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SEIU Local 509 Scholarships

Members in good standing, and children of members in good standing, can apply for five different types of SEIU affiliated scholarships:

SEIU Local 509 Scholarships
Kligel-Jolley Memorial Scholarship for veterans and their families
SEIU International Scholarships
Union Plus Scholarships
Central Labor Council Scholarships

Learn more about all of these scholarship programs

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LifeLinks Classroom Teachers Vote "Union Yes!"

It's Unanimous!

LifeLinks Debbie Martin & others celebrate

LifeLinks Developmental Specialists voted unanimously to join SEIU Local 509 on December 3. They are now part of the union already in place at Lifelinks and will soon begin negotiations over issues like increased workloads and new duties.

Current Lifelinks union members showed their support for the Developmental Specialists on election day by wearing purple SEIU T-shirts and lanyards all day.

250 HEC Teachers Organize for Quality Services

The state Department of Labor Relations has counted the cards of 250 Hampshire Educational Collaborative (HEC) workers and certified SEIU Local 509 as their collective bargaining representative. Educators organized to improve the quality of services that have diminished due to high staff turnover. HEC is a quasi-public agency that 10081119 HEC party 5064 c 390.JPG provides education services to children and teens in state and county programs.

HEC worker Gary Floyd hopes that now "we'll be able to protect retention like before, when people would stay 15 or 20 years. That's real important to these kids."

More, including slideshow of HEC Victory Party

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SEIU and the Obama Victory

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This was an historic, transformational election. Americans of different backgrounds from all over this nation have sent a clear message: it is time to create a new American Dream.

At its foundation, this was a victory for working people and by working people. For SEIU, this election was always about the economy. It was about fixing our our national healthcare system. It was about rebuilding the middle class. It was about giving workers the freedom to join a union without intimidation. It was about putting the American Dream back within the reach of middle class and low income people who work hard and want nothing more than to provide our kids and grandkids with a better future. No single organization did more than SEIU to make sure that Barack Obama was elected to be our next president.

SEIU Local 509 was a critical partner in the coalition that sent Question 1 down to defeat; over 70% of Massachusetts voters agreed it was a reckless idea that would destroy the fabric of our communities

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Highlights of the 2008 Annual Meeting
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We were amazed to welcome surprise guest, Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska (aka Jennifer Doe of Jobs with Justice), who stated she was thrilled to be visiting exotic faraway places like Massachusetts. Governor Palin also noted that she just learned that Alaska borders Canada, and she looks forward to visiting that country some time Cheryl Mahoney 2938 cs.JPG

soon.

Cheryl Mahoney of Family Services of Greater Boston gave a passionate plea for members to contribute to COPE because it's the most important thing we can do to protect our livelihoods and the services we care so much about. She might have 20081018 Jamie Eldridge 2913 cs.JPG

added that it is also a good way to ensure that people like Sarah Palin do not end up determining the future of our state and country.

We would rather be governed by people like State Representative Jamie Eldridge, who received this year's Local 509 "Legislator of the Year" award (see article in Littleton Independent). Rep. Eldridge hopes to be elected State Senator on November 4.