VSEA Endorses Peter Shumlin For Governor!
At a press conference at VSEA HQ today, the union announced its support for Peter Shumlin for Governor!
For Immediate Release:
September 14, 2010
Contact: Doug Gibson
(802) 223-5247
Vermont State Employees Association Endorses Peter Shumlin For Governor
At its headquarters today in Montpelier, leaders and members of the Vermont State Employees Association (VSEA) joined with Peter Shumlin to announce the union’s endorsement of the Democratic candidate for Governor.
“The VSEA membership’s support for Peter Shumlin is strong, and VSEA members are fired up and ready to go to work for Peter,” said VSEA Legislative Committee chairperson Jeff Briggs, adding, “State employees are very tired of the Douglas/Dubie team’s sole solution to resolving Vermont’s serious economic problems, which is to simply cut state jobs and services and then cut them some more and then some more. Frontline state employees know firsthand the terrible impact a lot of these cuts are already having on Vermont’s most vulnerable citizens. We know that if we don’t stop the bleeding now, it could spell the end of Vermont’s quality public services and, in fact, the quality of life that makes living in—and being from—Vermont so special. Throughout his legislative career, Peter Shumlin’s door was always open to VSEA members, and he listened to us and worked with us to try and protect what services and jobs he could from the Douglas team’s carving knives. Peter Shumlin is a longtime VSEA friend, and VSEA looks forward to helping him get elected on November 2.”
Briggs added that Shumlin earned the VSEA’s support for a host of other reasons as well, including:
- Securing a two-thirds majority in the Senate to override a budget veto that would have resulted in more job and service cuts;
- Pushing for an amendment to prevent the Administration from unilaterally cutting services and jobs when the legislature is not in session;
- Strongly leading to ensure that state employees were removed from the Bennington State Office Building after seven employees contracted the rare disease sarcoidosis;
- Saving the Vermont State Hospital from being privatized and supporting construction of a new, state-owned and operated facility;
- Steadfastly opposing the privatization of public services;
- Steadfastly opposing doling out millions of taxpayer dollars to private contractors; and
- Working hard to pass language to prevent the Administration from closing a correctional facility without legislative approval.
Briggs said VSEA members will be engaged in the Shumlin campaign just as they were in the Racine campaign during the primary election.
“It’s been widely acknowledged in the past weeks that VSEA members were instrumental in helping Doug Racine come as close as he did in the primary,” said Briggs. “Peter Shumlin can expect that same level of energy and commitment, plus some.”
###