VSEA Judiciary Workers’ New Radio Ad Asks Vermonters To Sign Petition Supporting Their Right To A Fair Process To Resolve Pay Disputes
Vermont State Employees’ Association (VSEA) Judiciary Unit member Beth Aiken is featured in a new radio ad the union is airing statewide for the next two weeks, beginning today. The ad is intended to raise awareness about the Judiciary Unit’s current fight with the Court Administrator to establish a fair process to resolve worker pay disputes. The ad ends with Vermonters being asked to sign a petition, supporting the Judiciary workers’ right to a fair hearing on their pay.
“Frontline Judiciary workers are really concerned about the Court Administrator’s reluctance to work with us at the bargaining table to make sure we have a fair process in place to resolve employee pay disputes,” explains VSEA Judiciary Unit Chair Margaret Crowley. “Like Beth says in our ad, all we want is for a neutral person to make a decision based on the evidence, but our argument seems, unfortunately, to be falling on deaf ears. We’re hoping the ad will educate more Vermonters about our fight and that they will then support us by signing our petition.” Crowley says the ad also reminds that low pay for Vermont Docket Clerks has led to nearly a quarter of these employees quitting in just under a year’s time.
VSEA’s Judiciary Unit members have been in a tough contract battle with the Court Administrator since December 2015, and a fact finder is currently reviewing both sides’ arguments and will issue a decision in the coming weeks. One of the workers’ key issues this round of negotiations is the establishment of a fair hearing process.
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