VSEA Bargaining Teams Begin Prepping For Trip Back
To VLRB

Below, find links to the VSEA Teams’ Last-Best-Offer and to the State’s:

• VSEA Teams (PDF 5 MB)
   
• State of Vermont (PDF 19 MB)

After you digest what’s being offered, please forward any and all questions or comments to a member of your Unit Bargaining Team. Find a list of Team members here.
 

Labor Relations Director Update! 

VSEA Labor Relations Director Gary Hoadley is sending an important bargaining update later this afternoon to the home email addresses all members belonging to the Non-Management, Corrections and Supervisory Units who have provided a valid address to VSEA headquarters. Gary says his message will clarify what members need to know about the State’s last best offer and the VSEA Teams’ offer, as well as some insight into the events that forced VSEA to have to go back to the VLRB again.

VSEA members who have not already updated their home email address with VSEA should update their home email address or other information simply by clicking here.

“There Was A Deal To Be Made Here,” Reminds VSEA Press Release

​Faced with the State’s unwillingness to negotiate with three VSEA Bargaining Teams around the terms and conditions contained in a recently delivered fact-finder’s report, VSEA issued a press release on Monday to educate the press, lawmakers and the public about how frontline state employees are viewing the status of current negotiations.

In case you missed it, here is the VSEA release:

“After more than six months of negotiations between the [State] and the Vermont State Employees’ Association (VSEA) on a new collective-bargaining agreement, both parties appear headed to the Vermont Labor Relations Board (VLRB) for a final decision. Following the delivery of a neutral fact-finder’s report in early February, state workers say they are disappointed in the [State]’s unwillingness to date to reach a fair and reasonable compromise with VSEA’s Non-Management, Corrections and Supervisory Bargaining Units; one derived from the report.

‘We are asking [the State] to stand by the hard-working Vermonters who plow our roads, keep the public safe and care for our most vulnerable citizens. This is about being fair. VSEA followed the process, and our members are willing to accept the outcome of that process. Fair is fair. Does not have to go this way.’”

Note: As always, VSEA members can always reach out to a member of your Bargaining Team for a more comprehensive update on the status of negotiations. Find a list of Team members here.

Bargaining Press This Week:

• WCAX
• VTDigger

VSEA Retiree’s Comment Speaks For Many

Retired VSEA member Dennis Works posted a comment this week to a VTDigger story about the State not wanting to bargain with thousands of VSEA members around the contract terms and conditions contained in a recently released fact-finder’s report.

Works posted:

"During my many years as a State employee I never approached the average pay for classified employees of $62,195. Be that as it is, I felt fairly compensated – in large part thanks to the VSEA. A lot of people may not realize it, but for the most part, state employees receive far lower wages than their counterparts in private businesses. I have seen several state employees jump to the private sector because their pay would be substantially higher – sometimes by a factor of 2 or 3. They made the choice that they would rather see the higher pay now from working in the private sector, rather than to "bank" some other benefits that may (or may not) come at a later time, such as a State pension and fair and affordable health insurance. Each person has to make that choice for themselves and their families. But please don’t think that State employees are "getting rich" or are "overpaid" for the work they do. They often perform above and beyond what is expected from private sector employees, and for less pay (I know, as I’ve worked for both, including IBM) – with the hope and expectation that the promises that are made to them for the future will be kept."

Across-The-Board Layoffs Coming At Castleton University

VTDigger reports on February 26 that nearly 10% of all Castleton University positions could be cut by year’s end, due to a $1.5 million revenue loss.

Three faculty groups will be studying which course cuts (to include the professor’s position) are feasible, based on current students’ need for the course(s) to graduate. The groups will be making recommendations to the administration in April, and then the process of deciding what “non-tenured” staff will be cut will begin.

Layoff notifications must be issued by May 1 and will go into effect Dec. 1.

Note: VSEA staff is in contact with members working at Castleton to assess to situation and offer whatever help and resources the workers might need in the coming weeks.

Auditor Questions State’s Call To Expand State’s VEGI Program, Saying There Is Little To No Accountability For VEGI Money Already Being Spent

In a New England Public Radio story State Auditor Doug Hoffer is questioning the State’s call to provide more "enhancements" to the Vermont Employment Growth Incentive (VEGI) program to supplement the group’s "come-to-Vermont-to-work" recruiting efforts. The problem, as the Auditor has repeatedly told lawmakers, is that there is currently no way to quantify that the Vermont taxpayer dollars being provided to businesses are being used as intended or are producing the results required.

At a time when the State is claiming limited available money to fund new contracts for thousands of state workers, it’s amazing that additional dollars can readily be found to provide more "enhancements" to groups like VEGI, seemingly without question and without accountability. 
 

Note: VSEA members support the Auditor’s call for more accountability for the state’s VEGI program, especially at a time when we’re constantly being told that every taxpayer dollar is precious.

VSEA Law Enforcement Members Being Asked For Feedback

VSEA’s Legislative team sent an email yesterday to all its law enforcement members, informing you about a bill being considered at the State House that could affect you and your job. If you recall receiving the email, please take a few minutes to learn about S. 198 in the summary provided and then take the short survey and send your thoughts to VSEA to VSEA’s Legislative team.

The email was sent to state employees working in the following:

• Sworn Law Enforcement;
• Corrections;
• Department of Motor Vehicles;
• Liquor Control; and
• Lottery Commission

If you do not recall receiving this email and feel you should have, please contact VSEA Organizer David Oppenheimer by email at doppenheimer@vsea.org.

Springfield Chapter Meets March 8

The VSEA Springfield Chapter is holding a meeting on Thursday, March 8, at 4:30 p.m. at the State Office Building’s first-floor meeting room, located at 100 Mineral Street in Springfield. Food and beverages being provided!

Please RSVP in advance—or direct any questions or comments—to VSEA Springfield Chapter President Joey Holmes via email at jholmes2013@comcast.net.

Steward Training

VSEA’s Field Services Division is offering a steward training on Wednesday, March 7, at the Doubletree Hotel in South Burlington, beginning at 8:30 a.m. If you are a current VSEA Steward who has not registered yet, but who wants to attend, please contact VSEA Administrative Assistant Sue Devoid by email (sdevoid@vsea.org) or by phone at 223-5247. Sue can help answer your questions about the training as well.

Organizer’s Worksite Meeting On March 9!

VSEA Organizer Jen Larsen is holding a meeting on March 9 with DOL members working in Montpelier. The meeting begins at 12:00 p.m. in the DOL’s Lobby Conference Room, located at 5 Green Mountain Drive in Montpelier.

Vermont Veterans’ Home Again Acknowledged For Top-Flight Service

In late January, a group called Pinnacle Quality Insight released the results of a “customer satisfaction” survey it recently conducted with residents at the Vermont Veterans’ Home (VVH) in Bennington. Once again, the Home and its workers are receiving high marks.

The VVH qualified for the Pinnacle Group’s “Customer Experience Awards” in the following categories:

• Overall Satisfaction;
• Nursing Care;
• Dining Service;
• Quality of Food;
• Cleanliness;
• Individual Needs;
• Response to Problems;
• Dignity and Respect;
• Recommend to Others;
• Activities;
• Admission Process;
• Safety and Security; and
• Combined Average

Congratulations to all the VSEA members who work at the VVH!

Writer Warns That An Adverse Janus Decision Could Eliminate “No-Strike” Clauses

Union Organizer Shaun Richman writes in the Washington Post today about a potential unexpected twist that could result if the U.S. Supreme Court rules against unions in the Janus vs. Illinois case, which was argued on Monday.

Richman writes:

“What the Janus backers (and most commentators) miss is that agency fees are not just compensation for the financial costs of representation, but for the political costs of representing all the members in the bargaining unit and maintaining labor peace. As AFSCME’s attorney pointed out in his oral arguments, the agency fee is routinely traded for a no-strike clause in most union contracts. Should those clauses disappear, employers will have chaos and discord on their hands.”

&

“The combination of exclusive union representation, mandatory agency fees, no-strike clauses and ‘management’s rights’ are the foundation of our peculiar labor relations system. No other country structures its labor relations system quite like this. Knock one part out, as the Janus plaintiffs aim to do with agency fees, and the whole system can fall apart. Employers will not like the chaos that this will bring.”

Former Labor Secretary Posts "Why Right-To-Work Is Wrong" Video

Timed to coincide with Janus vs. Illinois oral arguments beginning on Monday, Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich posted a new video to his Facebook page this week that takes direct aim at everything that is wrong about the concept of "right-to-work." VSEA members are urged to view the video and share it with as many of your friends and co-workers as possible.

Watch Video Here​

Jewish Labor Committee Issues Statement Denouncing Janus Lawsuit

From February 26 post to the Jewish Labor Committee’s site:

“Jewish leaders, along with our Catholic and Protestant counterparts, have always supported the labor movement and the rights of employees to form unions for the purpose of engaging in collective bargaining and attaining fairness in the workplace.” In 2005, the Union for Reform Judaism resolved, ‘to support the rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively,” and to oppose the adoption of right-to-work laws that hinder unions’ ability to function.”

“The Janus case is part of a long-standing campaign by conservatives to undermine quality state-based public sector jobs that historically have been especially important to women and minorities."

Happy 100-Year Anniversary IAFF! 

VSEA congratulates Vermont IAFF members and all firefighters across the U.S. and in Canada. Thank you for your service.

Many West Virginia Teachers Reject Tentative Agreement And Continue To Picket

Almost a week after West Virginia teachers walked out en masse statewide to protest less-than-fruitful contract negotiations and low wages, the Governor of West Virginia, along with several union leaders, announced on Tuesday that a tentative contract agreement had been reached and teachers would be receiving a 5% wage increase. However, seeing how West Virginia ranks 48th in the nation in terms of teacher pay, not all West Virginia teachers are happy with the agreement and are ignoring calls to return to the classroom in favor of continuing to walk a picket line. View the strike fund GoFundMe page here.

Here is some of the press coverage from
this week:

• The Nation
• Wheeling News Register
• Associated Press
• Jacobin

Following CO’s Death, Pennsylvania Corrections Union President Calls For Ban On Inmates Wearing Heavy-Soled Boots In State Prisons

From a story in yesterday’s Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

The president of the union representing the state’s 10,000 corrections officers is asking the Department of Corrections to rid the entire prison system of all heavy-soled boots after authorities say an inmate wearing Timberlands beat and kicked a sergeant to death.

Sgt. Mark J. Baserman, 61, died Monday at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, 11 days after Paul Kendrick, 22, who is serving a life sentence for first-degree murder, attacked him in a common area at the State Correctional Institution in Somerset County.

Kendrick was wearing heavy-soled Timberland boots that are available to the state’s roughly 48,000 inmates through the department’s commissary system. Male prisoners can buy a pair for $92.65.

The assault on Sgt. Baserman and another corrections officer occurred Feb. 15. In response, last Thursday the corrections department suspended the sale of boots in all state prison commissaries. But the union wants the state to go one step further.

VSEA Bus Trip To Foxwoods Casino!

The VSEA Membership Recruitment Committee is pleased to announce a 2018 casino trip with a two-night stay!

Lodging Cost:
(Two Nights at Two Trees Inn):

• $248/single occupancy;
• $138 per person/double occupancy; or
• $122 per person/triple occupancy.

Bus Cost:
$70 per person
Bus will depart from Waterbury at 12:00 p.m. and White River Junction at 1:00 p.m.

Included Bonuses:

• Baggage handling;
  (2) $10 food credit or full Festival Buffet;
• $5 food credit or full Breakfast Buffet;
• $20 slot play;
• 20% discount at any Foxwoods gift shop with a purchase of $25 up to $1,000; and
• A Foxwoods souvenir.

To register or for more information, 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.

Important Information!
Payment must be received within one week of registering or you will lose your spot. Cash, check and credit card payments accepted. To pay, please contact VSEA Union Representative Bob South by email (bsouth@vsea.org) or phone 802-223-5247. Thank You!