What’s VSEA Done For Vermont State Employees? See For Yourself

A lot has happened since the VSEA was officially recognized in 1944 as the voice for Vermont’s state employee workforce, and VSEA’s Communications Department has now compiled many of your union’s notable victories and achievements in a new online chronological history of the VSEA.

“Thankfully, VSEA formed a special committee in the mid-eighties to put together a historical synopsis of what had happened within the union from 1944 to then, and it was a great piece for us to build from,” explains VSEA Communications Director Doug Gibson. “This up-to-date history will hopefully help educate more VSEA members about the fights and campaigns of past state employees, reminding them how long it actually took for workers to get to where they are today, in terms of wages, benefits and working conditions. We hope it will be a good resource and tool for members.”

> View VSEA’s new online history timeline here.

Three Openings On The NMU Bargaining Team

There are currently three vacant positions on the NMU Bargaining Team, and here are the work groups that currently need representation on the Team:

• Administration/ Planning/ Development;
• Engineering; and
• Patient Care/ Mental Health

If you are a NMU union member who works in a position that would fall under one of these work groups, and you are interested in serving on your Unit’s Bargaining Team, please send an email/ letter of interest to NMU Staff Liaison David Van Deusen (dvandeusen@vsea.org), no later than January 19, 2017. The NMU Executive Committee expects to review letters on January 20 and then make new appointments.

NMU bargaining team members, by contract, receive paid union leave to participate in bargaining activities, and VSEA reimburses your mileage and meal expenses.

Open Bargaining Team Seats – From NMU Bylaws:

“Sec. 4: If there is a vacancy from one of the twelve occupational groupings, the Executive Committee shall announce the vacancy and solicit letters of interest from members of that occupational group. If no members from that occupational grouping come forward, the Executive Committee shall have the authority to announce the vacancy and solicit letters of interest, and appoint a member to fill the vacancy regardless of the occupational group that member works in.”

VSEA Legislative Committee Schedules New Series Of Dinner Receptions For Members To Meet With Legislators About Specific Issues

Last year, VSEA Legislative Committee members facilitated and launched a first-ever series of informal member dinner receptions with legislators, where frontline workers could discuss high-priority issues with lawmakers face to face, as well as educate them about the union’s position. The receptions were deemed a big success, so the Committee is announcing a new series of reception dates during this legislative session. The reception topics this session include:

• January 24:
  Privatizing Services Is Not The Answer
• January 31:
  Protecting & Defending VSEA Members’ Retirement Security
• February 9:
  Protecting & Enhancing VSEA Members’ Health Care
• February 16:
  Enhancing VSEA Members’ Safety & Security While At Work

All VSEA members are invited to attend one or more of the dinner meetings, all of which will be 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

Next Lamoille Valley Chapter Meeting Is
January 18!

Lamoille Valley Chapter President Aimee Towne asked WIA to remind Chapter members that your next meeting is Wednesday, January 18, at the State Office Building in Morrisville, beginning at 4:45 p.m. There is a very full agenda that includes a legislative session preview and a presentation about what “right to work” really means. Dinner is being provided. Hope to see you there!

New District 2 Board Member Elected

VSEA’s Elections, Rules and Nominating Committee was at headquarters late last week to count the ballots cast in a recent election to fill the VSEA Board of Trustees’ District 2 vacancy. Trissie Casanova, who works in DCF’s Family Services Division in Waterbury, was elected to the seat, where she will serve as a voice for VSEA members working in Waterbury and at the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital in Berlin. WIA members may remember Trissie, who, in the past few years, has been a real member leader, tirelessly lobbying the State of Vermont to do more to improve safety and security for frontline state employees.

Congratulations Trissie!

Save The Date! VSEA 2017 State House Day Is February 28

VSEA’s Legislative Committee announced last week that an online form has been created for VSEA members to use to register to attend the union’s annual State House Day, which this year is Tuesday, February 28.

At State House Day, VSEA members get a chance to talk face-to-face with legislators about the services you provide and the issues and challenges you and your colleagues face.

Register today and help make this VSEA’s most successful State House Day ever. With Vermont facing another budget deficit, it’s important again for VSEA members to demonstrate their collective power at the State House to remind lawmakers that we’re not only state employees who provide services, we’re also Vermont voters, and we care about the adverse impact service and personnel cuts have had—and will have—on the communities where we live.

More on events associated with VSEA State House Day to come in future WIAs. Stay tuned.

Seats On The Bus Are Filling Up Fast For VSEA Membership Recruitment Committee’s Overnight Trip To Foxwoods Casino

The VSEA Membership Recruitment Committee has hosted three very successful member trips in recent months, including one to a NASCAR race, one to a Red Sox game and one to see Disney on Ice. The Committee announced its next member trip earlier this week via email, and it’s an overnight stay at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut.

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.

> If you are interested in joining VSEA on this trip, please register by clicking here.

Questions?
Please contact VSEA Union Rep Bob South (bsouth@vsea.org) or Administrative Assistant Sue DeVoid (sdevoid@vsea.org). Each 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.

VSEA 2017 Scholarship Applications Now Online!

Every year, the VSEA Scholarship & Awards Committee solicits scholarship applications from VSEA members and their spouses, dependents and domestic partners. The 2017 scholarship applications are now available online, and VSEA students who are seeking financial assistance this year in the pursuit of post-secondary educational goals can download one here.

Federal OSHA Will Promulgate Workplace Violence Standard To Better Protect Health Care & Social Assistance Workers

The AFT (American Federation of Teachers) and other unions are cheering news that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has agreed to "promulgate" a "workplace violence standard to protect health care & social assistance workers a drive started last summer by their union and a coalition of other unions. What this means is that OSHA has agreed to begin the process of investigation and rule writing on a standard.

This is from an online AFT post about OSHA’s decision:

"Last summer, a coalition of unions representing healthcare workers—led by the AFT and including the American Federation of Government Employees, the Service Employees International Union and the AFL-CIO—petitioned the agency for a workplace violence prevention standard to cover all workers in healthcare and social assistance. The petition was the culmination of work started by the AFT in 2014, when it worked with key members of Congress to seek a Government Accountability Office study to investigate whether the voluntary OSHA guidelines for workplace violence prevention in healthcare are enough to protect workers."

In a press story about the standard, the AFL-CIO’s Director of Safety and Health, Peg Seminario, says, “Workplace violence is a serious safety and health problem that has reached epidemic levels in healthcare and social service settings. Each year tens of thousands of workers are assaulted on the job, suffering serious disabling injuries and even death,” she added. “Workplace violence is not part of the job. These assaults and injuries can be prevented. We welcome and applaud OSHA’s action accepting the union petitions and commit to working with the agency and other stakeholders to develop a strong workplace violence standard to protect our nation’s healthcare and social service workers.”

With a new Administration on its way through the door, one story questions the reality of OSHA’s new standard being finalized, but an AFL-CIO spokesperson “doesn’t think they’ll do that, because it’s factually based and evidence based, so it’ll be hard to ignore,” adding, “This is a very severe issue and a problem that is growing.”

Note: VSEA members working in health care, mental health, social work, corrections and a host of other occupations are not immune to workplace violence, so this standard is something WIA will be keeping an eye on as it works its way to being formally adopted.

NY Governor Creates Scholarship Award For Top-Performing State Workers

The January 13 Albany Times Union reports that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is creating a scholarship/award for top employees, who will be nominated by their co-workers. Winners can get $5,000 scholarships for training or for college classes to further their public-sector careers.

The idea, Cuomo tells the paper, is to recognize those ”who have distinguished themselves through meaningful contributions to state government and have demonstrated their dedication to serve with a high level of performance, integrity and pride.”

Pennsylvania Shutters Three Call Centers To Aid Job Seekers, Creating Chaos

Unionized workers at three Pennsylvania Careerlink Call Centers warned state officials about the ramifications of a budget decision to shutter their facilities, which assist the unemployed, but they didn’t listen. Now the York Daily Record is reporting that lines are heavy to use the phone lines that still exist at the closed centers and connect to the state’s remaining operating centers. Claimants tell the paper that they try to call from home but cannot get through, so they come to the closed center, where the connection is better.

Some claimants share their stories, telling the paper about all the busy signals and calls that couldn’t be completed when he tried to reach the call center. He tried for an hour and a half on one occasion with no success. "I’ve tried and tried, and somebody said come in here," he says. Asked how that made him feel, he responds, "You don’t want me to tell you."

Another says the experience left him feeling "frustrated, really frustrated,” explaining how one day he tried for nine hours and another day for three hours without being able to get through to a call center,
"I was calling for 15 days, and nobody answered," he says.

VSEA Labor Educator’s Monthly Worksite Meeting Schedule

Next week, VSEA Labor Educator Tim Lenoch begins to personally conduct informational meetings in set workplaces on set days in four locations. Lenoch 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

• January 17
• February 21
• March 21
• April 18
• May 16
• June 20

Springfield
First Floor Conference Room
State Office Building
100 Mineral Street

• January 18
• February 15
• March 15
• April 19
• May 17
• June 21

VSEA Members Invited To Participate In Special Legislative Training

VSEA Labor Educator Tim Lenoch has been working with VSEA’s legislative team to create a new training to educate VSEA members about how statutes, policies and Vermont’s legislative process can impact state employees’ working conditions—and sometimes even, their livelihoods.

This comprehensive training will be offered at five different locations throughout the state, including:

• Bennington: Wednesday March 8 – Hampton Inn Bennington, 51 Hannaford Square
• Springfield: Wednesday March 8 – Holiday Inn Express, 818 Charlestown Rd.
• Burlington: Thursday March 9 – Zampieri Building, 108 Cherry St.
• St. Johnsbury: Thursday March 9 – TBD

> Register For Training Here

All trainings begin at 9:30 a.m., and they are open to all VSEA members, but only members in the following VSEA leadership roles are eligible for paid leave time to attend training:

• VSEA Council Members;
• VSEA Stewards;
• VSEA Chapter Officers
• VSEA Board of Trustee Members;
• VSEA Standing Committees Members;
• VSEA Unit Executive Committee Members;
• VSEA Bargaining Team Members; and
• VSEA Labor/Management Committee Members.

Please review your Collective Bargaining Agreement’s “VSEA Rights” section for specific language about paid leave time. Find your contract here.

Important! You must request time off to attend this training at least two weeks prior to your desired date.

Winter/ Spring 2017 Training Schedule

VSEA Labor Educator Tim Lenoch asked WIA to announce a new round of trainings he has scheduled throughout the winter 2017. If you are interested in registering to attend one or more 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.

TOPIC TRAININGS

Stewards & The “Hostile Work Enviroment”
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Tuesday January 31

Health and Safety Issues In The Workplace
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Tuesday, February 7

Stewards & Labor Management Committees
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Tuesday, February 16

The Grievance
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Thursday, February 23

Diversity For Public Sector Union Members
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Tuesday, April 4

Stewards & Contract Review
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Thursday, April 20

TARGETED DEPARTMENT/BARGAINING UNIT TRAININGS

Nursing/Health Care Facility Stewards
Mendon
Thursday, February 2

Department of Corrections Stewards
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Tuesday, February 14

Supervisory Bargaining Unit Stewards
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Tuesday, March 14

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

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

DCF Stewards
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Thursday, April 27

NEW STEWARD TRAININGS

Steward 1: Introduction and the Basics
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Thursday, March 2

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

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

Steward 1: Introduction and the Basics
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Thursday, May 4

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)!

VSEA Insurance Representative Will Be In Montpelier Next Week

VSEA Benefits Enrollment
By Appointment Only:

VSEA Insurance Representative Joanne Woodcock will be at the following locations to talk with interested VSEA members about member-only insurance benefits.

Montpelier
National Life
January 17 and 18
Conference Room 511
12:00 to 4:00

Dept. Of Labor
January 20
2nd Floor Conference Room
12:00 to 4:00

Receive information on disability coverage, family life insurance, family accident and cancer coverage. You must be a member paying full dues to be eligible for this VSEA benefit. If you are an agency-fee payer, Joanne can provide you information about signing up for full membership.

All applications have to be taken in person.

Email Joanne@vseainsurance.com for an appointment. Please provide your age, hourly wage and job description so I can send a quote BEFORE we meet.

> See attached brochure here.

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.