Late in the day, Thursday April 9, VSEA President Shelley Martin sent an important message to all members, informing you about a memo your union had received from the State. Hopefully, you had a chance to read the message and you have an understanding now that the State has decided to essentially abandon weeks of informal and productive discussions about $10-plus-million in alternative, non-contractual savings in favor of asking VSEA members again to open your contracts and agree to wage and benefit cuts and other givebacks. As Martin wrote last night, VSEA wasted no time informing the State that a contract re-opener wasn’t going to happen.
“The State’s memo is a harsh reminder of why tomorrow’s rally at the State House is so important and why I hope every state employee who can will be there,” Martin tells WIA. “It’s important that we send a strong and united message that there are alternatives to cuts and that it’s time to stop the assault on Vermont’s working middle class.”
Click here to read the memo from the Administration