Tuesday Night Is Important Legislative Hearing On Vermont’s Mental Health Crisis & Its Impact On Frontline Workers

VSEA members who work with Vermonters with mental illness are being urged to participate in—or attend—a special, joint legislative hearing to educate lawmakers about the challenges created for frontline workers by Vermont’s mental health crisis. Lawmakers want to hear from frontline workers about what impact the crisis is having on you. This means you VPCH, Middlesex, DOC, DCF, VVH and P&P members, to name a few.

Special Joint Legislative Hearing:
Vermont’s Mental Health Crisis & Frontline Workers
Tuesday, February 7
Room 11
State House
Montpelier
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Want to testify? Questions?
Please contact VSEA Organizer Danielle Warner by email at dwarner@vsea.org or by phone at 802-223-5247.

DHR Meets With VSEA Members To Discuss Possible Privatizations

Staff from the Department of Human Resources (DHR) was at headquarters on Tuesday to meet with VSEA representatives and members working at the “temporary” Middlesex Therapeutic Community Residence (MTCR) and for the Department of Innovation and Information (DII). Both the state entities are being targeted for privatization, and DHR informed all in the room that formal “Requests for Proposals” to assume control of the services have been issued to private, for-profit companies.

The MTCR was created as a “temporary,” seven-bed mental health facility to replace some of the beds that were lost at the old Vermont State Hospital after it was hit hard by Hurricane Irene. The DII is the entity responsible for assisting state agencies and departments with their technology needs.

DHR’s representatives were clear with all in the room that the future of both services is blurry right now, and that they were meeting with VSEA and employees to simply explain what could happen with both workforces in the event of privatization. They repeatedly stressed that nothing is set in stone right now.

At the MTCR, DHR estimated that 24 VSEA members would be displaced by privatization, and nearly a dozen VSEA members would be out at DII. DHR did tell the MTCR workers that they could be absorbed at the new facility in Berlin, where there are currently 18 vacancies. DHR representatives were not able to offer any cost analysis for either privatization, nor did they have any clear exit/transition answers.

Rest assured, VSEA will be reviewing both RFPs and requesting a list of bidders, once the deadline to submit a proposal has passed. Your union will also being monitoring any debate at the State House about these proposed privatizations, and we’ll be lobbying hard against the proposals if evidence of savings is unclear, or if members tell us the move would diminish or harm their service.

VSEA thanks the members who took time to participate in the meetings.

Open Enrollment For New VSEA Supplemental Vision Benefit Ends February 28!

The open period for VSEA members to enroll in your union’s new supplemental vision benefit program began February 1 and ends February 28. The new vision benefit offer is similar in nature to VSEA’s popular supplemental dental benefit, which your union began offering to members years ago. Like the dental benefit, there is a small charge to receive the vision benefit.

> To learn more about the supplemental vision benefit or to enroll, click here.

Note: VSEA has taken steps to ensure this vision benefit is available to all members who want to enroll, but know that the payroll-deduction process for Executive Branch and Judiciary Unit members is different than the one for State Colleges and Housing Authority members. Members in the Executive and Judiciary Branches have their premium deducted automatically but State Colleges and Housing Authority members’ premiums will be paid through direct monthly billing. State Colleges’ members are reminded that this vision benefit is different than the one offered by the colleges.

VT Labor Unions Line Up Against State’s Proposed Merger Of DOL & ACCD

As advertised in last week’s WIA, lawmakers held a public hearing this week on the State’s proposal to merge the Department of Labor (DOL) into the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD), creating a new Agency of Economic Opportunity. It was one of three proposals introduced by the State in its budget plan; the other two were to morph the current Department of Innovation and Information into something called the Agency of Digital Services and to combine Vermont Lottery and Liquor Control. VSEA is very skeptical about each of the proposals, and your union’s lobbyists are actively monitoring any and all debate at the State House on all three of the measures. They are also providing lawmakers with members’ concerns and questions and alerting them to member-identified pitfalls. No cost savings have been attached to any of the proposals.

On the question of merging the DOL and ACCD, VSEA members are not alone in questioning the thinking behind the proposal. At the legislature’s hearing on Tuesday night, representatives of many Vermont unions testified in opposition to the proposal.

“We’re scared that the [proposal would mean that the] fox might be in the henhouse,” Steelworkers leader Raymond Bettis told lawmakers. “We’re worried that the workers’ rights may get washed, and we’re fighting really hard now as it is to maintain safety in the mines.”

Teamsters Business Agent Bill Kelly warned, “There’s a lot of people out there who don’t have any help (from unions). The only help they have is the Department of Labor, so I would respectfully request that you turn down this merger and keep the Department of Labor and the Agency of Commerce separate.”

> Read VTDigger story about hearing.

With Announced Sale Of Stowe Mountain, VSEA Believes It’s Time To Renegotiate Mountain’s Lease

It was reported this week that Vail (Colorado) Resorts is considering purchasing Stowe Mountain Resort, which is one of seven mountain leases identified in a 2015 State Auditor’s office report as being “outdated” and costing the state money.

After the Auditor’s report was released in 2015, VSEA launched a campaign to convince lawmakers to insist that Vermont generate new revenue by renegotiating the outdated leases named in the Auditor’s report. VSEA’s request was in response to repeated calls from officials and lawmakers for Vermonters to come up with ways to generate new revenue. In the end though, no action was ever taken with respect to the leases.

In just the past year, two resorts singled out in the Auditor’s report as having outdated leases have come up for sale, Jay Peak and now Stowe. To date, silence on the issue of what will happen with the resort’s mountain leases.

If you are talking with your local representatives, remind them about the Auditor’s findings and please urge them to renegotiate the leases on Vermont’s mountains to ensure Vermonters are being properly compensated for the use of our mountains.

VSEA Issue-Reception Season Officially Kicks Off

Good mix of VSEA members and lawmakers at Tuesday night’s VSEA Legislative Committee Issue Reception at union headquarters. The topic was retirement security, and the group was joined by State Treasurer Beth Pearce, who reiterated her strong opposition to our new Governor’s expressed support to switch new hires to state government from a defined-benefit pension plan to a defined-contribution plan. Thanks to the VSEA members who attended, and thanks to the following lawmakers for joining the discussion:

• Rep. Mitzi Johnson
• Rep. Mary Sullivan
• Rep. Cindy Weed
• Rep. Mike Yantachka
• Rep. Rachael Fields
• Rep. Mary Howard
• Rep. Maida Townsend
• Rep. Joey Donovan
• Rep. Helen Head
• Rep. Janet Ancel
• Rep. Curt McCormack
• Rep. Kimberly Jessup
• Rep. Jill Krowinski
• Rep. Robin Chestnut-Tangerman

The next VSEA Legislative Issue Reception is February 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The topic is "Protecting and Enhancing State Employees’ Health Care." VSEA members are welcome to attend this dinner. Please RSVP to VSEA Organizer Danielle Warner by email: dwarner@vsea.org.

Additional Receptions:

• Enhancing VSEA Members’ Safety & Security While At Work
  February 16
• Privatizing Services Is Not The Answer
  February 21

All VSEA members are invited to attend one or more of the dinner meetings, all of which are being held at VSEA headquarters in Montpelier, beginning at 5:30 p.m. and ending at 7:00 p.m.

If you are interested in attending a reception(s), please RSVP to:
Danielle Warner, VSEA Organizer
Email: DWarner@vsea.org

Local VSEA Activist Running For Bennington District School Board

> Click Here To View Larger Image

Longtime VSEA Steward and activist Chris Murphy is asking VSEA members who live in his school district to please consider supporting his candidacy for District School Board on Town Meeting Day, March 7. Chris is a 14-year VSEA member who works as a Social Worker in DCF’s Family Services Division.

Of his candidacy, Murphy’s flyer includes a quote, reading, “I have devoted my professional life to working with children and on their behalf. It will be an honor to continue working to make our schools even stronger and our community even better.”

Good luck Chris!

Waiting List Created For VSEA Membership Recruitment Committee’s Overnight Bus Trip To Foxwoods Casino

The bus is full for the VSEA-sponsored overnight bus trip to Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, but a waiting list has been created and names are being placed on the list in the order received. The sooner you call, the sooner your name is added to the list.

Dates:
March 25 to March 26, 2017

Bus Cost:
$60 per person

Lodging Cost:
$133/single occupancy
$78 per person/double occupancy
$70 per person/triple occupancy

Included Bonuses:

• Baggage handling;
• $10 food credit or full Festival Buffet;
• $5 food credit or full Breakfast Buffet;
• $10 slot play;
• 20% discount at any Foxwoods gift shop with a purchase of $25 up to $1,000; and
• A Foxwoods souvenir.

To put your name on the trip waiting list, please contact VSEA Administrative Assistant Sue DeVoid (sdevoid@vsea.org). She can be reached by phone at 802-223-5247.

Note: Many Foxwoods’ employees enjoy union representation through the United Auto Workers union. Big thanks to VSEA AOT member Ludwig Pulaski for reminding us about this fact.

Ohio State Employees’ Union Floats Its Own Cost-Savings Proposal To Have State Workers Provide Food Service To Prisons

The Columbus Dispatch reports on February 1 that the Ohio Civil Service Employees’ Association (union representing state workers) has formally submitted a proposal to take over prison food services from a private contractor; a move the union estimates will save the state $4.4 million annually. This is the third time the union has submitted a cost-savings bid, only to have it basically ignored.

"We’ve always maintained that public sector employees can compete against private contractors," union President Christopher Mabe said. "It’s our hope that the Department of Corrections and Ohio legislators will see that value and end its contract with Aramark [the current private contractor]."

Since taking over the prison food contract in 2013, Aramark has been plagued by charges of maggots in food, staff and food shortages and inappropriate employee contact. The state also fined Aramark $272,300 for contract violations and banned 135 Aramark employees from prison work because of inappropriate "relationships" with inmates, security violations and contraband smuggling.

Study Finds More Large Employers Hiring Contractors

The Wall Street Journal reports this week that large employers—from Google to Virgin America to Walmart—are hiring more contract labor, Lauren Weber writes “Never before have American companies tried so hard to employ so few people. The outsourcing wave that moved apparel-making jobs to China and call-center operations to India is now just as likely to happen inside companies across the U.S. and in almost every industry.”

VSEA Organizer’s Monthly Worksite Meeting Schedule

VSEA Organizer Tim Lenoch is personally conducting informational meetings in set workplaces on set days in four locations. He says the purpose of the meetings is to provide members with an opportunity to “join with their colleagues and VSEA staff for updates and discussion on the issues and challenges facing state employees and the impact on your working conditions and the services they provide.” He adds that members are welcome to “come share their ideas and hear from co-workers on how to build a stronger union and improve public services.”

Snacks and refreshments are provided.

St. Johnsbury
ESD Conference Room
State Office Building
67 Eastern Ave.

• February 9
• March 9
• April 13
• May 11
• June 8

Brattleboro
Room 148
State Office Building
232 Main Street

• February 10
• March 10
• April 14
• May 12
• June 9

White River Junction
Room 170
State Office Building
118 Prospect Street

• February 21
• March 21
• April 18
• May 16
• June 20

Springfield
First Floor Conference Room
State Office Building
100 Mineral Street

• February 15
• March 15
• April 19
• May 17
• June 21

AMENDED! VSEA Labor Educator Alters Winter 2016 Training Schedule

VSEA Labor Educator Tim Lenoch asked WIA to make members aware that he has made some changes to his previously announced winter 2016 trainings schedule. Some trainings have been cancelled and the date for others has been changed.
(* = date change)

If you are interested in registering to attend one or more of the remaining trainings, you can do so by clicking here. Please direct your training questions to Tim at tlenoch@vsea.org.

All trainings begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m.

Location may change based on worksite location of registered participants. If this happens, registered participants will be notified at least a week ahead of the training. Mileage and lunch may be reimbursed or provided.

TARGETED DEPARTMENT/BARGAINING UNIT TRAININGS

Nursing/Health Care Facility Stewards
Mendon
Thursday, February 2

Vermont State Colleges’ Stewards
VTC Campus, Randolph Center
Thursday, April 6

Judiciary Stewards
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Tuesday, April 11

NEW STEWARD TRAININGS

Steward 1: Introduction and the Basics
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
*Friday, March 17

Steward 3: The Contract and Challenges in the Workplace
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
*Friday, March 30

Steward 2: Protecting the Contract and Building the Union
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
*Friday, March 31

Steward 2: Protecting the Contract and Building the Union
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Thursday, May 16

ALL STEWARD TRAINING

All-Steward Training
VTC Campus, Randolph
Friday, May 26

> Click here to register for a training(s)!

Subscribe To VSEA!

VSEA’s Communications Department is happy to disseminate any and all communications the leadership, Chapters, Units, and others request, however, the lists the Department currently pull from are provided to the union by the State of Vermont. VSEA’s Communications Department has found the lists to be dated, incomplete and sometimes lacking key information that was entered by a VSEA staff person but later overwritten or deleted during a State data dump.

To help VSEA more effectively reach active members—and really all those members who want to know what’s going on in their union—VSEA will be working hard in the coming months to collect members’ emails on its own and begin to build contact lists that cannot be altered by a State download.

You can help us get started by clicking here and signing up for the VSEA communications you are interested in receiving.

Thank you in advance for subscribing. Please urge your colleagues to do the same.