TOP STORY
Breaking: Legislature OKs budget deal
SEA/SEIU Local 1984 President Rich Gulla responds to new agreement
On Wednesday, the Legislature approved a budget agreement months after Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed the budget originally passed by lawmakers.
“We’re happy to see this budget agreement, which will ensure our state will continue to provide the vital services our residents depend on,” SEA/SEIU Local 1984 President Rich Gulla said. “The inclusion of funding for Medicaid reimbursements and the next state employee contract are important, but it’s still troubling knowing those come with massive back-of-the-budget cuts and preservation of Gov. Sununu’s tax cuts for out-of-state corporations.” Continue reading on our website.
CONVENTION 2019
13 members step forward for BOD elections
The Annual Convention of SEA/SEIU Local 1984 is set for Saturday, Oct. 19, at Merrill Place Conference Center in Plymouth. This one-day convention will include annual awards, votes on proposed amendments and resolutions, and elections for numerous positions of the Board of Directors.
In all, 13 candidates submitted self-nomination forms for positions on the Board of Directors. You can find these candidates and other relevant information on the Convention 2019 page on our website.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
TA voting underway for some state sub-units
In addition to negotiations on the state master contract, many state agencies bargain for workplace-level changes in what’s called sub-unit bargaining. Just as with the master bargaining team, this process can lead to tentative agreements, and it can also lead to impasse. Here is a quick status update on the sub-unit bargaining process.
The sub-units listed below are in the process of voting on tentative agreements. You should be receiving a ballot in the mail for voting.
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Division of Juvenile Justice Services
- New Hampshire Employment Security
- Department of Corrections Officer Supervisors/Investigators
- Department of Corrections Line Staff
- Adjutant General
- Liquor Retail
The following units are at impasse:
- Department of Transportation
- New Hampshire Hospital
- Department of Safety
- Department of Information Technology
- New Hampshire Veterans Home
Here’s what led DOT team to declare impasse
On September 5, the DOT sub-unit team declared impasse with the State. We are moving into mediation as required under RSA 273-A. In our fight for fair wages and benefits, the bargaining team has expressed strong arguments and even stronger sentiments on behalf of DOT workers. You can see the major sticking points on our website.
SEA STAFF CHANGES
Please help us welcome our new additions
SEA/SEIU Local 1984 has added three new staff members in recent weeks, and we hope you’ll join us in welcoming them. The three positions – Organizing Director, Political Director and IT Specialist – are critical to our growth, and we’re confident the new additions will help us win for working people. Continue reading on our website.
MEMBERS IN ACTION
Join Us And Help End 68 Hours Of Hunger
Through the end of October, SEA/SEIU Local 1984 and the New Hampshire Liquor Commission are teaming up to benefit End 68 Hours of Hunger. You can drop off food and financial donations at liquor outlets throughout the state to help fight childhood hunger.
A quarter of children in the U.S. live in food-insecure homes – those children depend on free and reduced school lunch and breakfast. End 68 Hours of Hunger works to fill the 68-hour gap between school lunch on Friday and breakfast on Monday by providing bags of non-perishable food to these children. This partnership came about thanks to those members at the Liquor Commission working with the SEA’s Campaign for Public Good and Liquor Commission leadership. In addition to financial contributions, we are specifically seeking the following items for this drive:
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Peanut butter (plastic, 10-18 oz. jars)
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Canned tuna (5 oz. cans)
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Canned fruit (14-16 oz. cans)
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Canned soup (15-19 oz. cans)
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Upcoming SEA/SEIU Local 1984 events
Here’s some of what’s happening in the coming weeks and months:
Movie night: Our movie night returns tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 26, with the New Hampshire premiere screening of “Supressed: The Fight to Vote.” The film uses first-hand accounts to paint a picture of massive voter suppression efforts for the 2018 election in Georgia. Brave New Films provided us with the opportunity to host this premiere, which the SEA is co-sponsoring with a number of our community allies and our own Lavender Caucus, Campaign for Public Good and Social Activities Committee. The event begins at 5 p.m. for a social hour to be followed by the screening and discussion. You can RSVP on Facebook.
Mohegan Sun bus trip: There are still some seats remaining for our all-day excursion to Mohegan Sun in Connecticut this Saturday, Sept. 28. The trip, which is sponsored by the Social Activities Committee, is a great deal at $35 per person. That covers round-trip transportation (with six hours on site), plus a $15 meal voucher and a $15 betting voucher. This trip is a benefit for SEA/SEIU Local 1984 members, but you can bring guests with you. You can get your tickets here.
Sgt. Bettens memorial 5K race: Members at the Department of Corrections are organizing a 5K road race on Oct. 26 to benefit the children of Sgt. Patrick Bettens. Bettens was killed on Sept. 5, 2018, while riding his bike on North Main Street in Concord. You can pre-register for the race online and save $5. You can find a signup link and more information on our website.