Concerned about an apparent loss of commitment by MSPCC to fulfill its mission to help troubled children and their families, SEIU Local 509 members employed by offices in the agency's western region picketed on March for a fair contract that will stop the deterioration of services.  The previous week, employees voted 151-3 against accepting the company's contract offer. 

“They’ve cut back on everything,” said April Elias, a Family Network Support worker in Holyoke. “Trainings, resources we can get for clients, major offices are all being cut. You can't provide proper care if you are closing offices, denying services, and shrinking the staff.” 

The company wants to freeze wages permanently for salaried clinicians and hire new clinicians only on a "fee-for-service" basis.  Fee-for-service employees have no paid time off and are not paid when a scheduled client doesn't show up, nor for the time spent performing non-clinical duties, such as required paperwork and necessary phone calls.