HUMAN SERVICE WORKERS FIGHT...

AND WIN!!

Major Victories Across the State!
In April, after workers at 15 different agencies, representing 2500 union members, voted 92% in favor of striking for quality care and quality jobs, we immediately saw the fruits of our efforts.  Throughout the chapter, contract negotiations changed dramatically.   Facing real strike threats, management at several agencies backed down from hardline positions and handed the workers victories.

One work day from a strike, members at LifeLinks won a great contract, making huge gains on leave time and job security policies, getting their first wage scale with step increases, and winning benefits for 30-hour employees.

At Walnut Street, we won raises, mileage increases, and leave improvements.

MSPCC-West workers defeated management’s move to convert all salaried clinicians to fee-for-service, and won seniority-based pay increases and a mileage increase.

Our 700+ members at Eliot called off a strike when management offered us much of what we asked for, including large raises for relief staff and restrictions on forced overtime. The final settlement won us salary reserve matches for everyone earning under $40K, 401k employer contributions, and health insurance for fee-for-service clinicians.

Our members at Better Community Living won a 7.5% increase over three years, in addition to whatever quality care funds the state makes available, and Coastline Elder Services workers bested even that with 10.5%!

At CMHS, we held off give-backs on health insurance and leave time, and won an across-the-board wage increase.

ServiceNet members are voting on a contract agreement that gives us a 3%/year increase, raises the company’s share of health insurance costs from 80% to 85%, has the employer paying for cell phones, and increases the weekend and shift differential to $1.50 an hour.

At Edinburg, we got a 1% raise plus 3% steps, and a 5% raise for fee-for-service (FFS) clinicians. Mental health residential and supported housing staff are reclassified to higher paid job grades. We will have wage and health insurance reopeners in 2009 and 2010. We improved our continuing education benefits and also won some new benefits, including flexible spending accounts, annual payments for staff who elect to get health care coverage through another source, and a $20/month reimbursement for workers who require cell phones to perform their job duties. FFS clinicians won paid time off for jury duty and the ability to work 40 hours per week if they want.

Workers at Family Services of Greater Boston (Clerical and Facilities Unit) received a $750 signing bonus on top of a 3% raise during each year of their new contract; hiring rates were increased. Members will get 23 working days vacation after one year of employment.

Our members at Clinical and Support Options have ratified a contract that increases FFS rates, gives a 3% anniversary date increase, boosts the weekend and shift differential, makes Christmas eve a holiday, and provides for wage re-openers on May 1 of the next two years.

Mail ballots are being counted for a contract settlement at Tapestry Health that includes a 3% increase for 2007/8 and 3.5% for 2008/9, a new bilingual differential, and upgrades for counselors and clinicians.

Maple Valley won an average wage increase of over 24% in their new contract. They also got a $50/shift bonus for volunteering for open shifts, three added personal days (converted from sick days), a monthly good attendance bonus, a paid day off for Easter, many language improvements, and more.

Members at Central Boston Elder Services ratified an agreement that gives them a 4.5% raise the first year, increases annual step raises and maximum salaries, raises mileage reimbursement to the IRS rate, provides more money for tuition reimbursement, and establishes a pilot program allowing members to work at home two days a month.

Nearly half the members at Old Colony Elder Services turned out on the final night of negotiations to support their bargaining team, and it made the difference. The new contract raises salaries 10% and provides 3% signing bonus, as well as bilingual pay, increases in on-call and Protective Service beeper compensation, and language allowing members to work at home two days a month.

In our wage reopener at Fidelity House, we averted a second strike and ratified an agreement that provides $15,000 for bonuses. We refused to withdraw an Unfair Labor Practice charge over management’s threat to “terminate” worker health insurance if they went on strike; we want them to know that intimidation practices will have consequences.

Everywhere, we have held out for and won critically important quality care language that will make us eligible for the state funding we have been working so hard for.  Being united and willing to take action has made the difference!