Enhanced Employee
On-The-Job Safety & Security Takes Center Stage At VSEA’s State House Day 2019

For years now, VSEA State House Day noon-time member speak-outs in House chambers have been a highlight of the day. Past speak-outs have centered on contract battles, preventing job cuts, chronic understaffing, privatization and temp workers. This year’s speak-out gave VSEA members and opportunity to directly address lawmakers about state employees’ ongoing safety and security concerns while at work.

Council Chair Aimee Towne welcomed members and lawmakers to the House well, and Aimee then introduced four VSEA members who publicly shared their first-hand accounts of why enhanced safety and security is so important where they work. The speakers, in the order they presented, were:

• Mike Arace (Probation and Parole) – Reiterated his and a majority of his co-workers support for passage of a "defensive weapons" bill that would allow Probation and Parole Officers to carry a weapon;
   
• Steffen Flibotte (DOC) – Reminded of the day-to-day dangers of working in a prison, emphasizing the elevated danger of injury or worse to COs while transporting inmates;
   
• Victoria Barry (Judiciary) – Stressed the need for stepped-up security for courthouse employees statewide; a plea these workers have been making for years now; and
   
• Beverly Ordway (VPCH) – Spoke out against assaults on workers by VPCH patients and the need for increased staff to prevent sometimes violent incidents that have actually landed several frontline workers in the emergency room.  

After the remarks concluded, a dozen or so lawmakers in attendance introduced themselves and spoke to VSEA members about what they and their colleagues and committees are working on, with respect to state employee issues. Several were ex-state employees themselves and were able to relate to what they were hearing, especially when it came to safety and security, staffing, privatization and temp issues.

VSEA members were also able to meet with their respective lawmakers throughout the day to talk about the issues in their worksites and what they need in order to provide the best service possible to Vermonters.

VSEA thanks every member and retiree who attended this year’s State House Day to show lawmakers and State officials at the State House what real collective power looks like!

Chittenden DOC Members Educate Legislature’s Women’s Caucus About Staffing And Other Issues

Pictured here testifying are CRCF members
(l to r): Roy Catella, Hannah Buckleybradle, Steffen Flibotte, and Erika Weaver.

The Reason Why VSEA Is Contesting The State’s Infants At Work Policy

This is a friendly reminder to anyone who may have read the VTDigger story this week about VSEA’s objection to the State rolling out a new policy that would allow state employees to bring infants to work. Unfortunately, the VTDigger story’s emphasis is on the policy’s impact and not on its roll out, which is an important point for VSEA members and retirees to remember if you are asked about VSEA’s position, as a result of this story.

VSEA’s primary position is that the Governor’s new policy constitutes a significant new term and condition of employment that was imposed unilaterally without providing VSEA with notice or opportunity to negotiate."

That’s it, in a nutshell.

Here’s a reminder of what President Bellini recently wrote to Governor Scott in a letter:

"The members of the VSEA deserve more respect. Launching a policy that changes working conditions without bargaining in good faith with the VSEA demonstrates a lack of respect and understanding for those who will be impacted by this new policy. Seeking feedback, opinions, and ideas from bargaining unit employees and their union prior to the creation and implementation of this policy should have been the first step. The VSEA would certainly have provided this valuable insight from its members. Suspend your imposed policy and negotiate with the VSEA."

Note: VSEA will keep members updated on any and all developments around your union’s request to suspend this policy and negotiate.

Agency Of Education Employee Testifies To Lawmakers About High Employee Turnover

Displaced AHS Workers Finally Return To Waterbury

The paper writes that the AHS workers, who worked primarily for the Department of Vermont Health Access, are one of the last groups of displaced employees to return to the Waterbury campus.

“We completed work on the main campus, but there weren’t sufficient funds from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) to repair all of the buildings,” BGS Commissioner Chris Cole said. He estimates that bringing the workers back to Waterbury will save the state $370,000 a year.

The Stanley Building is the only remaining building on the campus left to rebuild, after Irene’s flooding damaged it beyond repair.
 

DOC Efforts Stall To Improve Inmate Mental Health Care  

DOC Addiction and Mental Health Systems Director Annie Ramniceanu testified to lawmakers this week that logistical and financial issues have delayed a plan to “construct a therapeutic environment in the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility and in the Northwest State Correctional Facility.”  Lawmakers added another $100,000 for the project, if needed. Ramniceanu testified that the DOC also "requested an additional $634,860 for therapeutic beds in the fiscal 2020 capital budget." The State, however, did not recommend that expenditure in its capital plan. According to the story, this forced the DOC to circle back and explore other options, and now the Springfield prison is being looked at as the place to spend the allocated dollars. There’s no official price estimate for the revised plan involving Southern State, but it’s still expected to be well beyond the available $700,000.

Note: VSEA will be monitoring any and all developments around whatever proposal is finally shopped at the State House to better address the needs of inmates with mental illness. VSEA has long argued that any DOC proposal must include a training component for corrections officers assigned to monitor these inmates. 

Thanks For Your Service Ray Stout!

"VSEA appreciates everything Ray has done to keep our union operating smoothly and for all his work to sustain and, in fact, grow VSEA’s membership; a job that was made even harder after the Janus decision came down," says VSEA Executive Director Steve Howard. "Ray has been a great asset to VSEA and to the membership. He’ll be missed, but we wish him the best in Chicago and beyond."

WIA reached out to Ray for some parting words, and here’s what he said:

For the past six years I have had the pleasure of working along side the members of VSEA as both your Director of Operations and Organizing. We have accomplished some great things together: we have transitioned to electronic balloting and have seen participation in elections double, we have rolled out new insurance offerings including VSEA/VSP vision insurance and the legal defense fund for sworn officers, we have seen a record high membership, even in the face of right-to-work. These accomplishments wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of the members of VSEA, this is your union…your voice, continue to use it and use it loudly. Do not rest on the accomplishments of yesterday but continue the flight for a better tomorrow for you, your families, your coworkers and the Vermonters you serve. 

In solidarity 
Ray Stout

Prior to joining the VSEA staff in December 2013, Ray worked as a Financial Manager III with the Department of Vermont Health Access. He also served on the VSEA Council for three years, the Budget Committee for two years and as a NMU Bargaining Team member for a year.

VSEA’s Amy Kinsell Named New Organizing & Operations Director!

"I have learned a lot in my six years working with the VSEA and its members and retirees, and I am very excited to now be offered an opportunity to put what I’ve learned to use as the union’s new Organizing and Operations Director,” Kinsell tells WIA. “My passion for–and understanding of–VSEA’s mission has grown a lot in my time here, and I look forward to working with the organizers, leadership and members and retirees to continue to spread the word about why VSEA is so important and why non-members need to belong. I’m a strong believer that if everyone’s pulling in the same direction, good things will happen.​"

Before coming to VSEA, Kinsell, a Lyndon State graduate, worked nine years in the Finance Department at OptumInsight, and, prior to that, she served four years active duty in the U.S. Navy as a member of the C130 Squadron, based in Brunswick, ME. 

Congratulations Amy!

Final 2019 VSEA Legislator Dinner Meeting! 

VSEA
Insurance Benefits!

VSEA Insurance Benefits is now making the following Aflac insurance policies available to VSEA members!

Chapter Meetings:

• VPCH Chapter 
  Thursday, March 7
  3:00 p.m.
  Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital 
  Special Events Room
  350 Fisher Road
  Berlin

  Questions: Contact VSEA VPCH Chapter President Jason Rushlow: JDaBear@yhaoo.com

• Franklin / Grand Isle Chapter 
  Tuesday, March 12
  4:30 p.m.
  State Office Building 
  First Floor Conference Room (138)
  27 Federal Street
  St. Albans

  Questions: Contact VSEA F / GI Chapter President Janine Cary: janine.cary@vermont.gov

NH State Workers’ Contract Negotiations At Impasse. VSEA Sends Solidarity! 

The New Hampshire Union Leader had a February 25 story about the NH state employees’ union reaching impasse with the Governor.

From the story:

The [contract] disagreements are nothing new — low wages and the over-dependence on overtime for correctional officers (Vermont can relate!) are, once again, among the major sticking points…"

“Th[e Governor’s offer] consists of a wage proposal that is not aligned with current market standards and that is not acceptable to us,” says NH State Employees Association President Rich Gulla. “They are proposing adverse changes to our health plan which would negatively impact the overall well-being to the workers …. Additionally, this concessionary contract could result in lost wages for employees who work overtime.”

The story goes on to report that every NH labor union asked about Janus’ impact to date is able to say that membership is actually on the rise, as opposed to declining rapidly, as the anti-union crowd wanted so badly.

Note: Solidarity from VSEA to every NH state employee! The proposals you are fighting off sound sadly familiar.

NY Governor Includes Language In His Executive Budget To Protect NY Public Employee’s Personal Information

The February 28 Albany Times Leader reports that NY Governor Andrew Cuomo "has put a provision in his budget proposal to codify the protection of personal contact information for public employees."

From the story:

“As part of the Governor’s Justice Agenda, the Executive Budget advances a proposal to protect the privacy of all public employees by prohibiting public employers from disclosing the personal contact information of public employees,” reads part of the budget narrative.

“The bill puts into permanent law the prohibition of the disclosure of employees’ personal information by public sector employers,’’ said Division of Budget spokesman Morris Peters. “In doing so, it fulfills the Governor’s pledge to protect public employees from union-busting campaigns following the Supreme Court’s Janus decision.”
 

Note: VSEA and the Vermont Department of Human Resources have an agreement in principle that state employees’ personal information must be protected. DHR agrees with VSEA’s interpretation ofstatute that your information is confidential and protected from disclosure. Codification from the Governor’s Office would be welcome though….

Merger Prompts Thousands Of GE Employees To Strike 

Nearly 2,000 General Electric (GE) employees in northwestern Pennsylvania went on strike this week for the first time in a half century, after GE completed a merger with a company called Wabtec, who now won’t negotiate with the union workers. 

From a February 26 Associated Press story:

Leaders of UE Locals 506 and 618 said in a statement that they were unable to convince the company to negotiate what they called an “acceptable short term agreement that preserves the wages, benefits, and working conditions” for the 1,700 employees.

With the merger, members of the UE locals became Wabtec employees and were subject to terms proposed by it including a two-tier wage structure for new employees, mandatory overtime to meet customer demands, consolidation of job classifications and a requirement that at least part of employee vacations be taken during plant shutdown periods.

Two Midwest Governor’s Propose Big Gas Tax Hikes To Improve Roads

Two Midwest governors, a Democrat and a Republican, are bucking the norm and proposing big tax hikes to fix crumbling state roads. 

Governing reports February 26 on Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) and Democrat Governor Tim Walz want to raise the state gas tax by 18 cents per gallon (on top of already existing 28-cent tax) and 20 cents (on top of existing 28.6-cent tax) respectively. 

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is meeting with the nation’s governors and telling them the administration still plans on passing a major infrastructure deal this year.

From the story:

“I’ll make you a promise — and we’ll ask for your help — that, in this Congress, we’re going to pass historic infrastructure legislation that will rebuild the roads and bridges and infrastructure of America,” Pence said, according to his office.

Any influx of federal money would clearly help states like Minnesota and Ohio deal with their infrastructure upkeep problems. But getting a big transportation package through Congress quickly would be difficult. So the governors seem more focused on taking care of their concerns at the state level, instead.