Union siblings, brothers, and sisters: we’re excited to announce the launch of our 2023 State Contract Campaign!
Today marked our first bargaining session with the Commonwealth in Marlborough, where over 60 members of the bargaining committee showed up to kick us off. We’re excited to keep bringing this energy to every session – and we’re committed to keeping you updated every step of the way. In alignment with our values, we’re prioritizing transparency, accountability, and centering our members’ voices.
Today’s takeaways
Our bargaining committee shared powerful testimonies that underscored the importance of our work. Members across agencies spoke to their experiences and the impact of our work on the people that we serve. We made it clear: a strong contract builds strong communities.
We established a timeline for bargaining, established ground rules for moving forward, and put forward our initial wage proposal. In order to prioritize transparency and increase member engagement, we proposed evening bargaining sessions so that anyone who is interested can attend. We also discussed the possibility of a one to two year contract cycle, hazard compensation, and telework.
We secured our next negotiation dates:
February 15 at 9 am
293 Boston Post Rd W #4, Marlborough (Local 509 office)
March 1 at 9 am
293 Boston Post Rd W #4, Marlborough (Local 509 office)
What you can expect moving forward
This is only the beginning! As we build momentum throughout the campaign, we’ll be keeping you up to date as close to real-time as possible.
To that end, we’re introducing our State Contract Campaign Hub, where you’ll find:
- Bargaining updates
- How to submit your stories – tell us why you’re fighting for a strong contract!
- Contact information for your bargaining committee
- CAT Team sign-up form
- Digital toolkit (Zoom backgrounds for work, social media content, and more)
Bargaining Survey Update
Our bargaining survey closed last Friday, January 27. Once we analyze the results, the bargaining committee will use your input to shape the proposals we bring to the table. We will share the highlights from our survey results with you via email shortly.
We can only win the contract we deserve if we come together and fight for it. Reach out to your bargaining committee to find out how you can get involved with our Contract Action Team (CAT) moving forward.
