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

The 2017 Vermont legislative session opened this week, and VSEA’s Legislative Committee is announcing 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.

“Inventors” Of Defined Contribution Pension Plan Concept Now Say It’s Not Working!

The new Administration might want to switch new hires to state government from a defined benefit pension plan to a defined contribution plan, but they should heed this week’s warning from the “inventors” of the defined contribution plan concept, who now say it’s not working the way they envisioned. The primary flaw in the concept, they say, is that “workers in even the highest income brackets aren’t saving enough for retirement.”

Mother Jones wrote about the new revelation in a January 4 story, titled “Were 401(k) Plans Just a Big Mistake?” It contained the following:

“Many early backers of the 401(k) now say they have regrets about how their creation turned out despite its emergence as the dominant way most Americans save. Some say it wasn’t designed to be a primary retirement tool and acknowledge they used forecasts that were too optimistic to sell the plan in its early days. Others say the proliferation of 401(k) plans has exposed workers to big drops in the stock market and high fees from Wall Street money managers while making it easier for companies to shed guaranteed retiree payouts.”

> Read the full story here.

WIA reminded readers a few weeks back about a 2015 VPR story that highlighted how millions of Americans have a defined contribution plan through their employer, but how Vermonters rank dead last in the nation, in terms of how much money an individual has contributed to supplement their plan.

VSEA members are urged to help your union spread the word that defined contribution pension plans are not the answer.

VSEA Posts Short Video, Urging Members To Help Stop Any Debate About Privatizing The Vermont Vets’ Home Before It Even Starts

> You can watch the Vets’ Home video here.

VSEA members are urged to contact your local legislators now to urge them to oppose any and all proposals to privatize the Vermont Veterans’ Home.

Electronic VSEA VOICE Emailed To Members On January 3

All VSEA members should have received an email on January 3 that contained a link to a special pre-legislative-session, electronic version of the VSEA VOICE.

In case you missed the email, you can click here to download and read the VOICE.

The special edition includes a pre-session message from the VSEA President, a list of all the issues that made the 2017 VSEA legislative agenda, a profile of VSEA Legislative Committee Chair Margaret Crowley, a rundown of all the new faces at the State House and other items for VSEA members to reference throughout the upcoming session.

Lamoille Valley Chapter Hosting Two EADs Next Week

VSEA’s Lamoille Valley Chapter is hosting two Employee Appreciation Day events next week, and members are invited to stop by for some free coffee and doughnuts.

Tuesday, January 10
Johnson State College’s Wiley Library & Learning Center, Ellsworth Room (210-211). Begin serving at 9:30 a.m.

Friday, January 13
Morrisville Probation & Parole/DOL Offices, Harrell Street. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

VSEA Membership Recruitment Committee Is Planning New Bus Trip, But Committee Wants Your Input First!

By all counts, last weekend’s VSEA-sponsored bus outing to Boston to see “Disney on Ice” was a huge success, as was the Committee’s trip in late fall to see a Red Sox game. Members of the VSEA Membership Recruitment Committee want to continue to offer these kinds of outings to members, and Committee members are, in fact, already planning a new trip for late March, this time to the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. However, before the Committee can begin to formally plan the trip, it is first asking VSEA members to answer a simple survey question to determine whether trip participants would want to come back the same day or stay overnight. If enough members want to stay the night, the Committee will build a lodging fee (hopefully reduced, if VSEA purchases a block of rooms) into the overall trip cost.

If interested, please answer the VSEA Membership Recruitment Committee’s question today by clicking here.

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.

Clarification & Correction

VSEA is apologizing for an error in the cover letter that accompanied each member’s new contract, which has hopefully arrived by now in your home mailbox.

The letter erroneously lists the contract wage increases as 2% in the first year and 2.5% in the second. The true increase is instead 2% in year one and 2.25% in year two.

Information On Who Will Be Handling VSEA Union Rep Rachael Fields’ Territories While She Serves At The State House

VSEA Union Representative Rachael Fields returned to the State House this week to resume her duties as one of Bennington’s elected representatives. In her absence, VSEA Field Services Director Gretchen Naylor is announcing the following temporary VSEA Union Representative assignments:

Department of Health
Dave Van Deusen
dvandeusen@vsea.org

Department of Vermont Health Access
Mike O’Day
moday@vsea.org

Health Access Eligibility Unit
Mike O’Day
moday@vsea.org

Department of Mental Health
(to include VPCH)
Brian Morse
bmorse@vsea.org

Department of Aging and
Independent Living
Bob South
bsouth@vsea.org

VSEA Members working in these departments and agencies should contact your temporary Union Representative until the close of the 2017 legislative session.

For VSEA members working at the Vermont Veterans’ Home, Rachael Fields will continue to be your designated Union Representative.

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.

January 12
February 9
March 9
April 13
May 11
June 8

Brattleboro
Room 148
State Office Building
232 Main Street

January 13
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

Representing Co-Workers in Investigations and Disciplinary Meetings
VTrans Training Center, 1716 US Rte. 302, Berlin
Tuesday, January 9

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 Central Vermont Throughout January

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.

Berlin
Vermont Psychiatric
Care Hospital
January 10 and 11
12:00 to 4:00

Waterbury
Waterbury State
Office Complex
January 12 and 13
Conference Room A191A
Atrium area
12:00 to 4:00

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.