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20080228 Alliance bargaining 2003 c 570.

Training & Career Ladder Program

The Alliance AFSCME/SEIU Local 509, in partnership with Commonwealth of Massachusetts is pleased to offer the Unit 8 & 10 Training and Career Ladder Program, a negotiated benefit offered through your collective bargaining agreement.

The Program covering the period from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009 allows you to:
    1.  Take approved HRD or Departmental training courses, or
    2.  Request reimbursement for courses or seminars taken outside your Department.

» More, with registration info

State agrees to boost mileage reimbursement

Positive movement at state worker bargaining

The Commonwealth agreed this week to increase mileage reimbursement to 45¢ per mile effective July 6, 2008, even though contract negotiations are not finished.  This means that we can continue our efforts to obtain compensation for work-related driving at the IRS rate, which is currently 50.5¢ per mile.

The Commonwealth also withdrew a problematic proposal concerning ongoing CORI checks, and expressed support for increasing family and medical leave and for the concept of placing “anti-bullying” language into the contract.

The pace of negotiations should pick up over the coming weeks.



Member activism stops state worker health insurance squeeze

Thanks to thousands of emails and calls from SEIU Local 509 members, the proposal to increase the premiums state workers pay for our health insurance coverage was defeated by 147-10 in the House, with 110 co-sponsors for our amendment (see the list).  The Senate rejected the change without a vote.  While our premiums continue to rise, like everyone else's in our insurance company driven health system, our proportion of the total will remain stable.