Scholarship Application Available Now!

Dues Clarification

View/Download Your Contract on VSEA.org

Solidarity Stories:

New Analysis: 401Ks Substantially More Costly Than DB Plans

Mental Health Caregivers Fight To Form Union

Proposal Would Grant Local Colorado Public Employees The Right To Collectively Bargain

Workers At 26 Starbucks Stores Across The U.S. Have Now Filed To Unionize

VSEA has reviewed the results of the Department of Human Resources 2021 “Employee Engagement Survey,” and some of the findings should alarm any State official who says they are concerned about state employee recruitment and retention.

Here are some of the key findings:

• The percent of state employees who believe working for the State provides them with good job security dropped below the 75% threshold for the first time since 2015;
• The percent of state employees who agree that working for the State provides them with a solid career path dropped below the 60% level for the first time since 2016;
• The percent of state employees who agree that they understand their benefit plans dropped below the 75% level for the first time since 2014;
• Less than half of responding state employees indicated that they understood their retirement benefits. It’s the first time the percentage has dropped below the 60% level and represents a 27.7% decrease from the 2019 survey to the current survey;
• The percent of state employees who agree with the statement “Overall, I’m satisfied with the benefits I receive,” also dropped below the 75% level, which is a 19.3% drop from the 2019 survey to the current survey; and
• The percent of state employees indicating they have good morale has fallen 9.7% in the last five years, from 49.4 in 2017 to 44.6% in 2021

View the full survey results here.