VSEA Mourns Killing Of Markus Austin

The early Monday morning murder of 33-year-old Markus Austin, an employee at the Vermont Psychiatric Hospital in Berlin, has really shaken Austin’s co-workers, as well as the entire city of Montpelier. Vermont’s capital city has not experienced a murder since the 1920s. Markus Austin began working at the VPCH in 2015 and was a Psychiatric Technician.

> Read About Austin’s Tragic Murder

VSEA posted a story about Austin’s death this week on its Facebook page, and it drew this thoughtful comment from a frontline worker at the VPCH:

“The staff at VPCH are family and to lose one of our own like this is shocking and heartbreaking. With the support of [VSEA] we will come out of this stronger and closer cause that’s what we do. Markus was such an amazing co-worker; he always had a smile and said hi to everyone. He will be missed greatly.”

Austin’s colleagues established a “GoFundMe” page this week to assist his family with expenses. VSEA members are urged to contribute something, if you are able.

VSEA Sends Announcement About New Vision Benefit!

On Monday, VSEA sent all members an email with information about a new supplemental vision program being offered by your union. If you don’t remember seeing the email, you can see what’s being offered via the link below. The program is similar to VSEA’s supplemental dental program, meaning there is a small charge to receive the benefit.

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.

Open Enrollment begins February 1, 2017 through February 28, 2017

To access more information about this new vision benefit please log into your VSEA.org account here. Once you do that, please click here to be redirected to the vision benefit web page.

Need a VSEA.org account?
> Sign up for a free account here

Town Of Middlesex Tells State It Wants “Temporary” Mental Health Facility Gone

Seven Days reports on January 23 that the town of Middlesex has formally declined a request (made in March 2015) from the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to keep its “temporary” mental health facility in Middlesex operating through 2020. The temporary, “pop-up” facility, which is staffed by VSEA members, was erected shortly after Tropical Storm Irene hit and forced the closure of the old State Hospital in Waterbury. The town had initially agreed to allow the facility to remain in operation through January 2016, but then granted the State a two-year extension through 2018. Now Middlesex is saying “no more,” but the selectboard did indicate its support for the State building a permanent facility in the town.

The State now has to decide how it is going to proceed, but, as the story reports, there are a lot of questions surrounding what happens next, and the State has very few answers. Lawmakers also aren’t clear about the future of the temporary facility, saying they need more information from the DMH, but, again, the State doesn’t have the material they say they need. This leaves both sides pointing the finger at each other for direction, which is very frustrating for the workers, patients and their families, the town of Middlesex, VSEA and others.

Note: Late in 2016, VSEA and workers at the Middlesex facility were informed by DMH that it would be soliciting proposals to privatize the care at the temporary facility, however VSEA is unaware of any such RFP ever being issued. Yet another question remaining for DMH to answer. VSEA members at the Middlesex facility have been invited to meet with DHR on January 31 to discuss possible privatization.

Budget Address Targets Southeast State Correctional Facility

On Tuesday, the State’s top official delivered his first budget address since assuming office, and the news was not good for the more than 50 VSEA members working at the Southeast State Correctional Facility in Windsor. For the second time in recent years, a proposal has been introduced to shutter the state’s oldest and smallest prison, which houses as many as 100 inmates. It’s just a proposal right now, but the same questions that caused lawmakers to previously reject the idea remain.

“Where is the DOC going to house the 100 displaced inmates?” asks VSEA Communications Director Doug Gibson. “We’re already waiting to hear how the DOC will deal with the 250 inmates who will soon be returning to Vermont from Michigan because a contract with a private company is ending, but there’s no plan yet that we know about.” He continues, “VSEA will again be mounting a vigorous defense of this facility and its workers, understanding full well that it will be very difficult for the DOC to find an out-of-state, private prison that can replicate the level of rehabilitation being offered every day to inmates housed at Windsor–by knowledgable state employees. Vermont created its corrections system based on the principle of smaller facilities and enhanced rehabilitation, so hopefully lawmakers will remember this and partner with VSEA and its members at Windsor to protect what already exists and is already working.”

The budget address also referenced a shake-up with the way the State will be handling future health care coverage, vaguely referencing a decision to take the state out of the equation in some way. VSEA will be monitoring any and all developments around this revelation, especially because of the large number of VSEA members currently employed by the state’s Health Access and Eligibility Unit (HAEU). These workers assist Vermonters with navigating the Vermont Health Connect system.

The State is also proposing to morph the current Department for Innovation and Information (DII) into something called the Agency of Digital Services. VTDigger reported this week on a hearing about the idea, and according to new Chief Innovation Officer and past VSEA Council member John Quinn, no one will lose his or her position, but Quinn added that the State does want to covert six classified positions to exempt positions. VSEA Executive Director Steve Howard opposes the conversion idea in the story, saying “It’s unclear to us at the moment why making someone an exempt position, as opposed to a classified position, would benefit the discussion around improving our IT infrastructure.”

VSEA is also wary because the bulk of cost-savings measures contained in the address were targeted at changes to education funding, but many in Montpelier do not see the proposals gaining a lot of traction at the State House. VSEA is concerned that if the savings can’t be found here, it could once again open the door to cuts to services and positions. A recent Addison Independent editorial about the budget address echoes VSEA’s concern, saying:

"If [the State] doesn’t get [its] way with this budget (and it is unlikely that [it] will), there is no Plan B and [the State] is left with a $35 million hole in [its] proposed budget. [The State] will likely blame the Democrats for that shortfall, but the fault lies in basing a budget on a surprise proposal that [the State] and [its] team knew would be problematic."

The address also made mention of how “results-based accountability” findings will be factored into the next fiscal year’s budget planning exercise. In advance, VSEA is working to learn more about what services are being evaluated, who is responsible for the evaluating and what process to evaluate is in place.

> Click here to read VSEA Strategic Analyst Adam Norton’s comprehensive summary of the budget address.

VSEA Legislative Reports Available Online

VSEA’s Legislative Team has begun to post weekly reports to let members know what’s been happening at the State House in Montpelier. To get the latest VSEA updates from under the Golden Dome, you will first need to log into your VSEA.org account (log in here) and then click here.

Need a VSEA.org account?
> Sign up for a free account here

Hostage Situation At NW State Ends Peacefully Thanks To Professional DOC Frontline Workers

The Burlington Free Press reported on January 20 that an "inmate takes another inmate hostage" situation on January 19 at the Northwest State Correctional Facility ended without incident. DOC’s tactical response team was dispatched, and they were able to take the inmate and his hostage into custody. Nice work!

This is another example of the dangers frontline public-sector workers face every day, and why enhanced employee safety and security must remain a top priority for VSEA and other Vermont unions.

AOT Reminds Drivers To “Slow Down” & “Don’t Crowd The Plow”

Following the rear-ending Tuesday of an AOT plow truck in Brattleboro, the AOT was forced to again remind motorists that the most important thing you can do when encountering a plow truck is to slow down and “don’t crowd the plow.” AOT’s Maintenance Director Todd Law reports that in many accidents involving a vehicle and a plow, the primary reason for the mishap is a driver coming up too quickly on a plow truck. “It really does make your hair stand on end,” Law says of a plow operator seeing in his or her mirrors a car approaching too quickly. “It puts the drivers on edge.”

Important! Let VSEA Know If You DO NOT Want To Participate In New Electronic Balloting

When VSEA conducts its next membership vote; all members will be able to vote electronically for the first time in your union’s history. Members can still receive a ballot by U.S. Mail, but you will need to let VSEA know that this is your preference as soon as possible! Failure to inform VSEA that you would prefer your ballot via the U.S. Mail could result in you not being able to cast a vote on important decisions that impact the VSEA membership at large.

If you want to continue to cast your vote via U.S. Mail, please send an email to vsea@vsea.org or letter to VSEA headquarters, attention “My Voting Preference”, 155 State Street, Montpelier, 05602.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this important notice.

First VSEA Legislative Dinner Reception Rescheduled

Next Reception Is January 31 & “Retirement Security” Is
The Topic

Weather forced VSEA’s Legislative Committee to cancel the first of four informal member dinner receptions with legislators. These popular receptions afford frontline workers the opportunity to discuss high-priority issues with lawmakers face to face, as well as educate them about the union’s position. A reminder of this session’s reception topics:

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

Sarah Callander, VSEA Legislative Intern
Email: legintern@vsea.org

Bus Is Full For VSEA Membership Recruitment Committee’s Overnight Trip To Foxwoods Casino

Waiting List Option!

The bus is full for the VSEA-sponsored overnight stay at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, but VSEA is creating a waiting list, and, if seats on the bus free up, the first name on the list will have the chance to go-and so on.

A reminder about the trip for members who might want to add their name to the waiting 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 add your name to the Foxwoods trip waiting list, please contact VSEA Administrative Assistant Sue DeVoid (sdevoid@vsea.org). Sue can also 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 Members Invited To Participate In Special Legislative Hearing On Vermont’s Mental Health Crisis & Its Impact On Frontline Workers

It’s been widely acknowledged that our state is experiencing a crisis when it comes to the delivery of mental health services to Vermonters in need, and now lawmakers want to hear from frontline workers about what impact the crisis is having on you.

VSEA members who work with Vermonters with mental illness are being asked to participate in a special, joint legislative hearing to educate lawmakers about the challenges of working with this particular population.

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’s Legislative Intern Sarah Callander by email at legintern@vsea.org or by phone at 802-223-5247.

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

• 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

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 & 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)!

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.