Maine Service Employees Association, Local 1989 of the Service Employees International Union VOL. LVI, No. 4 September 9, 2021 USPS709700
Maine Stater Maine Stater
Representational Services roundup —
Baxter School, Planned Parenthood, ACLU, Community Colleges, Maritime, Judicial
Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/
Gov. Baxter School for the Deaf
MSEA-SEIU members at the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf are united in their determined effort to secure a fair contract. Our bargaining team has been meeting with management since March. Our team reports making some
progress and continues to negotiate with management over key issues, including remote work, mileage and compensation. On a recent Zoom bargaining session, 27 members of the bargaining unit showed up in support of a fair contract. See photo, Page 7.
Our team members are Katie Duncan, Stephen Kimball, Brian Dietzel, Christy LoCicero, Megan Gerrity and Kirstan Banfield.
Planned Parenthood (PPNNE)
On Aug. 27, bargaining teams from Planned Parenthood in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, along with many more PPNNE staff who joined in support, spent a long day together
in negotiations, trying our best to reach an acceptable agreement with PPNNE management. Unfortunately, after more than 13 hours, management has not been willing to move their proposals to an acceptable place.
We remain committed to reaching a collective bargaining agreement
Please see
REPRESENTATIONAL, Page 7 MSEA-SEIU members rallied statewide in support of a fair contract.
Please see RATIFICATION VOTE, Back Page
Ratification vote under way
Fellow Executive Branch Members, We went into bargaining determined to address the state employee pay gap, and it took all of us to focus the Mills administration on providing meaningful solutions.
Over the last six months, after over 2,500 of you and your coworkers shared your bargaining priorities with us, thousands of you also signed petitions and picketed outside state offices throughout our great state.
Over 1,200 of you and your coworkers wrote letters to the Governor. Many
of you rallied outside the State House and the Governor’s mansion in
support of a contract that Respects Us, Protects Us and Pays Us fairly for our work.
Throughout the campaign, scores of you also told your stories, in your own words. In videos shared widely on social media, you and your coworkers spoke from the heart about being underpaid compared to your peers throughout New England,
All ballots are due back, either submitted digitally or via mail for paper ballots, by 5 p.m. Oct 7
Executive Branch tentative agreement —
2021 MSEA-SEIU Annual Meeting
Preview
On Oct. 15-16, elected delegates to our 2021 MSEA- SEIU Annual Meeting will set the course for our union for 2022 and beyond by electing our union’s leaders, voting on our proposed 2022 MSEA-SEIU General Operating Budget, setting our 2022 dues rate and deciding on resolutions. Full
coverage, Pages 4-6. Honk for a Living Wage: Workers at
Planned Parenthood rally Aug. 28 in Portland for a fair contract.
Special pullout section:
2021 Legislative
Scorecard
RIP, MSEA-SEIU past president Al Willis
Our sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of the late MSEA-SEIU Retiree Member and MSEA-SEIU past
president Al Willis.
Al died Aug. 27 at age 97 in Brooksville, Fla. He served as president of our union from 1980-1981 as part of his 33-year career with the Maine Forest Service. “Al was an extraordinary individual in many ways,” recalled MSEA- SEIU Retiree Member and MSEA-SEIU past president Bob Ruhlin. He was quite
extensive in his ability to adapt to the needs of his fellow workers and the Department and the people of the State of Maine. His ability to think through problems and to offer solutions were greatly appreciated. He was a strong believer in MSEA. He was always willing to provide guidance and assistance to those who came after him. He was a true gentleman.”
President’s Column —
Dean Staffieri
Support the Build Back Better resolution
On Aug. 24, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass a historic $3.5 trillion budget resolution, paving the way for a reconciliation package encompassing components of the President’s Build Back Better agenda.
Now, with the support of the House and the Senate, we are on the path forward toward funding critical investments in our nation’s infrastructure that will increase access to home care, help combat climate change, expand Medicare coverage, lower drug prices, increase access to child care, and support a pathway to citizenship for immigrant workers, among other important investments.
Email your federal representatives here to ensure they do the right thing:
bit.ly/BuildBackBetterThanks
Thanks to your work, and the activism of our allies, Representative Jared Golden, Representative Chellie Pingree and Senator Angus King all voted for this resolution. Unfortunately, Senator Susan Collins did not support the budget resolution when it was voted on in the Senate. Although there is still much work to be done, it is important to acknowledge this important step toward addressing the needs and concerns of our state. Go to bit.ly/
BuildBackBetterThanks to send an email to Rep.
Golden, Rep. Pingree and Sen. King, thanking them for supporting this budget resolution and encouraging them to fight for a robust reconciliation package that prioritizes the needs of everyday Mainers. You’ll also be able to send a message to Sen. Collins, encouraging her to do right by Mainers and support the reconciliation package when it gets another vote in the Senate.
We also support the congressional Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that MSEA-SEIU Transportation Chapter President Jonathan French explains on Page 2. Passing both the $3.5 trillion budget resolution and the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill will go a long way toward investing in the services and infrastructure that have been neglected for years.
MAKING OUR VOICE HEARD IN BARGAINING
Many of our bargaining teams are at the
bargaining table. Workers at Planned Parenthood in Maine are negotiating in coalition with their coworkers in New Hampshire and Vermont for their first contract. For our state worker members in the Executive Branch and for our members in the Staff, Support and Professional Unit at Maine Maritime Academy, ratification votes on tentative agreements are under way. Congratulations to our Judicial Branch members on ratifying their contract. Great advocacy by all bargaining team members!
OUR 2021 ANNUAL MEETING
As this Stater went to press, we’ve scheduled our 2021 Annual Meeting for Oct. 15-16 at the Samoset in Rockport. Info on our union elections, our proposed 2022 General Operating Budget, resolutions and the Area Caucus schedule are on Pages 4-6.
CHECK OUT OUR 2021 LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD
In this Stater is a special pullout section, our 2021 Legislative Scorecard, identifying how every state senator and state representative in the Maine Legislature voted on key issues impacting our work and the services we provide. Some voted 100 percent pro-MSEA and pro-worker; others voted against MSEA and workers at every turn. See how your legislators voted; then hold them accountable in their next election.
Maine Stater
Published seven times a year by the Maine Service Employees Association, Local 1989 of the Service Employees International Union, 65 State St., Augusta, ME 04330-5126. Periodical rate postage paid at Augusta, Maine.
ISSN: 1048-9037
Postmaster: Please send address corrections to the Maine Stater, 65 State St., Augusta, ME 04330-5126
Alec Maybarduk Executive Editor Tom Farkas Editor
Area II
Maryann Griffin 77 Bridge St.
Augusta 04330 Michael Hein 6 Scott Ave.
Fairfield 04937 David Projansky 2 Brentwood Ave.
Lewiston 04240 Kris Segars 15 Maclean Drive Oakland 04963 President
Dean Staffieri 79 Burnham Drive Naples 04055 Vice President Allison Perkins 19 Thurston Road Cornville 04976 Treasurer Mark Landry 4 Boucher Ave.
Augusta 04330 Secretary Lisa Morgan 20 Paul St.
Auburn 04210
Area I
David Boudreau 60 Sarina Drive Holden 04429 Jeff Doyon 5 Mar-Val Terrace, Apt. 5D Winslow 04901 Jacob Simmons PO Box 523 Castine 04421 Miranda Wilson 15 Christines Way Hancock 04640
Area III
Jason Mitchell 67 Johnson Heights Waterville 04901 Cal Paquet 58 Harmon Drive Bowdoin 04287 Rachel Sherman 833 Main St., Apt. 409 Sanford 04073 JB Whipple 17 Old County Road Scarborough04074
Executive Director Alec Maybarduk General Counsel Thomas Feeley Deputy General Counsel Anne Macri Executive Assistant Jessica Doody Director of Politics and Legislation Jeff McCabe Director of Finance and Administration Shelly Page Director of Organizing and Field Operations Angela MacWhinnie Eligibility and Claims Examiner II Andrew Wing Organizer Ben Ray Sarah Watson
Lead Member Political and Legislative Coordinator Beth White Field Representatives Julia Ackerly Lindsey Bigelow Joe Gribbin Tim McGuire Frank Porter III Krystal Talbot Robin Upton- Sukeforth Information Technology Specialist
Solomon Nethers Communications and Training Coordinator Tom Farkas Account Clerk Luanne Collins Support Staff Assistant Joan Levesque Lead Member Support Specialist Terry Baillargeon
Maine Service Employees Association,
Local 1989 of the Service Employees International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC
Board of Directors Staff
SOMSEA
Officers
65 State St.,
Augusta, ME 04330-5126
Tel: (207) 622-3151 or 1-800-452-8794 TTY: (207) 623-7649 or 1-800-321-2626 www.mseaseiu.org
Email: mseaseiu@mseaseiu.org
Facebook, twitter, Instagram: @mseaseiu1989
Retirees
Steve Butterfield 8 Richardson Lane Hallowell 04347 Bob Ruhlin PO Box 18 Kenduskeag 04450 Penny Whitney- Asdourian 6 Friendship Lane Scarborough 04074
Hi there! It’s your Pitty-Pal Lillian checking in again! I sure have enjoyed my summer and hope you all have as well. As you know, I attend various meetings to keep everyone on
their toes. My guardian even signed me up for a toy & treat subscription box so I would keep my opinions to myself.
Just because I have my toys to keep me occupied doesn’t mean I don’t see the great things that
are going on. I want to thank the members of the Executive Branch bargaining team who worked tirelessly to negotiate the best contract possible for the Executive Branch members. Just watching made me tired - it was hard work. Keep up the great work. Until next time, virtual hugs & slobbery kisses! Love Always, Lillian
Lillian’s Corner
Transportation Chapter Nominations & Election Notice
The Transportation Chapter will hold its election of officers and delegates for 2022 by mail due to the ongoing pandemic and to accommodate telework schedules.
A ballot, along with a postage-paid return envelope, will be mailed from MSEA Headquarters to all Chapter members in good standing during the week of Nov. 1, 2021. All ballots must be returned to MSEA Headquarters by close of business on Nov. 19, 2021.
Nominations for President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and four Chapter delegates will be accepted from Chapter members until 5:00 PM on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021.
Nominations may be sent to Chapter Secretary Mike Laberge at michael.laberge@maine.gov, or in writing by mail to: Transportation Chapter Secretary, c/o MSEA-SEIU Local 1989, 65 State St., Augusta, ME 04330-5126.
Al Willis
in criminal justice in 2019 through the SEIU Free College Program. He needed to take 13 classes to complete his degree as he had earned several credits for courses he had taken through the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. He earned straight As in his online coursework except for a B in statistics. He made the dean’s list and president’s list every semester.
“Honestly, I was worried to go back to school,”
he said. “I didn’t know how my writing would be, but I got nothing but compliments on my writing.
What I found out is if you’re doing your work, and you’re turning it in on time, you’re going to pass.”
With his associate degree in criminal justice in hand, Chris is now considering his opportunities for career advancement within the Capitol Police. “Now that I have it, I can think ahead,”
he said of his degree. “I would never have done it if it wasn’t available. But now I’ve got it under my belt, and it’s great.”
The free college program is just that – it really is free. “I put out no money other than (for) a calculator or some flash drives,” he said.
Chris and his wife, Melanie, have two children, Gabby, 13, and Kaileigh, 8.
Go to seiumb.com/education/seiu-free- college-benefit for more info on the SEIU Free College Benefit.
For assistance in enrolling in the program, contact MSEA-SEIU Organizer Sarah Watson:
sarah.watson@mseaseiu.org For MSEA-SEIU Member Chris Martinez, a
screener for Maine’s Capitol Police, his union membership has provided him and his family with more than a voice in his wages, benefits and working conditions. It also was his ticket to earn a free college degree through the SEIU Free College Benefit, a benefit program available to MSEA-SEIU members through our affiliation with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
Earlier this year, Chris earned an associate degree in criminal justice from Eastern Gateway Community College in Ohio, one of two participating colleges. The other is Central State University; both are affiliated with the University System of Ohio. Through the SEIU Free College Program, eligible SEIU members and their spouses, domestic partners, children, parents, siblings and financial dependents, as well as retirees and their families, are eligible to earn free bachelor’s or associate degrees.
Chris said he started working on his online degree in 2019, taking the necessary coursework while working full time as a screener not just at the State House but also at the Augusta Civic Center, where the Maine Legislature held sessions during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“I heard about the union benefit from Jeff McCabe, our union’s political director, as I was screening him into the State House one day,” Chris said. “Once I heard about it, I was like, I probably should jump on this.”
Chris, who began working for the Capitol Police in 2018, also works as a part-time patrol officer for the Hallowell Police Department. He previously served as an animal control officer for nearly a dozen
communities in Kennebec County.
Raised in California, Chris said he tried college there but wasn’t able to complete a degree as he was raising two siblings.
“There wasn’t much support to help me go to college, either,” he said.
While in California, Chris worked as a park patrol officer for the Los Angeles City Park Rangers and for the Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
After moving to Maine in 2010, Chris secured his certification through the Maine Criminal Justice Academy to become a part-time police officer. He’s been working for the Hallowell Police Department ever since.
He began working on his free associate degree
Chris Martinez earns free degree through SEIU Free College Benefit
MSEA-SEIU Member and Capitol Police Screener Chris Martinez earned an associate degree in criminal justice through the SEIU Free College Benefit.
It’s a benefit of membership in our union.
SEIU Free College Benefit
• The SEIU Free College Benefit
seiumb.com/education/seiu-free- college-benefit is available to MSEA-SEIU members who are full dues-paying members in good standing, and their spouses,
domestic partners, children, parents, siblings and financial dependents. Retirees and their families are also eligible.
• Associate degrees are available in
accounting, business management, criminal justice, teacher education, individualized study, paralegal, patient home navigator, healthcare administration, healthcare services, and paralegal certificate.
• Bachelor’s degrees are available in business administration, criminal justice, education – early childhood, education – intervention specialist, and interdisciplinary studies/
humanities.
• For more info or for assistance in enrolling:
Contact MSEA-SEIU Organizer Sarah Watson at sarah.watson@mseaseiu.org
MSEA-SEIU Member profile –
Jonathan French:
Infrastructure can and should matter to all of us
There’s a couple of things anyone familiar with MSEA-SEIU Member Jonathan French knows:
He’s a big fan of the Baltimore Orioles, even when they’re 43 games out of first place – and he loves to talk about, of all things, transportation infrastructure.
So with Congress on the brink of passing the largest-ever investment in infrastructure in our nation’s history in the form of the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, you can bet Jonathan is all over it.
“This is the start of something. We’ve been neglecting infrastructure for so long there’s a ton of stuff to be done,” Jonathan, president of our Transportation Chapter, said of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. “This gets things moving in the right direction.”
Jonathan, who lives in Hallowell, works as the engineering data manager for the Contracts Section of the Maine Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Project Development.
He’s responsible for the DOT’s computer-aided design and support. In his spare time, he, along with a few like-minded citizens across our nation who connected online, have taken it upon themselves to build a nonprofit group, Build the Era. Its purpose is to help everyday people in our communities, states and nation advocate for rethinking and reimagining how infrastructure – everything from roads and bridges to bike paths and walkways – can and should be integrated safely and responsibly into our communities and daily lives. The project came about on Twitter among a handful of individuals, including Jonathan, who supported and volunteered for the 2020 presidential campaign of Pete Buttigieg.
In February 2021, Buttigieg began serving as our nation’s transportation secretary in the Biden administration.
Jonathan, age 42, for years has been active on Twitter. With Buttigieg as transportation secretary, Jonathan saw an opportunity to focus public attention on infrastructure and to help people advocate around it in their communities. He had previously posted on the social media platform Medium on topics like green infrastructure such as roundabouts, and transportation funding. That led to an invitation to join what would become Build the Era to help organize and present a webinar for an introduction to the U.S. Department of
Jonathan French
Please see JONATHAN, Page 4
Fellow Members and Delegates,
When we ran for President and Vice President of our union in 2019, we knew it would be a challenge.
We knew it would change the dynamics of our relationships with our union and those we represent and promised to do our best
to advance our members’
relationship with their union as well. We were prepared for the challenges of being officers of MSEA-SEIU and knowing we would need to expect the unexpected.
What we didn’t expect was a worldwide pandemic. We had to fight from the beginning of our term for workplace safety, hazard pay and meticulously
following the experts from the CDC to fight for the
Joint candidate statement by MSEA-SEIU President Dean Staffieri and MSEA-SEIU Vice President Allison Perkins
best workplace outcomes we could. We were not always successful, but we never stopped trying to get the best our members’ employers would agree on. The work to secure PPE (before employers made it a priority), to calling on masks for those not able to work from home, to making
recommendations to move MSEA- SEIU related gatherings to online venues as swiftly and efficiently as possible was a big lift, yet only a small part of the work.
Our union implemented a name change, thwarted a state shutdown, gained new units, new employees and transitioned nearly all work from our staff to work remotely. Our membership
numbers have stayed strong as Maine celebrated new organizing at exponential rates. All the while,
as a country we witnessed our nation say goodbye to President Donald J. Trump, watched an insurrection at our capital and awaken further in the fight for racial equity.
We have been through much together, as a union and as President and Vice President of MSEA-SEIU, we want to continue the progress we have made in highlighting members’ voices, showing up and standing strong in collective action and growing our membership to be stronger and leader rich.
We have put workers and retirees first and promise to continue to do so in our next term. We ask delegates for your vote for reelection for 2022 and thank you for your continued support and collaboration.
Solidarity Forever,
Dean Staffieri, President of MSEA-SEIU Local 1989, and Allison Perkins, Vice President of MSEA-SEIU Local 1989
Dean Staffieri Allison Perkins
Transportation (USDOT), something Jonathan had never done before. “Being able to help educate people to do their own advocacy was pretty cool,”
he said, explaining how he and his online colleagues earlier this year decided to create Build the Era to help fellow citizens advocate around infrastructure.
Since then, he’s presented in webinars about the prospective U.S. DOT funding legislation. “Then the President put out his American Jobs Plan, which includes the infrastructure legislation, so we started doing webinars on the different aspects of it: climate, safety, equity and jobs,” Jonathan said.
Advocating in support of the American Jobs Plan, and now the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, fits in well with Jonathan’s values because President Biden wants to create more union jobs. Jonathan, who serves on Build the Era’s advisory board, has used its online platform to share his labor and transportation knowledge. “It was a bunch of worlds colliding,” he said, explaining his professional work, his personal values and the urgent needs he sees not just for substantial infrastructure investments but also for rethinking the role of infrastructure in our communities.
All eyes are now on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill endorsed by President Biden, which is up for votes in Congress in the coming weeks. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill is the largest-ever investment in public transit, passenger rail, bridges, and drinking water and wastewater in our nation’s history. It ensures access to high-speed internet and tackles climate change by investing in clean energy transmission.
Jonathan, along with our union, is supporting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and calling on Congress to pass it. He said Maine would stand to gain over
$1.3 billion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill through 2026. It would mean almost $70 million a year for Maine’s transportation system. “It’s a big
JONATHAN FRENCH: INFRASTRUCTURE CAN AND SHOULD MATTER TO ALL
continued from Page 3
deal,” he said. “Our unmet funding need is now over $200 million a year, so it’s a big chunk of that.”
Jonathan says there are two things we all can and should do right away to address
infrastructure needs throughout our communities:
1) Remind Congressman Jared Golden and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree to vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and persuade their colleagues to vote for it as well; and 2) Join Build the Era at buildtheera.com/join and learn how to advocate around infrastructure projects in our local communities that could be funded with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. Build the Era is also on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tiktok and Twitch.
Jonathan sees the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill as a way for our nation to rethink its approach to infrastructure. “Transportation has solved a lot of problems. It’s also created a lot of problems,” he said. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill starts to address those problems. It puts projects under a magnifying glass of climate and equity, when that magnifying glass wasn’t there before.”
Jonathan also sees an urgent need for universal
road user education in our nation. He’s not just talking about education for driver-aged folks. He’s talking K-12 and teaching not just how to drive cars but overall transportation safety involving pedestrians and cyclists. “That’s something we’re missing in the United States,” he said. “We’ve had almost 40,000 deaths a year in the United States. We have one of the worst road user safety records in the developed world.”
That record shouldn’t come as a surprise, Jonathan said, because only 32 states in our nation require formal driver education to be a licensed driver.
Also, only individuals seeking a license, and who can afford to do so, have the opportunity for formal road user education. He wants to change that by removing all barriers to road user education so that eventually all Americans will be able to learn about road user safety and vulnerability.
Jonathan knows about highway safety and design from his experience. If you drive around Maine, odds are you drove through some of his projects. He designed the Orono roundabout project that opened in Orono in 2018 and earned MaineDOT the 2019 Kitty Breskin Project Award presented by the Maine Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
He also designed the West Gardiner Service Plaza roundabout that opened in 2015.
In addition to serving as president of our Transportation Chapter, Jonathan serves as the Labor co-chair of the State Employee Health
Commission, which is responsible for administering the State Employee Health Plan. A member of our political action program, PASER, Political Action by Service Employees and Retirees, Jonathan also testifies regularly before the Maine Legislature, on his own time, in support of fair wages for DOT workers and responsible highway funding. He routinely cites data and statistics in his testimony. “I do my homework,” he said.
Build the Era
Build the Era is a citizens’ group that MSEA- SEIU Transportation Chapter President Jonathan French helped found.
Its purpose is to help everyday people in our communities, states and nation advocate for rethinking and reimagining how infrastructure – everything from roads and bridges to bike paths and walkways – can and should be integrated safely and responsibly into our communities and daily lives.
Build the Era is open to all; to learn more and to join, go to: buildtheera.com/join
2021 MSEA-SEIU Annual Meeting —
Delegates to vote on union elections, proposed 2022 MSEA-SEIU General Operating Budget, resolutions
At our 2021 MSEA-SEIU Annual Meeting on Oct. 15-16, elected delegates will chart our union’s future for 2022 and beyond. They’ll vote in union elections and decide on a 2022 MSEA-SEIU General Operating Budget and on a number of resolutions.
THE PROPOSED 2022 MSEA-SEIU GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET
Members of our MSEA-SEIU Finance Committee and our MSEA-SEIU Board of Directors are recommending passage of the proposed 2022 MSEA-SEIU General Operating Budget. The Finance Committee’s goals:
maintain our level of services; keep dues increases minimal, gradual and predictable; and begin adapting our budget to the “new normal” of remote work and meetings. As such, the proposed operating budget includes a 10 cents a week dues increase for workers.
For retirees, our bylaws call for a 20 cent per month increase in retiree dues based on the retiree cost of living adjustment. The proposed budget reflects increased costs associated with the need to replace our union headquarters in 2022; increased costs in technology;
contractual obligations to our staff; annual increased affiliation costs for the AFL-CIO; increased property taxes;
and added capacity to strengthen our member benefits program. The proposed budget also reflects cost savings in travel costs and in ensuring arbitration and bargaining budgets more accurately reflect recent expenditures.
UNION ELECTIONS
Delegates will vote in elections to fill the terms held by the following MSEA-SEIU members whose terms expire Dec. 31, 2021. Nobody is termed out this year:
President: Dean Staffieri Vice President: Allison Perkins MSEA-SEIU Board of Directors
• Area 1 Directors: Jacob Simmons and David Boudreau. Alternate: Vacant
• Area 2 Directors: Maryann Griffin and Clara Alvarez
• Area 3 Directors: Jason Mitchell and Cal Paquet.
Alternate: Nickole Wesley
• Retiree Director: Steve Butterfield. Alternate:
Ginette Rivard Finance Committee
• Area 2: Ramona Welton and Mark Brunton
• Area 3: Marshall Archer
• Alternates: Elizabeth Cousins and Deidre Kenney, along with two vacancies
VEBA (Voluntary Employee Benefits Association)
• Area I: James Kurtz. Alternate: Lorraine Curtis
• Area 2: Jessica Pomerleau. Alternate: Cynthia Oakes
• Area 3: Scott Redlon. Alternate: Doug Winterich PASER (Political Action by Service Employees and Retirees) (Nominations are made at Annual Meeting)
• Area 1: Ginette Rivard, Kathy Ferrick and Brian Markey. Alternate: George Burgoyne
• Area 2: Steve Keaten and Joseph Allen. Alternate:
Vacant
• Area 3: Rachel Sherman, Peggy Rice and Cynthia Lizotte. Alternate: Nickole Wesley
RESOLUTIONS
Delegates will vote on resolutions that include:
NO. 21-01 TOPIC: Annual Operating Reserve Request SUBMITTED BY: MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 Board of Directors
WHEREAS: we live in times of great uncertainty, and WHEREAS, the budget for MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 is based on a fixed number of members who pay dues, and WHEREAS, MSEA/SEIU Local 1989 membership fluctuates based on circumstances in the economy, and our employers’ ability and desire to hire and retain workers, NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: that the 78th Annual Council allow the Board to take up to
$50,000 out of the operating reserve, if needed, if revenue proves insufficient to continue to meet MSEA-SEIU Local 1989’s financial obligations. FISCAL NOTE FOR THIS RESOLUTION: $50,000 moved from reserve operating account to operating checking account.
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
Ought to Pass
NO. 21-02 TOPIC: ADDITIONAL RETIREE DUES INCREASE FOR 2022
SUBMITTED BY: Retiree Steering Committee & MSEA- SEIU Local 1989 Board of Directors
WHEREAS, many of the current Retiree members of MSEA/SEIU Local 1989 were a big part of the building of a strong member driven organization that represents all its members, both Active and Retired, and
WHEREAS, under the MSEA By-Laws, SECTION 2.7 DUES, Retiree dues increases are governed by “the same percentage as the annual adjustment received by retirees, as determined by the Maine Public Employees Retirement System, rounded up to the nearest 5 cents per month, and WHEREAS, under the MSEA By-Laws, SECTION 2.7 DUES, “Retirees may recommend to the Board of Directors a general increase in Retiree dues over and above those already mentioned above by a majority vote of those present and voting at a Retiree’s Steering Committee meeting.” NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: that the Retirees Steering Committee is recommending that Retiree dues be additionally increased over and above the COLA adjustment of September 2021
Attend your Area Caucus
Attending your Area Caucus is a great way to learn more about: the 2021 MSEA-SEIU Annual Meeting;
candidates for MSEA-SEIU offices, the MSEA-SEIU Board of Directors and union committees; the
proposed 2022 MSEA-SEIU General Operating Budget;
and resolutions to be considered by delegates. Attend your Area caucus and ask any questions you might have:
• Sept. 20, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. - Area 3 Caucus - Maine Turnpike Authority Headquarters, Double Conference Room, 2360 Congress St., Portland
• Sept. 21, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. - Area 2 Caucus - Augusta Civic Center’s Augusta- Capitol-Pine Tree Room (upstairs the North Wing), 76 Community Drive, Augusta
• Sept. 23, 2021, at 6 p.m. - Area 1 Caucus via Zoom meeting
Agenda for each caucus: Proposed MSEA-SEIU 2022 General Operating Budget presentation; Annual Meeting resolutions; candidate statements; legislative and electoral; Board update; other business as necessary.
mentioned above by $0.10/per month beginning January 1, 2022.
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
Ought to Pass
NO. 21-03 TOPIC: By-Laws Change, Section 4:
CHAPTER/LOCALS, 4.9. RETIREE CHAPTER ALLOTMENTS
SUBMITTED BY: Retirees Steering Committee & MSEA- SEIU Local 1989 Board of Directors
WHEREAS, the Retirees continue to recognize the need for a strong organization to represent both Active and Retired Members on all fronts, and WHEREAS, the Retirees continue to see the need for an adequate well funded Operating Reserve and an effective Political Fund that addresses the support for those candidates that have/will support our issues, NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED; that subsection 4.9, RETIREE CHAPTER ALLOTMENTS be amended to read as follows:
4.9 Twenty percent (20%) of the dues collected that are not directed to the political and operating reserves dedicated budget accounts, from each retiree during the fiscal year shall be allocated for chapter allotment expenses. The annual delegate registration fee shall be expenses and the remainder will be returned to each member’s chapter/local in a manner to be determined by the Board of Directors.
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
Ought to Pass
No. 21-04 TOPIC: Staff Appreciation
SUBMITTED BY: MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 Board of Directors
WHEREAS: Working conditions for the Staff of MSEA have run the course from working at MSEA headquarters in familiar surroundings to working from remote locations and dealing with the unfamiliar situation(s), and WHEREAS: The manner in which they have met these challenges and the way they have adapted to these changes in how they were able to continue to service the membership has been greatly appreciated by the membership, NOW, THEREFORE BE RESOLVED: that the MSEA Council recognizes their efforts on our behalf and THANKS them for their efforts and dedication to the cause of the membership.
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
Ought to Pass
NO. 21-05 TOPIC: Member Appreciation
SUBMITTED BY: MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 Board of Directors
WHEREAS: The membership of MSEA/SEIU Local 1989 have been put through a lot of difficulty in 2021, and WHEREAS: The membership has had to overcome a lot of changes in their worksites, jobs, and the manner in which they service the citizens of Maine, and WHEREAS: They have continued to provide those services in an exemplary manner and are a credit to the State and to MSEA, and WHEREAS: They have continued to support and lead the MSEA in its goal to represent our membership in the best practices of good leadership,NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: that the Council recognize the members and leaders, at any level including Committees, Chapters, representation at worksite(s) for their efforts in 2021.
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
Ought to pass
It’s been rewarding to be a MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 Capitol Chapter Delegate to the Annual Meeting for the past three years. I’ve been working physically in the office all year (my position is non-telework-ready), which gives me that perspective in these public health pandemic times.
I look forward to serving you further in our union, and sincerely appreciate your vote for MSEA’s Board of Directors for Area 2.
In Solidarity, Mike
Area 3 Cal Paquet
Hello my union brothers and sisters, my name is Cal Paquet and I have been employed by the Maine Turnpike Authority for over 20 years. I joined MSEA and became active in my chapter as soon as I could so that I could learn the union ways and help others when I could.
I am currently the president of the Maine Turnpike Chapter, an MSEA Area 3 director, and a chief steward.
I have worked in a variety of roles over the past 20 years to continuously learn more about the many diverse functions of MSEA. I have been a member of bargaining teams, grievance committees, the MSEA Board’s executive committee, and have consistently been a delegate to the MSEA Annual Meeting.
I always have and will continue to work hard for the membership of MSEA. I am hopeful to encourage and include more members to be engaged, active, and involved for the greater good of us ALL. Solidarity and commitment will not only retain but help to grow our strength!
I’ve seen a lot of challenges, changes and growth during my years with MSEA. I’m proud of our union, its members, its staff and its ability to improvise and adapt. I will always strive to work toward moving MSEA forward in the most thoughtful and positive of ways. We have stood strong in the face of adversity and it has strengthened our resolve.
If you would be so inclined, I would be honored to serve another term as an Area 3 director.
In Solidarity, Cal Paquet
Retiree Director Steve Butterfield
My name is Steven Butterfield and I live in Hallowell.
I am running for reelection to the MSEA-SEIU, Local 1989 Board of Directors as a Retiree Director because there is still a great deal of work to do. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on our way of life as well as the operations of our Union! However, through all of the issues and stumbling blocks along the way, our Union has still made great strides for both active workers and retirees.
I have been around MSEA for most of my life. My Area 1
Dave Boudreau I am excited to announce my decision to run for the Board in the upcoming term. I am a Transportation Worker for Maine DOT, where I am a steward. I currently hold the role as Treasurer for my local chapter as well as a current member of the Board.
I look forward to working together to continue our efforts to make sure we have a fair and most importantly a safe work environment.
Thank you in advance for your support. Dave Boudreau
Jacob Simmons
My name is Jacob Simmons, and I’ve been a Math Teacher at Maine Maritime Academy for over 10 years.
For seven of those years I’ve been president of the faculty union. I’ve worked on three separate contract negotiations, including one that was a painful two-and- a-half year long slog.
The faculty unit is just one of three separate MSEA chapters housed at Maine Maritime, and when I joined there was a lot of inter-unit mistrust. I saw in my first negotiation how the administration was able to use that mistrust to pit us against each other during negotiations. Since then, we’ve worked hard to build a relationship between our two biggest units and this year we’ve negotiated an official Labor-Management committee that includes members from all units. These experiences have taught me a lot about the bargaining table, communication and organizing. I recently decided that the next step was to reach out beyond Maine Maritime. So I ran to fill a vacant director’s seat in Area 1 earlier this summer. I ask you to reelect me as a director so I can continue to learn and contribute at the state level.
Area 2 Michael Hein
Sisters and Brothers of MSEA,
My name is Michael Hein, and I ask for your vote for MSEA’s Board of Directors, Area 2. I am currently an MSEA Board member for Area 2, but have also served as an MSEA Alternate Board member earlier this year.
I joined MSEA my first day on the job in 2016, and signed up to be a PASER monthly donor a short while later. My current position is non-supervisory, a clerk with the DHHS Service Center in Augusta. I live with my wife and our three cats (Jesse, Peanut, and Oskar), near Waterville. Due to the nature of my work and home life, I can commit the time and effort expected of a full Board member.
I’ve been active again this year with the Central Maine Labor Council (where I am Secretary), participated in the Labor Lobby Day, MSEA’s COPE (Committee on Political Education) Convention call, and most of MSEA’s Board meetings this year.
MSEA President Dean Staffieri reappointed me to the Membership Benefits Committee again this year. I’m also a member of Food and Medicine (FAM) in Brewer, which organizes the Solidarity Harvest food baskets each fall.
Michael
Hein Cal
Paquet Steve
Butterfield
Candidates for MSEA-SEIU Board of Directors
father was a Board Director, Vice President and President. I knew about what MSEA was, what MSEA did and how MSEA worked before I learned what multiplication tables were!
During my nearly 47
years with MSEA, I have seen many changes.
Many good changes and some bad changes but no matter what the Union was always better and stronger for it. Some of the things that worked were” old ideas”
but they worked. Just because something is old doesn’t mean you throw it away. We’ve all been around for a long time now and we’ve seen just about everything!
Always remember…Retirees did it first!
We need new forms of communication tailored for retirees, expansion of MSEA retiree programs, development of retiree programs geared toward non-state retirees and to ensure that retiree rights are always heard and always fought for both internally and within the Legislature and the Retirement System. We have accomplished a lot, but there is always more that can be done.
I have been advocating for retirees benefits, rights and fairness for most of my adult life and I want to continue doing that as your Retiree Director. To do that…I ask for your vote for reelection.
Alternate Retiree Director Ginette Rivard
The role of the Alternate Retiree Director is to stay informed throughout the year and be available as needed to fill in when a Retiree Director is not available. I believe I can fulfill both conditions and I ask for members of the Retiree Caucus for their votes.
Thank you.
Ginette Rivard Jacob
Simmons Dave
Boudreau
Nominations please: Our 2020 and 2021 MSEA-SEIU Lifetime
Achievement Awards
Our union is accepting nominations for the 2020 and 2021 MSEA-SEIU Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Because no award was presented in 2020 due to the pandemic, it is the intention of the members of the MSEA-SEIU Retirees Steering Committee to present two Lifetime Achievement Awards at our 2021 Annual Meeting.
Anyone can nominate a living MSEA-SEIU retiree member for the Lifetime Achievement Award. Go to bit.ly/2020-2021Lifetime to print out a nomination form. Then follow the directions to submit it. Or call 207-624-0609 to request a form. Nominations must be made using the nomination form.
Past recipients of the MSEA-SEIU Lifetime Achievement Award are, 2019: Lois Baxter;
2018: Bob Ruhlin; 2017: Bob Galloupe;
2016: Bill Deering; 2015: John Hinkley;
2014: Jackie Roach; and 2013: Frank Kadi.
Congratulations, 2021 MSEA-SEIU scholarship winners!
One of the benefits of MSEA-SEIU membership is our annual scholarship program for dependents of MSEA-SEIU members and for MSEA-SEIU members themselves. Congratulations to our 2021 winners:
Richard J. McDonough ($1,500)
Hailey Haskell, daughter of David Haskell of our Central Maine Chapter, is attending University of Southern Maine in Portland.
Howard L. Bowen ($1,000)
Rowan Goebel-Bain, son of Michael Goebel-Bain and Angela Goebel-Bain, both members of our Capitol Chapter, is attending Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H.
Murray L. Brown ($1,000)
Liana Gobin, daughter of Matthew Young of our Scott Austin/Eastside Chapter, is attending Plymouth State University in Plymouth, N.H.
Hailey
Haskell Rowan
Goebel-Bain Liana
Gobin Leah
Collins Aaron
Guy Paeshance
Horan Kait
Crawford Randeelynn
Dresser Charity Garland
George A. Davala ($1,000)
Leah Collins, daughter of Stanley L. Collins Jr.
of our Local 1 Chapter, is attending Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor.
Area I Community College ($750)
Leah Collins, daughter of Stanley L. Collins Jr.
of our Local 1 Chapter, is attending Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor.
Area II Community College ($750)
Aaron Raymond Guy, son of Charles Guy of our Transportation Chapter, is attending Central Maine Community College in Auburn.
Area III Community College ($750)
Paeshance Rae Horan, daughter of David Haskell of our Central Maine Chapter, is attending
University of Southern Maine in Portland.
MSEA-SEIU Member Scholarship ($500)
Mary Kaitlyn Crawford, a member of our Motor Vehicle Chapter, is attending Southern Maine Community College in South Portland..
MSEA-SEIU Member Scholarship ($500) Randeelynn Dresser, a member of our Judicial Chapter, is attending University of Maine at Augusta.
MSEA-SEIU Scholarship ($500)
Charity Joy Garland, daughter of Robert Garland Jr of our Hancock Chapter, is attending University of Maine at Augusta.
The Wayne Hollingworth Scholarship ($500) Randeelynn Dresser, a member of our Judicial Chapter, is attending University of Maine at Augusta.
that reflects what we all need to live, work, and thrive. On Aug. 28, 100 workers showed up at the Burlington, Portland and Manchester health centers to rally and support each other as we continue our fight. We are committed and we are united and strong as we continue the fight for our first contract.
American Civil Liberties Union of Maine
We’ve been in negotiations for several months and seen progress on a number of non-economic articles but are now waiting for management’s response to wages, time off and other key issues as we continue to work toward our first contract.
Maine Community College System Staff and Supervisory Bargaining Units
Staff Unit: Members of our Staff Unit bargaining team at the Maine Community College System are in bargaining. Key issues include remote work, compensation and hazard pay. Our Staff Unit bargaining team members are Travis Lawson, Scott Thibodeau, Tammy Putnam, Dan Corbett and Eric Clark.
Supervisory Unit: Members of the Supervisory Unit at the Maine Community College System are gearing up for bargaining.
Maine Maritime Academy Staff, Faculty and Supervisors Bargaining Units
Staff, Support and Professional (SSP) Unit:
REPRESENTATIONAL SERVICES BARGAINING ROUNDUP
continued from Front Page
The bargaining team for the Staff, Support and Professional Unit at Maine Maritime Academy has reached a tentative contractual agreement. Team members are: Jake Adams, Tom Lamontanaro and Karla Glick.
Faculty Unit: The bargaining team for the Faculty Unit at Maine Maritime Academy is in negotiations with management. Team members are: Jake Simmons, David Sorich, Stephen Cole, Sarah O’Malley, Donald McCann and David Avery.
Supervisors Unit: Bargaining for the Supervisors Unit at Maine Maritime Academy is pending.
Judicial Branch of Maine State Government
MSEA-SEIU members in all three of our Judicial Branch bargaining units — Administrative Services, Professional Services and Supervisory Services — have ratified their new contracts. In addition to many other contractual gains, the new contracts include these compensation gains:
• $650 lump sum effective 8/1/2021.
• 2% COLA effective at the beginning of the pay period including 9/1/2021.
• Effective at the beginning of the pay period including 12/1/2021, the salary scales will be
• adjusted to add a new highest step and drop the lowest step, equivalent to a 4% raise.
• 1.5% COLA effective at the beginning of the pay period including 7/1/2022.
Julia Ackerly joins MSEA-SEIU staff as a field representative
Julia Ackerly (she/her) has joined our union’s staff as a Field Representative. Julia has worked across the country on pro-worker initiatives. Prior to her work as an organizer, she was a student activist and worked at a lobster shack for many years
Originally from New England, Julia is thrilled to be a part of the labor movement in Maine with MSEA-SEIU. “I couldn’t be more excited to stand alongside MSEA-SEIU members in our fight for security and dignity for Maine workers,” she said.
MSEA-SEIU Members at the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Heard of Hearing/
Governor Baxter School for the Deaf are united in bargaining their next contract.
about working through the ongoing pandemic, and about faithfully delivering services Maine people are counting on now more than ever. These stories reached tens of thousands of Mainers in support of fair contracts and quality public services, and helped build the community and legislative support we needed to secure fair contracts. Our collective advocacy left the administration no choice but to begin addressing the state employee pay gap.
We’re pleased to report that with the tentative agreement we reached Aug. 18 with the Mills administration, for the second straight round of contract negotiations, we didn’t give up anything.
There are zero takebacks. All of your existing contractual rights continue. While there’s still more work to be done, our tentative agreement moves pay for state employees in the right direction and also provides a process for continuing to focus the administration on addressing the state employee pay gap. It creates a process and a timeline for the Mills administration to make recommendations on how to address the pay gap and the classification and compensation issues to the Legislature.
Go here for a detailed summary of our tentative agreement: bit.ly/TAsummary2021-2023. Below are the key gains relating to compensation. The tentative agreement includes:
• An across-the-board 2 percent pay raise with the start of the pay week starting closest to Dec.
1, 2021;
• A $2,000 one-time payment for all employees, pro-rated for seasonal, part-time and
intermittent employees, with the start of the pay week starting closest to Dec. 1, 2021;
• An across-the-board 4 percent pay raise starting with the pay week closest to July 1, 2022;
• On Dec. 15, 2021, all state-worker salary schedules that are below $15 an hour will be increased to $15 an hour – Any employee who is on a step lower than the highest step that is at or above $15 per hour shall be placed at the lowest step that is at or above $15 per hour following this change. Such changes shall not impact an employee’s salary review date.
This $15 an hour wage floor will go a long way toward addressing recruitment and retention in many of the state’s job classifications, including but not limited to customer service representatives and park rangers at Maine’s state parks, laborers at the Maine Department of Transportation and office assistants at Maine DHHS.
• The tentative agreement states that a good- faith effort will be made to complete the full classification and compensation study by March 31, 2022 (the market pay study is complete but the classification study isn’t and the overall report, including recommendations, isn’t complete). If the study isn’t completed by then, the administration must report to the Legislature with the current status and an
RATIFICATION VOTE UNDER WAY IN EXECUTIVE BRANCH BARGAINING
continued from Front Page
estimate of when it will be completed. Once the study is completed, the administration must report the findings and produce a plan to address any and all recommendations to the Legislature.
Again, read a detailed summary of the entire tentative agreement here:
bit.ly/TAsummary2021-2023.
In addition to the wage gains listed above, the tentative agreement also contains other improvements to our contracts, including but not limited to:
Mileage reimbursement: The mileage
reimbursement rate will increase from 45 cents to 46 cents per mile effective Oct. 1, 2022.
Holidays: Juneteenth is added as a paid state holiday.
Telework: New contractual language requires the State to comply with the Work Rules article in creating new or modified telework policies.
This new language creates a process by which employees can request to telework and appeal the decision to the appointing authority if the employee isn’t satisfied with the decision. The decision of the appointing authority isn’t subject to the grievance procedure.
Childbearing and adoption leave: Paid leave will be increased from 14 calendar days to 28 calendar days – the leave must be taken continuously but can be begun at any time up to eight weeks after the birth or adoption of the child/children.
Childcare reimbursement: Income levels will be increased to reflect the raises from the 2019-2021 contract. Clarifying language added to reflect the current practice of relying solely on Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) for eligibility. Language also added to allow two State employee parents to each qualify independently, as long as each has sufficient, separate qualifying expenses.
Unit-specific contractual gains: Read our detailed summary of the entire tentative agreement for other gains impacting Correctional workers;
Transportation Workers, TCLs and TCSs;
Emergency Communications Specialists; Medical Examiner Assistants; Motor Carrier Inspectors;
and Soils Site Evaluator.
These negotiations have really brought all of us together in a way we haven’t seen in years, and that’s no small feat given the pandemic we’re all working through. The solidarity and support we’ve all shown for each other and the work we do empowers us to keep fighting for an even better future for all of us, so let’s keep this momentum going! Stay safe! In Solidarity,Your Executive Branch Bargaining Team:
Administrative Services
Amanda Kovats: mandamk452@gmail.com Tracy Bonnevie: tbonnevie65@gmail.com Operations, Maintenance & Support Services McKedra Clements: Darkwater_007@yahoo.com Glenn Jalbert: jalbertglenn@gmail.com
Jeff Mace: Jbmone1960@gmail.com Professional-Technical Services
Brian Campbell: bcamp_1999@yahoo.com Ramona Welton: rcwelton@roadrunner.com JB Whipple: jbw8621@gmail.com
Supervisory Services
Winifred Malia: wmermalia@aol.com
Cynthia Sargent: Cynthiasargent30@gmail.com Jon Woodard: Woody12a@yahoo.com
MSEA-SEIU Leaders Dean Staffieri, President:
Dean.staffieri@mseaseiu.org Allison Perkins, Vice President allison.perkins@mseaseiu.org
Ratification process
Digital ballots went out via email Aug. 30.
Digital voting will remain open throughout the polling period.
There will also be a mailed ballot option for those who do not vote digitally and the paper ballots were mailed out Sept.
8. MSEA-SEIU members are likely to start seeing them in their mailboxes by Sept. 13- 15. All ballots are due, either submitted digitally or paper ballot received, at the union office by 5 p.m. Oct 7. Results will be tallied on the evening of Oct 7.
Only dues-paying members of MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 can vote in the ratification vote.
Detailed summary of our tentative agreement:
bit.ly/TAsummary2021-2023
Did you know? PASER members make the difference! Join today!
Our advocacy this year in the Maine Legislature for LD 1735, An Act To Fund Collective Bargaining Agreements with
Executive Branch Employees, increased funding for State of Maine Executive Branch
raises to up to $75 million. This helped us secure the financial gains in our Executive Branch tentative agreement. Members of our political action program PASER, Political
Action by Service Employees and Retirees, helped ensure LD 1735’s enactment.
Become a PASER member today! Email us at PASER@mseaseiu.org to sign up!
