888 Politics

 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...

Election Day was a good day for working families. We are happy to report that all SEIU 888 endorsed candidates, including our member Mike Brady, were elected to office. The following is a recap of how things turned out after the votes were counted.

There is less than 1 week until Election Day. Please join the fight to: Defeat Question 1, Elect Pro Working-Family Candidates, and Elect Barack Obama President. We need volunteers for this weekend, next weekend, and through Election Day.

Governor Patrick met with us to let us know that he is expected to announce sweeping cuts to the state budget in a press conference scheduled for this afternoon. Although the Governor did not offer many specifics, he did acknowledge that layoffs were an option for department heads charged with scaling back their budgets. 

The state primary election was held on Tuesday, September 16. SEIU 888 endorsed thirty seven (37) state legislative candidates prior to this election. Eleven (11) of our endorsed candidates had primary races. There were seven (7) victories and five (5) defeats.

Candidates from around the state who are running for open seats in the state legislature were invited to address the COPE Club and answer questions about their commitment to working family issues. Several candidates participated in the process which included completion of a candidate survey.

The long battle to preserve health insurance contribution rates for state workers is finally over for this year – and we won!

The Massachusetts State Senate is currently debating their budget proposal for FY 2009. Senator Stephen Buoniconti and Senator Gale Candaras have co sponsored an amendment to increase head start funding by $1 million. If passed, this amendment would raise Head Start funding to the same level as the House budget.

Senate President Therese Murray kept her promise to state employees. The Senate budget proposal released this week does not seek to increase the premium percentage that state employees pay for health insurance. The Senate budget maintains the current rate structure.

Thanks to all of the SEIU 888 members who made phone calls and sent emails over the last week, the House of Representatives voted to reject Governor Patrick’s proposal to increase health insurance premiums for state employees. The final House budget will maintain the current employee contribution rate structure. 

 House Bill 3224 would require the state and local governments to collectively bargain over the use of Global Positioning System technology (GPS) for the purpose of monitoring or tracking public employees. This legislation would prohibit public employers from unilaterally implementing GPS monitoring on employees. House Bill 3224 was heard by the Joint Committee on State Administration and received a favorable report. This means that the members of the Committee voted to support our bill. 

On Wednesday, April 16, the House Ways and Means Committee released its budget proposal for FY 2009. The $28 Billion spending package includes Governor Patrick’s proposal to increase health insurance premium shares for state workers. It is now up to us to make sure that our message is heard. [Updated]

 In recent weeks, State House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi has publicly supported giving municipal leaders unilateral authority to join the state Group Insurance Commission.

While the Speaker has not filed legislation to date, his proposal would remove municipal unions from the bargaining process and give city and town leaders the sole authority to determine health benefits.

On Wednesday, February 13, The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development heard testimony on legislation that would make OSHA the minimum safety standard for public employees in Massachusetts. Please take a moment to email your state Representative and Senator to register your support for this important legislation.

Thanks to the many calls and emails made by SEIU 888 members, the Act for a Healthy Massachusetts (SB 2481, Formerly HB783/SB558), which reduces toxic chemicals in workplaces and communities across the Commonwealth, was passed unanimously by the State Senate this week.

We expect the chemical industry lobby to continue to fight the legislation as it moves now to the House of Representatives for consideration. Please click here to email your State Representative to urge their support for the Safer Alternatives Bill.

12/14/2007
During the Unit 2 stewards training on Thursday, December 13, President Susana Segat asked attendees to sign our petition to Governor Deval Patrick urging him to reconsider the administrations policy of using global position systems (GPS) to track public employees. Please click here to download a copy of the petition and see some photos from the Unit 2 Steward Trainings.

12/12/2007
In November 2007, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 (H.R.1429) by overwhelming margins. The bill authorizes funding for the next five years. President Bush is expected to sign the bill into law in the near future.

Are you negatively impacted by the Government Pension Offset (GPO) or Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)? The Senate Finance Committee’s Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy, chaired by Senator John Kerry recently held a hearing on legislation that would repeal these two harmful provisions which hurt public employees in Massachusetts. Click the link below to find out how to Take Action

SEIU 888 endorsed mayoral candidates Lisa Wong and Tom Koch both cruised to victory last night. In Fitchburg, Wong won with a mandate-setting 75% of the vote to become Fitchburg’s new Mayor. In Quincy, Koch beat incumbent Mayor William Phelan by 2000 votes. “This is a great day for us,” remarked SEIU 888 President Susana Segat. “Our members in Fitchburg and Quincy have shown us that our COPE program works. We look forward to working with mayors who share our commitment to providing high quality public services in the days and months ahead.”

 On behalf of SEIU 888, union member Sheila Dubrowski recently testified in support of legislation that would abolish group 1 of the retirement classification system, and transfer all group 1 workers into group 2. The hearing before the Joint Committee on Public Service was well attended by many public employees and representatives of several public employee unions.

The State Legislatures Joint Committee on Public Service recently heard testimony on Senate Bill1564. If passed, Senate Bill 1564 would move all employees who are currently classified in Group 1 of the State Retirement System into Group 2. This legislation would increase the pension benefit for Group 1 members who are between the ages of 55 to 65. 

If you would like to send an email to your State Representative and State Senator please click here.

Responses to SEIU 888's Mayoral Survey are available for Brockton, Quincy, and Fitchburg.

 

Last Tuesday, delegates from all the Change to Win unions came together in Chicago for the second biennial Change to Win Convention.  The 2008 elections are going to play a major role in shaping our future, so we invited the three major Democratic candidates for President -- Senator Barack Obama, former Senator John Edwards, and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton -- to join us and discuss their thoughts on the future of the American Dream.

Download or print a copy of the most recent GOP Note, the SEIU Republican Member Newsletter.

On July 25th, Governor Deval Patrick signed legislation giving municipalities the option of joining the state’s Group Insurance Commission for the purpose of providing health insurance benefits to municipal employees.  Under the new law, both state workers and municipal workers that opt into the GIC would be part of the same pool.

HB2497 of 2007-2008 Session
An Act to Include Custodians in Group 2 of the Retirement System.
Sponsor: Representative Mark V. Falzone

Whereas, two provisions of the Social Security Act, the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset, reduce social security benefits for some public sector workers;

SEIU 888’s GPS bill has been scheduled for a hearing before the Joint Committee on State Administration & Regulatory Oversight on Tuesday, May 22nd at 10:30 am in Room A-1 at the State House.

 

SEIU 888 recently distributed surveys to all candidates running for the open Boston City Council District 2 seat.  The responses received from Bill Linehan and Susan Passoni, the winners of April 17th's preliminary election, are below.

During the 2006 election cycle, SEIU 888 sent a survey to each major candidate for Governor in the 2006 election asking their positions on issues of importance to working families. Click the link below to read Governor Patrick's responses.

 Member Political Organizers (MPOs) carry the vision of a better society into our workplaces, into our communities and onto the campaign trail by helping to elect leaders who get results on health care, retirement security, education and other issues

Every day, elected officials make decisions that affect your job, your benefits and your security. That’s why it's critical that we build political strength and unity among our membership.

The Civil Service Commission in Massachusetts has suffered from years of chronic underfunding. As a result, public employees in civil service positions often remain in provisional appointments for years, regardless of satisfactory performance.

HB 2500 of 2007-2008 Session
An Act Relative to the Custodial and Non Teaching Employees of School Districts
Sponsor: Representative Mark V. Falzone

House Bill 2527 of the 2007-2008 Session
An Act Relative to the Definition of Group Four of the Retirement System
Sponsor: Representative John P. Fresolo

HB 2664 of 2007-2008 Session
An Act Relative to Protecting the Rights of Custodial, Maintenance, and the Nonteaching Employees of School Districts
Sponsor: Representative David M. Nagle

HB 2664 of the 2007-2008 Session
An Act Relative to Protecting the Rights of Custodial, Maintenance and the Nonteaching Employees of School Districts
Sponsor: Representative David M. Nangle

HB 3224 of 2007-2008 Session
An Act Relative to Global Positioning System Technology and Public Employees
Sponsor: Representative Robert J. Nyman

HB 420 of 2007-2008 Session
An Act Relative to Protecting the Rights of Custodial and Other Non Teaching Employees of School Districts
Sponsor: Representative Mark V. Falzone

You can register to vote by mail, in person, or at the Registry of Motor Vehicles. You are eligible to vote if you are a US Citizen, a resident of Massachusetts, and 18 or older on election day.

See how Massachusetts elected officials are voting, and hold them accountable to their promises.

SB 1071 of 2007-2008 Session
An Act Relative to Establishing Family and Employment Security Through Temporary Disability Insurance and Family Temporary Disability Insurance
Sponsor: Senator Patricia D. Jehlen

SB 1074 of 2007-2008 Session
An Act Relative to Workplace Equity
Sponsor: Senator Patricia D. Jehlen

SB 1088 of 2007-2008 Session
To Provide a Safe Workplace for Employees of the Commonwealth, Its Independent Authorities and Other Political subdivisions
Sponsor: Senator Marc R. Pacheco

SB 1090 of 2007-2008 Session
An Act Relative to Consumers and Workers
Sponsor: Senator Marc R. Pacheco