Welcome to the SEIU Local 509 DMH Chapter's Web Page.

This page belongs to all 860 DMH Chapter members, and so the material contained here is intended to reflect the labor concerns of our chapter's diverse professional membership. We hope to provide current information about upcoming events as well as ongoing issues important to our Case Managers, Clinical Social Workers, Rehabilitation Counselors, and others. You can also find information on how to contact your chapter representatives.

Your feedback regarding the information here is welcomed. Please email Chapter President John Labaki at: dmh@509seiu.com. Please visit us when you can.



DMH Chapter Board

Richard Amuso	Holyoke MHC	413-493-8015
Gary Dauer	Taunton State Hospital	508-977-3273
Colleen Doherty*	Cambridge-Somerville MHC	617-626-4818
Paul Jean	Solomon Carter Fuller MHC	617-626-8816
Janet Jones	Genesis House	508-616-2566
Andrew Kohlhofer	Tewksbury State Hospital/NEAO-FTT	978-863-5062
John Labaki*	DMH Chapter President	617-971-3286 617-924-8509
Dawn McConnell	DMH Recording Secretary	781-641-8107
Philip Mente	Solomon Carter Fuller MHC	617-305-9922
Brian Morrison*	Pittsfield MHC	413-395-2001
Ralph Nalbandian*	Worcester State Hospital	508-368-3474
Peter North	Cape Cod & the Islands MHC	508-957-0920
Sheelagh O'Connor*	Worcester State Hospital-CM	508-363-2136
Marilyn Pucillo	Westboro State Hospital-CM	508-616-2818
Mary Stanton	Grafton MHC	508-887-1153
Lynda Tallman	Springfield MHC	413-452-2344
Ellyn Titterington	Canton MHC	781-401-9719

* also a member of the SEIU Local 509 Joint Executive Board

Click here for latest available Chapter Board and Labor-Management minutes. 

We are in the process of organizing a full-day DMH Chapter Conference, with a variety of topics to build your skills both on the job and as a union member. We are even looking into the possibility of CEUs for attendees. We would like the event to be both enjoyable and useful.  We hope you will attend and participate.

We will have more information for you soon.  For now, we welcome any suggestions as we develop an agenda for the day.  Please contact Michael Grunko, John Labaki, or Gary Dauer with your ideas. 

DMH Chapter Conference Planning Committee:
Michael Grunko
John Labaki
Nina Benjamin
Gary Dauer
Andy Kohlhofer
Dawn McConnell
Peter North

by John Labaki

Congratulations and welcome to Local 509 a group of new DMH members from the Massachusetts Mental Health Center.  As of April 24, the former Vinfen workers employed there have been converted to DMH employees and have joined our chapter.

Contract negotiations and bargaining continue slowly. Anti-bullying, holidays, shift differential, GPS, travel reimbursement, recruitment issues, and FMLA were some of the business items raised by Local 509’s chief negotiator during the last meeting in May.  Please visit www.seiu509.org for more information.  The subcommittees have made sufficient progress re-establishing the momentum of the negotiations.  The findings, the issues identified, and the outcome will be displayed and presented at the main table on June 12.

The Massachusetts House of Representatives voted out a budget that did not adversely change our state employees’ health insurance.  It is a major victory.

The Chapter Conference Committee suggested postponing the upcoming conference until September. The Chapter board approved the request unanimously. I will keep you informed.

Local 509 is scheduling a Special Membership meeting to decide on a proposal that will increase dues and modify the dues structure.  The meeting will be at the Doubletree Hotel in Westboro, MA, at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 21. All members are encouraged to attend.  A reminder: The monthly Chapter Board meeting will be held at the above location right after the Special Membership Meeting.  There will be NO CHAPTER BOARD MEETING in Milford on Tuesday, June 17.

FYI: The Union has scheduled the Annual Meeting for Saturday, October 18, at the Doubletree Hotel in Westboro.

I invite you to visit your new DMH Chapter webpage where you can find more information and updates about union and chapter business.  Please forward your suggestions and comments to me at dmh@509seiu.com.

I conclude by extending my deepest appreciation to everyone who is helping this Chapter move forward.  Special thanks to my colleagues and counterparts in Local 509 for their friendship and support. 

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