Dear USA Members,

     The union was notified last week along with ten of our members in Print Services that one of them was being laid off and the others are to have their hours reduced to 80% time.  I met with the affected members on Tuesdayand we will be requesting information from the University to help deal with this situation.  Thus far the University has followed the contact and they are citing the reason for the layoffs as follows: Layoff notices were given to the following USA/MTA employees in Print Services.  This action is being taken due to declining revenues caused by declining volume of print jobs for Print Services.   They also say that should the volume of work increase then they will try to restore the employees hours. Our union brothers and sisters are being harmed and we can help avoid this from happening.  For those of you who have the opportunity please consider sending your print jobs to Print Services here on campus.  I understand that they will match prices from oustide vendors and I recommend you call and have a conversation with members over there.  I have recently heard some disturbing news that folks are being told not to use Print Services because they don't do a good job, this is totally not true.  I have used their services now for years and they have improved tremendously and I know many areas on campus that do use them.  Please spread the word about the travesty that is happening here on a public university campus.  Remember that an injury to one is an injury to all and they could be coming after your job next.  If you have any questions or comments please contact me or feel free to start a blog on this website on this issue. 

In solidarity,

Donna

Happy 2010!!! Some members of the executive board and I recently met with area legislators to discuss how we can work together to get revenue for the UMass system so that we are not constantly fighting to get our contracts funded and so we are not constantly dealing with impending lay-offs.  While doing this we need to keep in mind that we are not the only group in the Commonwealth that is looking for revenues to keep services that are desperately needed.  With that said we felt it would be a great opportunity to have Representative Jay Kaufman, House Chairman of the Joint Committee on Revenues come to a meeting with all unions on campus to discuss ways in which we can raise revenues in the Commonwealth. 

So you are all invited on February 5th from 12-1:30 in CC 101 to come join us and have a discussion about how we can solve some of the deficits we face.  I am hoping that those who come will be there to come up with creative ways to change things and not to point the finger at those who have graciously come to work with us.  I firmly believe that if we anger our elected officials they will tune us out and we will never resolve the issues we all face.  So if you want to be part of the solution and not the problem come join us on the 5th and let's try to change the state we are in.  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me or call my cell.

 USA members,

Paul Toner, vice-President of the MTA, is a trustee on the Group Insurance Commission representing labor and despite his best efforts to veto any changes the following has happened:

Mid-year plan design changes.  I am disappointed to report that at the GIC meeting this morning, the Commission voted to make the plan-design changes. These deductibles and co-pays will be effective on February 1, 2010, and each enrollee will be notified about the changes in advance.  These changes will not apply to enrollees participating in the Medicare supplemental plans, but will apply to all other GIC plans.  Because of these changes, premiums will be reduced and enrollees will see a slight decrease in their share of the premium costs.    The Commonwealth’s Health Savings Account enrollment period is extended until 12/4 and state employees can increase their contributions in light of these changes.  The “savings” generated by this cost-shift was reported to be about 18.8 million dollars; short of the projected deficit of 35 million dollars.  

Paul Toner

So, as you can see the timeline for the health savings account has been extended and I encourage all of you to take a look at joining or increasing your totals.  Clearly this is yet another example of the Commonwealth balancing their budget on our backs.  And further evidence that we need to talk to our legislators about raising revenues here in the Commonwealth.  Please send an email or call your area legislators and tell them we need them to do their jobs and to raise revenues, starting with raising the state income tax back to 5.95% and gently remind them that balancing the budget on the backs of state employees is not acceptable.

On a brighter note I would like to take a moment to wish all of you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving. While times are tough all over we can be thankful for what we do have, our families, our friends, food on our tables, and our health.  So take some time this Thanksgiving holiday to thank someone you love and as always please say a great big thanks to our men and women who are serving in the armed forces to protect us all. 

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving,

Donna

USA members,The MTA has announced that it is endorsing Mike Capuano for US Senator.  In Mike's own words, "the question is not whether any of us can truly replace Ted Kennedy, because we cannot.  The question is which candidate has the passion, the will, and the skills to best continue his work?"  The Candidate Recommendation Committee interviewed all candidates that showed up for the process and Mike Capuano got an A+ for his committment to both K-12 and higher education as well as health care, middle class tax cuts, and a balanced budget to name a few.  If you need more info on Mike please go to www.mikecapuano.com . 

In solidarity,

Donna

Dear USA members,
The PHENOM network is hosting a story telling event this week Thursday November 19^th, 2009 from 12-1 pm at the Cape Cod Lounge which is the same time as our membership meeting.  They have asked me to find out if any of you would be willing to send them your story about how the budget crisis is affecting your life here at UMass.  I think we all could tell a story about how we are doing much more work due to budget cuts for the same pay we had 2 years ago.  If you are interested and want to send your story they are accepting them via email at   tippingpoint.phenom@gmail.com .  Please share your stories so that we may help this event be successful as well as get our stories out there.  Thanks and I hope to see you all at the membership meeting in Room 162-75.

Donna Johnson

Dear USA members,
Today is National Education Support Professionals Day and I just wanted to say thanks to all of you for what you do.  I know there are times when we feel unappreciated and I think it's nice that we have a day to recognize all the good that we do.  So take a moment to reflect on the good and if you feel like sharing then compliment a co-worker by wishing them a happy day also.  So thank you all for what you do day in and day out, I appreciate each and every one of you. 

In solidarity, Donna

First let me assure all of you that I have not been approached by the University about any give backs or furloughs and if and when they do approach us i will be telling them no thank you.  Before we could consider any type of "givebacks" the University would have to let all the 03's on campus go.  I understand the concern that they are threatening layoffs but they can't guarantee us that even if we give back our COLA's or agree to furloughs that layoffs won't happen.  I just received an email from the MTA who was called to a meeting (along with other public sector union representatives) with a representative of Administration and Finance on behalf of the Governor. The following information was just sent to me:

This meeting apparently was a component of the Governor’s strategy following his announcement that the recalculation of tax revenue required by October 15 was projected as $600 million short during this budget year.  In his announcement and reported in all the newspapers was a projection that 2,000 jobs would have to be eliminated by the first of the year.

You have also read that he was going to reach out to the unions to explore cost saving measures including furloughs.  During yesterday’s meeting the Governor’s representative outlined what he was seeking as a “concept”.  The following is that concept.

• To delay the effective date of our yet to be funded contracts by one year, with the caveat that, if revenue targets improve, the effective date could be six months earlier (January 2011, e.g. for those with contracts starting July 1, 2009) and to work together to have them funded.  No hard proposal about targets was provided. 

• Governor’s commitment not to pursue increases in health care premium splits or co-pays from now until the end of FY 11.

• Governor’s commitment “to the highest degree possible” that any concessions would offset layoffs.

• Negotiated mandatory furloughs with the knowledge that even with furloughs there will be layoffs.  There was no mention of how many days.

• That the administration is open to any other ideas for cost savings in a restructured contract.

In closing we were told that there will be no unit that will not be affected.

We have no idea what the University is proposing to do in response to the A&F's presentation and we are not prepared to agree with anything at this time. I'd like to encourage all of you to contact your legislators and tell them they need to raise revenues to stop these cuts.  I have heard from several of you with your concerns and I want to assure you that I am working to be proactive and as always I will communicate what I know and can substantiate when I know it.  Please feel free to contact me with your concerns.

In solidarity,
Donna Johnson
President

USA Members,

     As the summer comes to a close I thought it would be good to update all of you on what we have been working on.  As a new full time release president I want you all to know that I am working hard with the other union volunteers to make sure that our rights are not violated.  Upholding our contract is key to gaining the respect that we as staff members on this campus deserve and now I can concentrate on that full time.  Here in no particular order are some of the issues we have been working on for all of you:

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