YOUR CHOICE FOR AN INDEPENDENT VOICE!

Representing 5400 members
including
staff at the Vermont State Colleges

While you are waiting and wondering when the University will decide to reveal whether its employees (you!) are going to receive any raises this year, consider the raises given to the top administrators at UVM over the last two years.

Here is an example:

FY13 FY14 Diff. Percentage

Al Turgeon	Sr. Strategist for Planning and Risk Management	$121,380	$124,900	$3,520	2.90%
Alberto Citarella	University Budget Director	$125,000	$133,770	$8,770	7.02%
Anna Drummond	Chief Compliance Officer	$140,760	$144,842	$4,082	2.90%
Annie Stevens	Associate VP for Student & Campus Life	$151,292	$190,000	$38,708	25.58%
Antonio Cepeda-Benito	Dean, College of Arts & Sciences	$250,000	$257,250	$7,250	2.90%
Barbara L. Johnson	Associate VP Human Resource Services	$156,825	$161,373	$4,548	2.90%

Click HERE for the full excel sheet of the upper administration org chart FY13-FY14 salary raise comparison

More and more money is going to fund UVM's top administration.

To date, staff have received no annual wage increase.

IS THIS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU?

Fact: Most of us university-wide are doing more

work with fewer co-workers.

Fact: We are ALL waiting to hear from the Administration whether our work is of enough value to be granted the respect of a wage increase to recognize both our work and commitment on behalf of students, faculty and the university.

Fact: All of the above AND we do not have the security of a contract or the power to negotiate with the administration as equal parties over the important issues that concern our workplace and our working conditions.

_______________________________________

As it has been said before by our friends in the

Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers:

"WE CAN'T EAT PRESTIGE!"

If you are tired of what has been going on over the past several years, you now have a choice. You can wait to see what the administration decides to do, or you can take action - sign a card with VSEA and join HUNDREDS of colleagues in forming a union!

The steadfast way to a successful election is for each of you who already support this, to talk with your co-workers and share with them why you want to work for positive change. Tell your co-workers why having a union is important to you!

The time is NOW! Take a stand and make a positive change in your workplace.

Check out the VSEA website

Email for details and more information

WHY do HUNDREDS of UVM Staff support forming a union and joining VSEA?

voice at work

Come find out at the next

UniTea event:

Tuesday July 22nd

and on Tuesdays through August

Time: 12:00-1:00PM

LOCATION: OLD MILL RM 225

It is a drop-in style gathering to answer your questions- so come on over!

Join your colleagues for iced tea and (usually homemade) cookies and get some solid information and get your questions answered!

Bring your friends/co-workers! No question is too small!

Come check out some of the possibilities of what is possible when you have the power and strength of working collectively as a union.

Get it on your calendar!

UniTeas are every Tuesday in OLD MILL THROUGH AUGUST

Excerpt from Sarah Ballou's letter below:

"Let's face it, I trust my colleagues to make the best decisions to protect our jobs, and raise standards for students and staff more than I do the higher-ups. We are the experts when it comes to the work that we do."

Letter of Support from a VSEA Member:

Hello. Let me first introduce myself. My name is Sarah Ballou and I am an Admissions Specialist at Vermont Technical College in Randolph. I grew up here in Vermont, and am proud to be working over the last six years at my Alma mater. I am equally proud to be a member and leader within my union, the Vermont State Employees Association (VSEA).

As the office manager of our small Admissions Department, I have a hand in every piece of our work. When we experienced a layoff, I felt it. In this situation, because I am a union member, there was a process to explore alternatives, fair protections for all, severance packages, recall rights, and resources for the remaining employees. Had I not had the support of my union, I would have been at the mercy of my employer.

I've been in the workforce long enough to know, that often our employers handle situations very differently than those of us on the frontlines would. Having a union means that our voices can play a real role in determining how to run our department, and ultimately, our campus. Let's face it, I trust my colleagues to make the best decisions to protect our jobs, and raise standards for students and staff more than I do the higher-ups. We are the experts when it comes to the work that we do.

Apart from increased wages, job security and benefits, the thing that I value the most about being a Union member is the comradery and support I feel from my fellow union members. I enjoy my job even more knowing that I can come to work and know that I am supported. Having the protections of a contract and co-workers who are trained at enforcing it, means that I don't experience the stress of wondering what could happen if my supervisor doesn't like me or a big change comes down from the Administration without any input from staff. That piece of mind is invaluable to me.

I hope that you all will consider joining us in VSEA. We would be proud to have you all as members of our union, and together, we could really improve the higher education system here in Vermont. I have had a great experience in VSEA and a better working experience at VTC because of VSEA.

Sarah Ballou, VTC Admissions Specialist

VT State Colleges Executive Board Member

Proud Member of VSEA

MORE ABOUT VSEA

What Is the Vermont State Employees' Association?

The Vermont State Employees' Association is an independent union of over 5,400 Vermont workers that have joined together to have a voice in the decisions that affect our jobs.

In addition to the clerical and technical staff at the Vermont State Colleges, our union consists of state employees.

At the core of the union's program is the work that members and union staff do together to bargain contracts with management and ensure that these agreements are upheld in each of our workplaces.

VSEA has a team of professional staff to support members in enforcing the contracts, training workplace stewards, carrying out direct action on key issues, lobbying, communications and legal support.