October 2, 2018
October 2, 2018
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VSEA issued the following press release on October 2, 2018:
The Vermont State Employees’ Association (VSEA) is pleased to announce its endorsement of Democratic candidate Christine Hallquist in the race to become Vermont’s next Governor.
“VSEA conducted a number of in-house gubernatorial debates for our members before the primary election, and we invited all the candidates to attend, but some them chose not to, like our sitting Governor Phil Scott,” explains VSEA President Dave Bellini. “Christine Hallquist, however, showed up, and she let state employees know where she stands on the ongoing privatization of public services, attacks on our pensions, the future of the VLRB and the DOC’s use of private prisons. State employees and our retirees like what Christine said, and not having Governor Scott even show up to explain his administration’s actions or his position on important issues, made this an easy choice.” Bellini adds that a recently conducted VSEA gubernatorial straw poll found that the membership preferred Hallquist by a two-to-one margin. And he says that, after the last round of bargaining, VSEA members began to immediately tell him that electing a Governor who respects the collective bargaining process and all the players has to be a priority this November. “They tell me that we need to elect a Governor who respects bargaining and the VLRB and what it stands for, and one who isn’t actively working behind the scenes to stack the deck against state employees.”
“VSEA members and retirees will be pitching in however we can to help Christine get elected on November 6,” says VSEA Legislative Committee Chair Margaret Crowley. “Christine wants to protect our defined benefit pension plan, curtail the privatization of services in our state and raise our minimum wage to $15 per hour. All great positions and a clear reason why Ms. Hallquist earned VSEA’s endorsement.”
In addition to Hallquist, VSEA also announced its endorsements in other statewide races. They include:
Lieutenant Governor – David Zuckerman (D/P)
Secretary of State – Jim Condos (D)
Auditor – Doug Hoffer (D)
Treasurer – Beth Pearce (D)
Attorney General – T.J. Donovan (D)
VSEA also endorsed the following candidates in federal races:
Senator – Bernie Sanders (I))
House of Representatives – Peter Welch (D)
VSEA rank-and-file Legislative Committee members proposed an initial list of 2018 general election endorsements weeks ago, which was then it approved by the VSEA Board of Trustees and subsequently confirmed by the union’s Council.
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