Aimee Towne Elected VSEA President
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VSEA issued the following press release on September 7
VSEA Elections, Rules and Nominating (ERN) Committee members have tabulated the votes from a recent election to determine retiring VSEA President Dave Bellini's successor, and the membership has elected Aimee Towne to the post*. A 20-year state employee, Towne currently works as a Contracts and Grants Administrator in the Department for Children and Families' Economic Services Division. She's also worked earlier in her career at the Department of Liquor Control.
"I am very pleased to have been elected to this very important position--and at this very important time," says Towne. "My family and I were so excited to see the election results." She continues, "My main goal entering into this is to try to unite the VSEA membership around the fights that we're all facing right now, like a state budget crisis, ongoing COVID-19 health and safety concerns, the continued privatization of state services, funding for state colleges, and a lot of other issues. I want to educate every single VSEA member about the very difficult challenges we are facing and about the threats to our services, stressing to them how vital it for us to come together as one powerful force to meet what comes at us head on.”
Towne is no stranger to VSEA's internal and external workings, having served VSEA in just about every role there is in her 20 years of state service. Most recently, she was VSEA's elected First Vice President, where she headed the union's largest governing body for five years. The VSEA Board of Trustees will be appointing a successor to the now vacant First Vice President post.
Towne thanked her two opponents in the race, saying they were "formidable" with "powerful platforms" and adding that she now looks forward to working with them to move VSEA forward.
*VSEA's ERN Committee is unable to officially certify the vote results, pending a review of some election-related issues. The review is expected shortly.
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Saturday Is VSEA's Annual Meeting! Still Time To Register!
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There's still time to register to participate in VSEA's 76th Annual Meeting on Saturday, which is being conducted via Zoom this year due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic concerns.
Annual Meeting is VSEA's most important event of the year because it's where an operating budget for the new fiscal year is adopted, proposed changes to bylaws governing union business are debated and voted up or down, and members from across state government, as well as retirees, meet as one body to discuss current union-wide fights, educate each other about or worksite-specific or Unit issues and determine next steps, if any.
VSEA 76th Annual Meeting
Saturday, September 12, 2020
12:00 p.m.
Register Here
Have Your WARN Close At Hand!
If participating in Saturday's unique Annual Meeting, VSEA is asking all members and retirees to make note of where your 2020 meeting WARN (which was emailed last week) is saved, so you can easily access it and reference it on September 12.
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House Lawmakers To Include "Bridge Funding" For State Colleges In Budget
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VTDigger posted a story this morning about House lawmakers breaking from the State and agreeing to include money in their budget proposal to save Vermont's state colleges.
From the story:
House lawmakers have crafted a state budget that includes roughly $24 million in ‘bridge funding’ for the struggling state college system.
The budget proposed by [the State] last month — to fund the last nine months of the current fiscal year — did not specify funding for the Vermont State Colleges, which sought an additional $23.8 million to cover a budget shortfall in the current fiscal year.
Rep. Kitty Toll, D-Danville, the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said if colleges had to shut down, the consequences would be dire.
“If those colleges were to close, the impact it would have on the communities around them would be devastating,” Toll said.
“So finding that bridge funding in secure general fund dollars I think was huge to the economy in the Northeast Kingdom, to the economy around Castleton and to Randolph and to Johnson. Just imagine if we did not secure that funding, what the economic fallout would be,” she said.
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VTDigger reported this week on the State and DCF's continued push to privatize the Woodside Juvenile Rehabilitation Center, saying it is moving forward with transferring the care of Vermont's most vulnerable youth to a private vendor; a plan that continues to get major push back from VSEA members at Woodside and VSEA Executive Director Steve Howard.
From the story:
[Howard] accused DCF of violating the law by making plans to shut down Woodside.
He points to the budget bill and its requirement for a replacement plan.
“They have not done that,” Howard said. “They’ve made references to what they think they might do and what they’re looking into, but they have not presented a plan.”
The State is denying there is no plan, yet, to date, no formal plan has been presented. Given the problems and issues Vermont has experienced in the past with private vendors, VSEA and lawmakers continue to correctly ask the State and DCF for a concrete plan, prior to turning this critical youth service to a private vendor.
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VSEA Vets' Home Members Again Asking For Your Help. Sign The Petition!!
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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
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Quote Of The Week!
"If those colleges were to close, the impact it would have on the communities around them would be devastating."
Rep. Kitty Toll (D-Danville), the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, commenting in a VTDigger story this week about the House including "bridge funding" in its budget to sustain Vermont's state colleges. The State's budget includes no funding.
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Safety & Security Division Reminds About Being Prepared
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Note: This information was submitted to WIA by the State's Safety & Security Office, and we're happy to share.
The annual National Preparedness Month campaign, sponsored by Ready.gov, is now underway.
National Preparedness Month is recognized each September to promote family and community disaster planning now and throughout the year. As our nation continues to respond to COVID-19, there is no better time to be involved this September. The theme this year is “Disasters Don’t Wait. Make Your Plan Today”.
Week 1: Sept 1 – 5 was Make A Plan. State Safety & Security is actively engaging state offices and their Building Safety Committees to make sure they have a plan in place and that it’s up-to-date. If your building doesn’t have a plan or you’re not sure, contact our Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Kristen LaJeunesse. And don’t forget about making a family plan. Find out more here.
Week 2: Sept 6 – 12 is Build A Kit. Does your office have a First Aid Kit? Whether your office is at home or in a state office building, now’s the time to make sure your office is prepared. Have you thought about a Go Kit? What happens if you need to evacuate or shelter in place, do you have the things you need to get by for a few hours? Coworkers with health conditions might want to consider having extra insulin, an extra inhaler, or other medications on hand in case you weren’t able to leave or were at an evacuation point for an extended period. Learn more here.
Stay tuned for more suggestions next time!
State Safety & Security
6 Baldwin Street, Suite 312
Montpelier, VT 05633-2101
(802) 828-0777 bgs.vermont.gov/security
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Thank you for reading Week In Action!
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National AFL-CIO Creates Website For "Workers Impacted by COVID-19"
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A reminder that the national AFL-CIO has created a website to help workers impacted by COVID-19 find the resources they might need, such as:
- Resources and benefits to help replace lost wages;
- Eligibility requirements for emergency paid leave;
- Housing and food assistance programs; and
- Health insurance and public health services and guidance.
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Reminder: Employees Who Fail To
Comply With Mask Directive Could Be Disciplined
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During these very uncertain times, VSEA is reminding state employees not to ignore a directive from your supervisor to wear a protective mask while at work. Remember, if you defy your supervisor's mask directive, you may face allegations of insubordination, which could result in management taking disciplinary action against you.
VSEA is strongly advising all employees to comply with the mask directive, to protect your health and the health of your co-workers.
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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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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 Retirement Security Fact Sheet
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Did you know? Defined benefit plans are safer and more reliable for Vermont's retirees & are cheaper for taxpayers than risky, Wall St 401(k)-style plans. Learn more about the differences between defined benefit pension plans and defined contribution pension plans (a.k.a. 401K) here.
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Getting Ready To Retire? Retired Already? Join The VSEA Retired Members’ Chapter!
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Long-time VSEA activist and leader Terry Lefebvre is asking VSEA members getting ready to retire to join the VSEA Retirees’ Chapter to continue to be an active and engaged union member, even in retirement. Lefebvre also appeals to VSEA members to talk up the co-workers they know who might be preparing to retire. If you already belong to the Retired Members’ Chapter, a big thanks to you.
Learn More Here About The VSEA Retired Members’ Chapter
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Need To Update Your Contact Information
With VSEA?
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