Departments of Corrections, Parole, & Youth Services
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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Congrats to all 2017 scholarship winners!
Each year, our SEIU Local 509 Scholarship Program funds more than a dozen educational scholarship awards for fellow members and their dependents.
Each of these scholarships range from $1,000 to $1,500 — many awards are based on member’s demonstrated commitment to the union’s growth over the last calendar year. From this year’s pool of qualified applicants, winners were drawn at random.
Congrats to all the winners, and stay tuned for information about next year’s application process!
Daniel Connerty, DOC
Danielle Henry, DTA
Diana Pereira-Velez, DTA
Ethel Everett, DCF
Euphemia Molina, DCF
Italienne Guillaume, Bridgewell
Johnson Odewale, DMH
Joyce Girardi, DMH
Kevin Higgins, Old Colony Elder Services
Kimberly Daughtry, MassHealth
Kristen Tully, DCF
Lisa Rooney, DDS
Lori Cassier, DCF
Michael Grow, DMH
Paul Kelly, DTA
Raymond Obeng, DDS
Stephanie Klink, MRC/DDS Worcester
Stephen Beloa, Bridgewell
Tiana Davis, Masshealth
Umberto Uku, Bridgewell
ACT NOW: Retirement Equity for Correctional Program Officers
Contact your legislators today to urge passage of our priority Group 4 legislation!
Dear Colleague,
I write with great news! House Bill 2425, An Act to Amend Retirement Benefits of Certain Employees of the Department of Correction, just passed the Committee on Public Service.
This legislation will move Correctional Program Officers (CPOs) from Group 2 to Group 4 of the retirement system — and will finally recognize the just how much the CPO position has evolved over time and the inherent dangers and daily stresses that go with working in a prison. After years of effort, this is the first time our bill has been reported out of committee.
Our priority bill now moves along to the next step in the legislative process: the House Ways & Means Committee. But time is of the essence — the legislature will break for the summer on July 31, so it is important that we all take a few minutes to email our State Representatives and Senators today!
CLICK HERE TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS
Several of our colleagues are at the State House right now, meeting with key legislators and staff to help move our bill forward. You can add your voice by sending a quick email to your legislators to support the work we do by passing H.2425 today. Be sure to include the facility where you work in your message!
In solidarity,
Ed Cote
COPS Chapter President, SEIU Local 509
P.S. Please feel free to contact our Deputy Legislative Bridget Quinn at bquinn@seiu509.org with any questions you may have
Remembering Kenny Gorman
Kenneth (Kenny) Gorman, Jr.
Local 509 is sad to share news of the passing of longtime member and union leader Kenneth (Kenny) Gorman, Jr.
A celebration of Kenny’s life was held on Tuesday, January 14 in Spencer, MA. Details can be found here, or in the Worcester Telegram.
While he recently retired as a correctional program officer at the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, Kenny was a larger-than-life figure at SEIU Local 509 for many years. He served in a variety of union leadership roles throughout his career: steward, chapter president, chair of our Committee on Political Education (COPE), and most recently as a trustee of the local. Many members, both in his chapter and beyond, are grateful for Ken’s willingness to mentor and support them in their work — along with his encouragement to become more active in the union.
In addition to bargaining for and representing working families in countless forums, Kenny maintained a true passion for politics. Prior to his storied years of work in the union, Ken served as a legislative aide on Beacon Hill and maintained several close friendships from his time there. Ken volunteered many of his own hours helping to elect candidates who understood and prioritized issues impacting working families — most recently helping to elect Marty Walsh as Mayor of Boston.
Both Kenny’s day-to-day work and his activism were firmly grounded in the desire to lift up all working families — and his dedication to the cause knew no boundaries. Whether here at home or halfway across the country, Kenny was always ready to lend his voice and energy to the fight for workers’ rights. When union workers in Wisconsin came under attack from Governor Scott Walker, Kenny passionately rallied a large crowd in Boston in support of his brothers and sisters. His words and actions will continue to inspire our work for years to come.
Kenny Gorman was a great leader, a dedicated public servant, and a kind man who will be greatly missed by all of us at local 509. The SEIU Local 509 COPE Committee has established an annual $1,000 scholarship to be given in Ken’s memory.
House Bill 59: It Goes Too Far.
The personal stories of workers featured in the above video paint a clear picture of what’s at stake in House Bill 59 — Governor Deval Patrick’s proposed changes to retiree healthcare. Simply put, HB59 goes to far.
Under House Bill 59, workers just two or three years from retirement could see the rules changed so drastically they would have to work another 22 years to receive promised benefits. The legislation has its biggest impact on low-wage workers, and offers no real cost-saving measures other than spiking out-of-pocket expenses for seniors – meaning future retirees will bear 100% of the cost burden of these reforms. Even worse, HB59 penalizes workers who must take a leave of absence for the birth of a child or death of a loved one.
That’s why hundreds of workers across the commonwealth are taking action to educate their legislators about the negative impact of House Bill 59 — testifying at public hearings, sending letters to Representatives and Senators, and meeting face-to-face with key legislative leaders. You can take action today to protect retiree healthcare.
Additional Resources
Alliance Contract Negotiations in Full Swing!
Workers at MRC Lowell were among the thousands of state employees wearing “Fair Contract NOW!” stickers on the first day of negotiations.
State contract negotiations are already in full swing, and Local 509 members are more prepared than ever for the potential fight ahead. Dozens of leaders prepped at Bargaining Team caucus meetings, and more than 1,700 members responded to our contract survey –- sharing their ideas, concerns and priorities for the upcoming negotiation sessions. This trove of information will serve as the foundation for many of the proposals we put forward in the coming weeks, and we are fired up and ready to go!
The first Alliance Contract negotiation session took place on July 31, and Local 509 members put their solidarity on full display. Thousands of state workers rocked their ‘Fair Contract NOW’ stickers to send management a clear message: let’s get this thing done! (Check out the Local 509 Facebook Page to see a few of the many photos members sent in throughout the day.)
With so much at stake in this contract — from wages to benefits to working conditions — it’s incredibly important that as many workers as possible get engaged in the negotiation process. A quick and easy way to get involved is to sign up for the Contract Action Team (CAT) for your chapter/worksite. As a CAT member, you’ll communicate important negotiation updates to co-workers at your worksite and help mobilize members for key contract actions as the process moves forward.
Workers have set a goal of building a 750-member CAT team in the coming weeks, so there’s no shortage of opportunities to make a difference. Together we can win a strong contract for all state workers!
Memorandums of Understanding
On Wednesday June 27, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at the Union Office in Watertown there will be an open meeting to review the two pending Memorandums of Understanding with the Department of Correction. Following the meeting (tentatively around July 6th) we will be mailing the ballots for the member’s ratification. This process will allow the membership the full measure of understanding of the Memorandums and the process. If you have any questions, please contact any of your E-Board members for further clarification.
Chapter on Public Safety – Annual Report
Kenny Gorman - Chapter President
Changes continue at a regular pace in agencies under the governance of the Chapter on Public Safety. Parole has seen operational changes along with several new members. This past year saw a proposal from the Governor to consolidate all children services which would have a direct impact on the Department of Youth Services. A process the Chapter has been monitoring closely. A new Commissioner is on board at Corrections with a number of recent management changes.
The merger of children service, with consequences for DYS, initially appeared to be on a fast track. Although recently movement has not been as pronounced. More recently we were able to address concerns of the Clinical Social Workers in the agency. The addition of a new Parole Board Chair and several new members has resulted in operational changes which effect not only Parole but Corrections as well. We will be working with the Chapter’s representatives in Parole to address those changes.
For the first time unions were at the table during the selection process for a new DOC Commissioner. This gave the unions the opportunity to express our concerns and hopes in a commissioner. It also gave the Chapter exposure to several community stakeholders in Corrections. Initially it appears our new commissioner has heard some of those concerns. The Labor/Management process has been more open and fruitful, he has established increased communication and involvement with the union.
There are a number of efforts moving forward within the Chapter. We have established a Workload Committee to address overlapping duties and outdated procedures. We will also address workloads in general, and the direct impact on providing needed services. The Chapter has been closely monitoring the more recent DOC transfer and promotions to ensure compliance with the contract and Civil Service.
Corrections recently graduated over twenty new CPOs from the Academy. We are looking at another twenty some in the upcoming class and will be working with the Commissioner for additional positions in a proposed class early next year. Staffing will continue to be a prime concern of the union.
The Chapter is also working with the DOC to initiate a mediation program. The Department has secured funding for this program which will hopefully address individual conflicts before they requires management and union attention. The chief mediator was at a recent Chapter meeting outlining the program and emphasizing it’s confidential nature.
The Chapter and Local will be closely monitoring Pension Reform legislation presently in the legislature. Public hearings have increased at the State House in recent weeks. We will continue to testify and lobby on behalf of Chapter related legislation. We will also be closely monitoring a “special commissioner” resulting from a outside section of the budget. This commission calls for a review of the “criminal justice system” which could directly impact both Parole and DOC.
Finally I would like to thank all the Chapter Board members and stewards for their efforts. It is only through their effort that we are able to be more effective.
State Worker Contract Ratified Overwhelmingly
Today, state workers voted overwhelmingly to ratify their contract!
| Voting Results: | |||
| Unit 8 3252 – YES 212 – NO 8 – blank |
Unit 10 237 – YES 4 – NO |
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Thanks to all of the poll captains and volunteers who staffed the 26 balloting sites across the state. Your hard work was instrumental in making today’s vote a smooth process.
To see the details of the newly ratified settlement, click here to read the Memorandum of Understanding