Shameful! State Officials Say Year Two Of Recently Negotiated Contract Not A Done Deal

Ballots Emailed To Vote For VSEA's Next President 

Lawmakers Committed To Providing State Colleges With Bridge Funding, Even If State Isn't

VTDigger reports last night on lawmakers voicing their support on Tuesday to provide much-needed "bridge" funding to Vermont's historically (and woefully) underfunded state colleges' system. 

From the story:

Both Senate President Pro Tem Tim Ashe, D/P Chittenden, and House Speaker Mitzi Johnson, D-South Hero, expressed concern that [the State] didn’t put the money in his state budget.

Rep. Kitty Toll, D-Danville, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, told reporters Tuesday that  it’s “very clear that there’s a commitment” to provide bridge funding to the state colleges. However, lawmakers still haven’t figured out where to get the millions the state colleges say they need to get through the end of the fiscal year next June.

Toll said that money will be “very difficult to come by,” but legislators will look across Vermont’s funds, consider how some of the federal money could be used to cover the expense, and determine “how we make up the difference.”

“But there is a commitment there, and there’s a keen eye on that topic. It won’t slide; we’re paying full attention,” Toll said. 

Note: A bit of good news. Remember, it was not the colleges, nor the staff, nor the students, that willingly chose to underfund the system for years.

VSEA Members Working At Woodside Pushing Back Hard On Proposal To Privatize Their Facility 

A few short months ago, the Administration didn’t think so. Under Al Gobeille’s leadership, DCF said that the current Woodside building should be replaced with a state-owned “multi-wing building that could accommodate varying levels of security.” When Secretary Gobeille was replaced by Secretary Mike Smith, suddenly the Administration said it had no confidence in Woodside.

Perhaps that was why the Administration moved Woodside’s program to three different locations in three months, installing a rotating cast of three different directors in the same timeframe. Rather than consult with the nationally recognized experts on Woodside’s staff, the Administration threatened closure, causing many members of this excellent team to resign in fear for their livelihoods.

It’s time to end this artificially created chaos.

Read Entire Letter

Note: As the general election season heats up, VSEA members and retirees are being asked to educate candidates about the need to keep the critical service being provided at Woodside public, and about the dangers of privatization.  

Time To Register For VSEA's 76th Annual Meeting! 

VSEA Vets' Home Members Again Asking For Your Help. Sign The Petition!!

VSEA members working at the Vermont Veterans' Home in Bennington are again asking all members and retirees to sign an online petition that calls on the Administration and the VVH Board of Trustees to remove VVH CEO Melissa Jackson, after she recently failed to self-quarantine after a two-day work trip to D.C.

Sign The VSEA Petition Online

2020 General Election Candidate Questionnaires Emailed

In advance of November's general election, VSEA's Legislative Committee emailed a comprehensive questionnaire this week to all candidates running to be either state officials or lawmakers. The Committee is using candidate's responses to aid in their general-election, candidate endorsement process.  

Many Vermont Teachers & Staff Choosing To Retire, Rather Than Return To Classroom

VTDigger reports this week that many Vermont teachers and staff are opting to retire, rather than return to the classroom on September 8, during a pandemic. 

From the story:

"...the treasurer’s office, which administers the state pension plan for teachers, did record a spike in retirements this summer. Last year, it processed 275 retirements in July, usually its busiest month. This year, there were 379 in the same period. (An official with the treasurer’s office noted this could be due partially to one block of teachers hitting the 10-year mark to qualify for a spousal health insurance subsidy.)

One national union has called for “safety strikes” if schools reopen without adequate safeguards, and in Detroit, the teachers union this week authorized a strike over safety concerns. 

The Vermont chapter of the National Education Association, which represents the vast majority of the state’s teachers and support staff, has not threatened a work stoppage, although it has grown increasingly critical of the Scott administration’s local-control approach to reopening in recent weeks.

&

Union spokesperson Darren Allen was appalled the state was willing to set rules for the opening of places for consumers, but not kids and teachers.

“If we have a statewide standard for opening restaurants and a statewide standard for opening retail and a statewide standard for grocery stores, we sure as heck need a statewide set of safety requirements for our children and our school employees,” Allen said.

The Vermont-NEA has recommended its own phased-in approach to reopening schools. The proposal envisions individual check-ins between students and teachers, and would require new health and safety measures, including HVAC updates, adequate custodial staff and a nurse in every school, before buildings reopen. 

At the state level, the NEA’s proposals have barely registered.

Locally, Allen said some school boards have refused to engage while others have worked collaboratively to hash out memorandums on how to reopen.

“It’s a mixed bag. All of which points to the overarching theme that there needs to be a set of statewide requirements to reopen schools safely, effectively, and fairly,” he said.