Week In Action Not Publishing Next Week!

VSEA Quick To Challenge State's "Belief" Employees Can Be Put Into OneCare

Friendly Reminder!

VSEA Corrections Unit Members Launch Phase 3 Of Campaign For Hazard Pay 

Last week, VSEA Corrections Unit members sent a second batch of personal worker appeals to the State, each educating about the toll the Administration's decision to end hazard pay is taking on employee morale. It was a continuation of VSEA Corrections Unit members' campaign to send new and different batches of testimonials to the State every week for the next four weeks; each batch focused on a new organic theme. 

The goal of this week's third batch of testimonials is to personally inform the Administration about the fears many VSEA Corrections members have when ordered to perform their COVID-related duties without the benefit of proper and approved personal protection equipment (PPE). 

Example:

“At one point, several officers were sharing one gown that was taped together. Now, we have several gowns but we have to dunk them in bleach water after each use. I always go home wondering if I was safe enough, as some of the officers in my facility contracted COVID, and, in some cases, gave it to their family."

VSEA is pleased to share these additional excerpts from the third batch of CO testimonials that were sent Monday morning to the State.

VSEA invites members and retirees to help VSEA’s COs get their hazard pay reinstated by sharing these worker stories with your colleagues, family, friends, and neighbors. You can also call the Governor’s Office and lobby our local lawmakers to step up.

VSEA members, retirees, and members of the public are urged to check VSEA.org or VSEA's social media pages weekly to view the latest batch of VSEA Corrections Unit members’ testimonials being sent to the State and to receive campaign updates. Thanks!

Asset Allocation Study Being Conducted On VT Pension Funds  

Pensions and Investments posted a story this week about a study being conducted right now on Vermont's pension funds, including the state employee pension fund. 

From the story:

The study will be conducted by the staff and new investment consultant RVK, and it is tentatively scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2021, said Eric Henry, chief investment officer.

The study will focus on the three thematic portfolios in the asset allocation of the retirement systems — growth, inflation hedging and downturn hedging — with a particular emphasis on downturn hedging.

The downturn hedging portfolio can include core fixed income, short-term quality credit and U.S. long Treasuries. According to Nov. 10 committee meeting minutes, the study "will analyze the sizing of the downturn hedging assets, the composition of those downturn hedging assets, and finally the treatment of uncalled capital."

• State Treasurer Cautions VSEA Members To Ready For A Pension Fight

Chittenden Chapter Schedules Zoom Meeting And Election

Brattleboro Chapter Conducting Chapter-Member Survey 

VSEA Special Election - District 5 Rutland & Bennington Chapters

• ​Submit a paper petition with 25 signatures to VSEA HQ; or
   
• Submit electronically. It's a two-step process that begins by emailing vsea@vsea.org with your interest in being on the ballot, followed by you soliciting 25 members to email vsea@vsea.org, providing your name, their name, their EE numbers and a short statement of support for your name on the ballot. 

VSEA VSC Unit Chair Sends Thanks

VTShares Campaign Thanks State Employees For Contributions

On Election Day, Voters In Some States Pass 
Pro-Worker
Ballot Measures

• In San Francisco voters approved a ballot measure to raise the business tax on corporations that pay their CEOs more than 100 times what they pay their average employee;
   
• The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously enacted an ordinance giving workers the power to monitor their workplaces' health and safety conditions;
   
• Florida voters passed Amendment 2, which will raise the state minimum wage to $15 dollars an hour, as did Portland, Maine, which will also require time-and-a-half pay during emergencies; and
   
• Colorado voters approved Proposition 118, providing workers in the state 12 weeks of paid family leave and 16 weeks for the birth of a child.

Maryland State Workers Caravan Across State, Calling For Improved Workplace COVID Safety 

From a November 18 USA Today story:

State employees caravanned across Maryland on Tuesday to call for safer working conditions as COVID-19 surges around the state.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Maryland Council 3 put on the demonstration.

The union has raised concerns about COVID-19 outbreaks in prisons, at Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration offices, at state universities and at other locations where state employees continue to work in person.

&

Patrick Moran, the Council 3 president, called on Gov. Larry Hogan to offer greater support and protection for state employees.

"During a pandemic, you want to make sure that people have the resources to do their jobs," Moran said. Hogan has "shown no willingness to do this. His cure for everything is to cut, cut, cut."

AFSCME wants more state employees to work from home where possible. It also wants more personal protective equipment and other safety measures, and more staffing to support the increased workload during the COVID-19 pandemic.