VSEA.org

VSEA is sending condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Robert Babcock, who was VSEA’s second Executive Director, starting in the mid-70s. Babcock was hired by past VSEA President Terry Macaig.

“After just one Executive Director for many years, Robert was a breath of fresh air for VSEA,” Macaig remembers. “He was the right person at the right time for the job.”

Babcock’s obituary notes, “In the late-1970s, Bob headed the Vermont State Employees Association, where he convinced the Legislature to pass a long-overdue 16.6% salary increase for state workers.

Thursday’s meeting of the Task Force began with the six union members setting clear expectations about how they expect the work of the group to proceed moving forward. They got the group to adopt a new process of setting the agenda for the group’s meetings, to make sure that the issues you care about can’t be ignored.

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Our Deepest Condolences

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Next Week’s Union Meetings and Events:

• Northeast Correctional Complex Employee Appreciation Day: July 28
   
• Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility Employee Appreciation Day: July 29

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AOT Members Helping AOT Members. Become A VSEA AOT Steward Today!

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Read The Full Newsletter Here!

Several VSEA Units are currently fighting to improve working conditions, and soon VSEA Bargaining Teams across the board will be entering into a new round of negotiations with the State, Judiciary, Housing Authority, State Colleges, etc., Show your solidarity by adding the frame above to your Facebook profile.

Get the new VSEA Facebook frame here!

VTDigger posted a story this afternoon about a recent hearing held to address the staffing crisis inside Vermont’s correctional facilities.

From the VTDigger post:

James Baker, interim corrections commissioner, testified late last week before the Joint Legislative Justice Oversight Committee on steps the department is taking to address the problem, from stepping up recruitment to working for better retention of current employees.

“We’re at a very, very, very dangerous point,” the commissioner told the panel. The committee is made up of a mix of House and Senate members and met in-person at the Statehouse with the session also streamed online.

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Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington, an oversight committee member, said he hoped to see a bump in salary to help attract people to the job.

“I appreciate the problem. It’s not just with corrections,” Sears said of the staffing shortage. “But that’s a tough job, and hopefully we will consider upgrades to pay and working conditions.”