2009 – 2010 LEGISLATIVE OVERVIEW
As the New Legislative session gets underway, SEIU 888 has filed a number of bills in support of our members across the Commonwealth. Our political department will be tracking and advocating a number of key issues during the new session, including the state budget. Here is a sampling of some of the initiatives that we look forward to working on in 2009 and 2010:
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS (GPS) This legislation would ban the use of global positioning systems and other similar technology for the purpose of tracking or monitoring public employees, unless the use of such technology was mutually agreed to in collective bargaining.
LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE
This legislation would require the Group Insurance Commission to make long term care insurance available to state employees. Under the bill, state workers would be required to pay the full premium for the optional insurance coverage.
PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEESThis legislation is new in 2009. If passed, it would grant civilian public safety employees who are killed, or seriously injured in the line of duty, the same benefits afforded to uniform public safety personnel.
HOUSING AUTHORITY CREDITABLE SERVICE This bill is also new in 2009. It would allow housing authority employees who transfer to another department within the same municipality creditable service for time worked at the housing authority.
OSHAThis bill would require the state’s Division of Occupational Safety (DOS) to apply the federal occupational safety and health standards (OSHA) to public employees, who are currently not covered by the standards. The legislation would also grant DOS the authority to conduct investigations and the power to establish regulations and impose corrective action where violations are found.
CIVIL SERVICELegislation has been filed to make provisional employees permanent after two years of satisfactory service, in the event that the appointing authority or administrator fails to establish an eligible list.
FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERSLegislation has been filed that would grant subsidized family child care providers the freedom to form a union in order to strengthen the early education and care industry in Massachusetts.
EDUCATION REFORM – NON TEACHING SCHOOL PERSONNELThis bill would require the hiring, promotion and firing of persons in custodial, maintenance, clerical and other similar non- teaching positions in public schools to be in accordance with the provisions of an existing collective bargaining agreement or with provisions established by the school committee if there is no collective bargaining agreement.
PENSION CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMLegislation has been filed that would eliminate group one of the contributory retirement system for public employees, and transfer all existing group one employees into group two. In addition, separate bills have been filed to move all licensed electricians working for the Commonwealth or a political subdivision like a municipality or an authority into group four, and all municipal maintenance employees, school district maintenance employees, and maintenance employees of housing authorities into Group 2.
ELECTRONIC MONITORING NOTICEThis bill would require any employer who engages in any type of electronic monitoring to provide prior written notice to the employees being monitored. The legislation regulates the content of the notice and also articulates regulations pertaining to monitoring activities and the use of data collected through monitoring.