VSEA President Aimee Towne told a crowded Zoom meeting tonight that the House Government Operations Committee voted 9-2 today to pass a proposal that would put 9 non-labor persons and 6 labor persons on a soon-to-be-formed pension task force. VSEA is thanking Representatives Bob Hooper and Tanya Vyhovsky for voting against the HGO’s unjust proposal that stacks the deck against Vermont labor on this important task force.
The HGO proposal now moves to the House Appropriations Committee for review. VSEA will be reaching out soon to members and retirees to begin lobbying Committee members to vote the HGO proposal down. VSEA continues to float an alternative task force proposal that would equally allot seats between labor and non-labor.
If the Appropriations Committee passes the HGO proposal, it would then move to the House floor for a vote. Up next would be a trip to the Vermont Senate.
This week, the House Committee on Government Operations is voting on a bill that would permit the taskforce being set up to make recommendations on your retirement to be dominated by your boss and other managers. As the bill is written now, the voice of your union and other labor unions would be completely drowned out by these bosses.
If we don’t push back right now, we will lose this fight to shape the debate about the future of your retirement.
That’s why we need you to call or e-mail your Vermont House representative today to tell them that:
The Pension Taskforce and VPIC should be equally balanced between Labor and non-Labor members.
Ask them to share this message with their colleagues on the Government Operations Committee, and with the Speaker of the House.
A vote in the Committee is scheduled for Wednesday morning. Your call could be the difference in the fight stop this terrible proposal before it’s too late!
Hundreds of state employees, teachers and troopers rallied against pension cuts last Saturday at the State House. Thanks to all who attended. More photos from Saturday.
This letter appeared this week in the Valley News. Thanks, Ashley!
No Way To Thank Vt. State Employees
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Vermont state employees have been working mornings, nights and weekends to make sure that vulnerable Vermonters are taken care of. It has not been easy.
In my division, Economic Services, we have been the backbone for providing emergency housing, food and fuel benefits and cash assistance for struggling Vermonters. On top of procedural changes, our caseloads have increased exponentially.
Department of Labor employees worked relentlessly for months processing benefits. Can you imagine being a teacher during the pandemic? I truly do not know how they did it. I am in awe. I could go on about all the state departments and divisions that worked very hard this last year.
Last year, Rep. Cynthia Browning introduced an amendment to eliminate a negotiated pay increase for state employees. Thankfully, our legislators voted no. Less than a year later, lawmakers want to thank state employees for their hard work by taking money from our pensions that was (again) already agreed upon in order to fix budgetary issues we have not caused.
