State Workers
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| Contract Details 2017-2019 Contract MoU 2014-16 Memorandum of Agreement (PDF*) |
Grievance Forms State Grievance Form (EditablePDF*) State Grievance Form (PDF*) |
State Benefits MPEF Vision & Dental Health Plans Retirement Information |
Contacts Find your Advisor or Organizer Full SEIU 509 Directory |
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Mass Health Chapter Contract Update
Congratulations MassHealth chapter on having the most up-to-date trainees with our union regarding the Janus Supreme Court case!
Right now, The MassHealth chapter leadership is negotiating with management to implement a phone-free and part-time work week schedule for our members.
Also, MassHealth leaders will be holding member meetings at all offices to educate their members about the contract and the upcoming Supreme Court decision.
Plus, steward elections are coming up this month!
If you have any questions, contact Mass Health Chapter President Carol Butler.
Thank you for a successful 2018 Lobby Day!
On April 11th, SEIU 509 members successfully lobbied at the State House for legislation and budget items that affect our specific chapters, as well as broader issues affecting the working people of Massachusetts. Specifically, we advocated for GIC health insurance reform, state contract ratification and our $15 minimum wage plus Paid Family & Medical Leave ballot initiatives. Our Lobby Day actions are critical to getting our legislation passed!
We thank you for your support and participation! We will keep you updated on our progress with these efforts. Remember, our voice is stronger when we come together to ask for actions on issues that matter the most to us. Here are some pictures:
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- State Representative Christine Barber speaking to 509 members
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- State Representative Christine Barber speaking to 509 members
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- Ready for 2018 Lobby Day!
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- State Representative Jim O’Day encouraging 509 members to campaign and run for office
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- State Representative Jim O’Day encouraging 509 members to campaign and run for office
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- Ready for 2018 Lobby Day!
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- 509 Pride!
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- Gearing up for Lobby Day!
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- SEIU 509 Treasurer Israel Pierre, SEIU 509 DCF Chapter President Adriana Zwick & SEIU 509 President Peter MacKinnon
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- Family Child Care Chapter President Celina Reyes and 509 members
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- SEIU 509 President Peter MacKinnon
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- Oviation for a great speaker!
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- 509 members ready to lobby!
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- Meeting with State Representative Rose Lee Vincent
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- Lobbying with State Representative Adrian Madaro
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- Meeting with State Representative Adrian Madaro
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- Private Sector Human Services Leaders Lobbying
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- Lobbying
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- Lobbying
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- Meeting with Legislative Aide
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- Letter of Support from Legislator
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- Meeting with Legislative Aide
SEIU 509 joins “Save Our Public Services” community coalition
SEIU 509 joins a coalition of community organizations, business groups, labor unions, religious congregations, and advocates who want to protect the vital public services funded by the Massachusetts state sales tax.
The proposed initiative petition would reduce state revenues by about $1.25 billion annually, necessitating severe cuts to local schools, public safety, roads, transit, health programs, and other vital services. This extreme proposal would cut the state’s second largest source of revenue by 20 percent.
“We’re in the middle of an opioid crisis, but this dangerous ballot question would divert millions of dollars away from critical social services like addiction treatment, homelessness prevention, and mental health counseling,” said Peter MacKinnon, President of SEIU Local 509. “As social workers and clinicians, we know first-hand that Massachusetts can’t afford such severe budget cuts when we’re trying to fight this public health emergency.”
SEIU 509 members are committed to opposing this ballot question and protecting the critical local services funded by the sales tax.
To set up an interview with SEIU 509 President Peter MacKinnon, contact us at media@seiu509.org.
To learn more about the coalition, please visit: https://www.saveourpublicma.org/
SEIU 509 IST chapter improves working conditions
This year, the Institutional School Teachers chapter accomplished the following wins:
- First, we have successfully convinced management that IST academic teachers should have the same sick-time formula as all other Department of Corrections employees. Now, IST academic teachers will now earn 1.5 more sick days per year.
- Second, we successfully negotiated a proposed management change to the 2018-19 school year calendar for Ed Specs. Management requested to have a mandatory week off moved from the end of August to the end of July, which would have given the vocational calendar’s 22 weeks of instruction without a break. The final week in August was reinstated due to union meeting with management.
- Third, we saved Part Two of our new Supplementary Agreement to preserve workers’ rights and ensure that we are paid for any additional work-weeks that could be added to our school year in the future.
Thank you IST members for your hard work to date! If you have any questions, contact our IST Chapter President Linda Delman at ist@seiu509.org.
SEIU 509 MRC Chapter fighting to save jobs & prevent office closures
SEIU 509’s Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission chapter is in arbitration with management because they laid off 23 workers. SEIU 509 believes that their rights were violated under Article 18. Our union is fighting in court to get their jobs back.
In addition, our union is challenging management’s attempt to close offices. We want to keep offices in the communities to make our services accessible to the individuals we serve. Many of our consumers rely on public transportation and desire a safe place for counselors to meet with their clients. Finding a safe, confidential space in the community to meet with consumers is difficult.
This year, SEIU 509 successfully reversed an attempt by management to lower our educational standards. Management wanted Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors to be hired with a Bachelor’s Degree. Our clients deserve to work with Master’s level counselors with knowledge about disabilities.
Plus, our union wants to change or eliminate Disability Determination Services core hours. DDS requires our members to be at their desk or on break from 9:30-11:30 AM and from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Instead, we are working with management to roll out an alternative work options (AWO) program.
Finally, we want the MRC Commissioner to meet and communicate more effectively with our members.
By fighting for these issues, we are ensuring that we have more manageable caseloads and smoother labor-management relationship to offer high-quality, effective and efficient services to the public. Thank you MRC members for your hard work and participation to date!
Contact
MRC Chapter President David Zbikowski
With a 93.5% YES vote, SEIU 509 State Workers approve their new contract!
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Congratulations! With a 93.5% YES vote, SEIU 509 state workers just ratified their tentative agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
| YES | NO | |
| UNIT 8 | 93.4% | 6.6% |
| UNIT 10 | 97.3% | 2.7% |
| Total | 93.5% | 6.5% |
Over the past year, members stood in solidarity with the union bargaining committee and took action at work sites. As a result, SEIU 509 state workers won a new contract that offers more pay, more job security and better working conditions.
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Some highlights include:
- Pay increases for three years, including a retroactive wage increase for 2017,
- Preservation of sick time,
- Longer vacation periods, and
- Grievance process improvements.
There are also additional contract language improvements throughout the agreement, including agency-specific language gains for several different chapters.
Thank you members for your hard work and for supporting the bargaining team throughout these negotiations. It was the members and their co-workers who proved that when we stand together as a union, we win!
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WIN: GIC votes 12-2 to reinstate state workers’ health insurance plans
SEIU 509 members successfully fought back against drastic changes to Massachusetts state workers’ healthcare and kept the continuity of care that their families deserve.
Because of SEIU 509 members’ phone calls, e-mails and testimonies, the Commonwealth’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) voted 12-2 to reinstate all of the state workers’ health insurance plans.
SEIU 509 will continue to watch and speak out to ensure that the GIC doesn’t try to take these benefits away again.
Thank you SEIU 509 members for your hard work to save our health insurance options!
State Ratification Voting Locations
SEIU 509 members will vote on our new contract on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1st. Click here for polling locations.
Polls will be open from 8:45 am – 5 pm that day at locations throughout the state to accommodate all members. See below for more information, or call 774-843-7509 if you have additional questions.
Important Details:
Also, we will have a telephone town hall this Monday, January 29, at 12:00 noon to answer any questions you have about the contract, voting process, and next steps.
– The Bargaining Committee
PS: Don’t forget to sign up for the townhall meeting by texting “SEIU509” to 828282, or clicking here.
SEIU Local 509 Statement on GIC’s Decision Not to Take Away Health Care Plans From 200,000 People
BOSTON – SEIU Local 509 President Peter MacKinnon today issued the following statement on the GIC’s announcement that they will abandon plans to take away health care plans from 200,000 people:
“We’re relieved that the GIC is preparing to undo their incredibly misguided decision, and we thank Governor Baker for stepping in to fix this disaster. We also thank Attorney General Healey, Speaker DeLeo, and Senate President Chandler for their leadership in opposing a move that was throwing tens of thousands of Massachusetts families into crisis.
“The GIC’s move would have forced working people and their families to find new doctors and other medical providers, go to the back of waiting lists for their children’s treatment, and spend valuable time trying to preserve the quality of their healthcare. In the last week, hundreds of SEIU Local 509 members called the Governor, spoke to their legislators, and attended the GIC’s hearings to protest this decision. We’re glad their voices were heard.”
Contact:
Steve Crawford, Crawford Strategies
857.753.4132,
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SEIU Local 509 represents nearly 20,000 human service workers and educators throughout Massachusetts. We provide a variety of social services to elders, at-risk children and people with mental illnesses or developmental disabilities — as well as educational services in both public and private sector settings. From mental health clinicians and social workers to early childhood educators and university lecturers, Local 509 members are united in our mission to raise living standards for working families while improving the quality and affordability of the services we provide. SEIU Local 509 is part of the 2.1 million member Service Employees International Union, the fastest-growing labor union in the United States. Focused on uniting workers in four sectors –- public services, long term care, property services, and hospital systems — SEIU is the nation’s largest health care union, the largest property services union, and the second-largest public employee union.
Taiye Anjorin re-elected Chapter President of DPH
Taiye Anjorin was re-elected as DPH chapter president in January 2018. Taiye was nominated as chapter president and unopposed. Congratulations!