Task Force Issues Final Pension Reform Recommendations To Lawmakers With Labor Support
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VSEA's two member-representatives on the State Pension Benefits, Design, and Funding Task Force sent an email to members on Tuesday, informing that the task force had concluded its months-long work developing a list of recommendations to address pension plan funding issues. These recommendations will now go to lawmakers for their review and approval, followed by the Governor then agreeing with lawmakers.
VSEA members who do not have a VSEA.org login can request a free account here.
Here is some of the press generated by this week's announcement that a final report was ready go go:
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Sign Up Today To Testify At Tuesday Night's Public Hearing On Pension Task Force Report
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VSEA members and retirees interested in testifying must sign up here in advance of the hearing.
Instructions on how to access and participate in the hearing will be sent once you have signed up for the hearing.
Testimony time will be limited to two minutes per person.
To submit written testimony, please e-mail an MS Word file or PDF file to: testimony@leg.state.vt.us
Watch public hearing live on YouTube
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2022 VSEA Legislative Dinner Schedule
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VSEA will soon begin hosting fully-remote legislative dinners via Zoom, where members can sit down with legislators and discuss the pressing issues facing you and your colleagues at work. The dinners are being held every Tuesday night for four weeks. Here's the schedule:
January 25: Retirement
5:30—7:00 p.m.
February 1: Safety and Security
5:30—7:00 p.m.
February 8: COVID-19 and State Government
5:30— 7:00 p.m.
February 15: Staffing Shortages
5:30—7:00 p.m.
In the weeks to come, VSEA will be sending reminders about these meetings, along with the Zoom links members need to attend. We hope you'll join us for these important conversations.
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Still Time To Take The Diversity Committee's Survey
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The Diversity Committee sent a survey out to VSEA membership in mid-November. We have received a pretty significant response and thank you for those who have participated. The committee wanted to remind those who have not yet participated to take a moment and fill out the survey. The survey will be closed on January 17, 2022. You can access the survey by clicking on this link. If you participate you may be eligible for prizes! This survey is not about your workplace; this is about your place in the union. We want to know how your union can serve you better! If you opt in to the second questionnaire, we’ll dig deeper into how this committee and the union at large is serving you or could be serving you better.
Thank you for your help,
VSEA Diversity Committee
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2022 VSEA Scholarship Application Available Now!
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The VSEA Awards/Scholarships Committee is currently soliciting applications from students seeking financial assistance in the pursuit of post-secondary educational goals.
The Committee will announce the recipients of the scholarships at the June Council Meeting.
Deadline: 4:30 p.m. on May 13, 2022
Learn more or view/download the 2022 VSEA scholarship application here.
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Vermont Foodbank Says "Thanks VSEA"
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Following the successful conclusion of VSEA's 2021 Vermont Foodbank Chapter Challenge, CEO John Sayles sent the following letter of thanks to VSEA this week:
Dear Friends at VSEA:
You are amazing. Thank you so much for helping to provide meals for neighbors facing hunger by becoming a fundraiser for the Vermont Foodbank, especially during these challenging times.
By sharing your compassion and dedication to ending hunger, you inspire others to act and you’ve taken action that ripples out across our Vermont community. Your virtual food drive, completed on January 1, raised $3,744, putting 6,252 more meals in the hands of kids, seniors, and families who don’t have enough to eat on a regular basis.
A program participant who has been cooking recipes using fruits and vegetables grown in Vermont shared with us recently, “My family appreciates you for the service you provide. I can never explain in words how much you have helped our little family.”
I know that this year continues to be challenging for all of us. And yet, no matter what you may be going through, you’ve been stepping up to care for your neighbors. That’s inspiring. Thank you for being part of a community of people who are committed to making sure everyone in Vermont has the nourishment they need—and that no one goes hungry.
In a time of great need, you’re making a difference for so many people.
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Like many Americans, you may have been blindsided by an unexpected medical bill. Did you think, “But I have health insurance. I should be covered?” That’s why there’s Aflac. We help with expenses health insurance doesn’t cover, so those we insure can care more about everything else.
Help When You Need It Most
Aflac has been helping to keep people healthy and protected for more than 66 years. We can help protect your financial security with the following Aflac supplemental insurance policies:
View/download this PDF flyer.
(Note: Depending on your settings, the link above will open a PDF in your web browser or download the PDF to your computer or device. If you have any questions please email vsea@vsea.org.)
To learn more contact, Joanne Woodcock, at Joanne@vseainsurance.com or 888-510-4467. Appointments for enrollment are available using this link.
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Quote Of The Week!
"Because of VSEA, more than 6,200 meals will be shared with Vermonters across the state. We cannot thank you enough for your support, advocacy, and willingness to step forward to help end hunger."
Vermont Foodbank Volunteer Services & Community Philanthropy Manager Kate Steward, in an email this week to VSEA.
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Next Week's Union Meetings and Events:
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Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
Monday, January 17
VSEA & Most State Offices Closed
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Judiciary Unit Bargaining Session
Tuesday, January 18
10:00 a.m.
Via Zoom
More Information
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VSEA DOC Meeting Opportunity One
Tuesday, January 18
12:00 p.m.
Via Microsoft Teams
More Information
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Public Hearing: Pension Task Force Recommendations
Tuesday, January 18
5:30 p.m.
Via Zoom
More Information
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Judiciary Unit Bargaining Session
Wednesday, January 19
10:00 a.m.
Via Zoom
More Information
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VSEA DOC Meeting Opportunity Two
Wednesday, January 19
6:00 p.m.
Via Microsoft Teams
More Information
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Judiciary Unit Bargaining Session
Thursday, January 20
10:00 a.m.
Via Zoom
More Information
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VSEA DOC Meeting Opportunity Three
Thursday, January 20
9:00 p.m.
Via Microsoft Teams
More Information
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Board Of Trustees Meeting
Friday, January 21
8:30 a.m.
Via Zoom
More Information
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Download Your Contract On VSEA.org!
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The current contracts for the Executive Branch Units, Defender General Unit, State’s Attorneys’ Office Unit, Judiciary Unit, and Vermont State Colleges are posted online. View/ Download Your Contract
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Non-VSEA specific stories that may be of interest to VSEA members.
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Dr. King's Message Is Timeless
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In honor of MLK Day, Equal Times website posted a piece this week, titled, "Five Lessons From Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ That Apply to the Global Fight for Decent Wages Today."
Here are the five lessons. Each has a narrative attached, and it's worth a read.
- Political rights are indivisible from social and economic rights and justice;
- Labor rights are the backbone of the fight against worker exploitation;
- The right to organize, strike, and bargain collectively are essential to achieve sustainable living wages;
- It’s time to uplift the legal minimum wage to a living wage; and
- Expand living wage efforts to global supply chains.
Continue Reading
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Vermont Nurse Leader Pens Commentary About Health Care Staffing Crisis
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Registered nurse and Vermont Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals President Deb Snell penned a commentary titled "Health Care Staffing Crisis" that published recently in the Times Argus.
Here's an excerpt:
Vermont’s health care employers — from hospital executives to nursing home administrators — hold a high level of responsibility for the widely felt burnout in our profession, and must be called upon to do more to retain existing staff. For starters, that means across-the-board wage increases and respect for the work we do, including non-interference when staff choose to organize and form a union.
At UVM Medical Center, we have over 300 vacant positions and we often work side-by-side with traveling nurses who are paid up to three times our salary. Yet, hospital administrators, who have made it clear they can provide nurses a 10% raise today, refuse to release it without onerous restrictions on our union rights. This basic disrespect only serves to increase burnout and drive nurses out of the profession, exacerbating the crisis.
Policymakers must keep in mind that health care workers aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. We are people who deserve dignity and fairness as we put our lives on the line to keep our communities safe.
Continue Reading
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Kroger-Owned King's Soopers Employees Strike
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CNN reports this week on a decision by thousands of employees working for Kroger-Owned King's Soopers supermarkets in Colorado to go on strike.
From the story:
About 8,000 grocery store workers at 77 King Soopers and City Markets stores in the Denver area are on strike after the union rejected what the company described as its best and final offer to replace a recently expired contract.
The strike started Wednesday morning against the stores, which are part of Kroger, the nation's largest stand-alone grocery retailer.
The number of members of the United Food & Commercial Workers union who are on strike make it the nation's second largest strike of the last two years, behind only a five-week work stoppage by 10,000 auto workers at John Deere & Co. that ended in November.
The rank-and-file workers at King Soopers and City Markets voted ovewhelmingly last week to authorize the strike, according to the union, which did not hold a separate vote to consider the company's final offer. The union said that offer would have created a new subclass of gig workers, which it claimed would be used to reduce work hours and drain the company's health fund for long-term employees. It also did not address worker concerns about Covid safety measures to protect both employees and customers, the union added.
Continue Reading
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Train Workers Could Strike Over Draconian Attendance Policy
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From post to Trains.com:
Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation union, who work for the BNSF Railway, initiated steps to go on strike following the railroad’s announcement of its so-called “Hi-Viz” attendance policy. Collectively, the unions represent more than 17,000 active members at the BNSF.
BNSF’s new Hi-Viz policy is a points-based system which, according to the unions, penalizes employees — who in many cases have no assigned days off — any time they take time off work for practically any reason. In an FAQ that BNSF sent to its employees, the railroad said it “must improve crew availability to remain competitive in the industry” and that their revised Hi-Viz program helps with this issue “by incentivizing consistent and reliable attendance.” BNSF claims that a reduction in absenteeism will improve predictability of work assignments. The unions counter that if the BNSF instead focused efforts on predictable scheduling of assignments and management of its furloughed employees, there would be no need to impose attendance policies.
“It also stands to take away any ability by our members to avoid working fatigued when they are routinely called without warning due to the complete lack of reliable train lineups, thus creating the potential for an even more unsafe railroad operation. So-called ‘forced overtime’ in an industry where safety is so critical not only repudiates our agreements, it stands to enact irreparable harm on hundreds of full-time employees whose nonworkplace obligations prevent them from being at work every day of their life,” the union leaders said.
Continue Reading
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Thank you for reading Week In Action!
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Told You're Being Investigated? Watch This Video!
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Please take a few minutes on a break to watch the video, and know that the information being relayed could very well save your job someday. Remember, as a VSEA member, you are entitled to no-cost representation in investigatory meetings that may lead to discipline. Non-members, however, must now pay a rate of $250 to $350 per-hour for the same level of representation!
More: Know Your Union Rights
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VSEA Advantage Discount Program
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Did you know the average VSEA member can save hundreds of dollars a year by taking advantage of some of the Member-Only benefits offered through your union?
Learn more about the VSEA Advantage Discount Program
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Need To Update Your Contact Information
With VSEA?
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