AFSCME Council 93 homecare workers are encouraged to take some time to attend one of the upcoming informational meetings listed below. The meetings provide workers with an opportunity to ask questions, get updates on the status of contract negotiations, and meet fellow providers and bargaining committee members.

The following is a list of February area meetings:

CALEDONIA
Friday, February 7 – Cobleigh Public Library, 14 Depot St., Lyndonville, 4:00-5:00 PM
Saturday, February 8 – Catamount Arts Center, 115 Eastern Ave., St. Johnsbury, 3:00-4:00 PM

GRAND ISLE
Please see meetings in surrounding counties.

ORANGE
Friday, January 31 – East Orange Senior Center, 176 Waits River Rd., Bradford, 2:00-3:00 PM
Saturday, February 1 – Kimball Public Library, 67 N. Main St., Randolph, 1:00-2:00 PM

WINDSOR
Saturday, February 15 – Fletcher Library, 88 Main St., Ludlow, 11:30-12:30 PM
Saturday, February 15 – Schulz Library, 46 S. Main St., White River Junction, 2:00-3:00 PM

Please RSVP for the meeting in your area by calling 802-857-5985 or toll free at toll-free 866-388-9611. If you were unable to attend a meeting in your area during the past month and don’t see an upcoming meeting near you, please give us a call.

Great news, your bargaining team began formal negotiations with the State on December 23, 2013. This was a historic meeting as it was the first time the State of Vermont has ever had formal negotiations with homecare providers!

We began laying the groundwork for the negotiations ahead of us including setting several dates in January, developing ground rules for bargaining and discussing compensation for fiscal year 2015. The union laid out our priorities as did the State. While we are excited to have our first meeting out of the way, we know that the battle has just begun.

Please watch your mail for a list of meetings in your area so we can make sure your voice is heard at the table. We encourage you to come to meetings in your area to meet your bargaining team and make your concerns known. Contact our office during regular business hours (802-857-5985) if you have any questions or if you would like to have your local bargaining committee member contact you.

Ballots were counted on Friday, November 22 revealing the team that will negotiate a first collective contract for homecare providers with the State of Vermont. You have elected a Bargaining Committee made up of 20 homecare providers distributed throughout each county of the state. Each Bargaining Committee member will represent about 500 homecare providers in their county. To contact the Bargaining Committee member(s) in your county, please call or email the AFSCME Vermont Homecare United office during regular business hours – 802- 857-5985/toll-free 866-388-9611 or vthomecareunited.org.

Bargaining Committee elections by county*

(Alphabetical by county, including counties with uncontested positions)

*NOTE: the following withdrew after ballots were sent: Matthew Needham (Washington), Dara Van Laanen (Washington), Ted McGruder (Windsor) and Carroll Humphrey (uncontested in Essex).

ADDISON – 1 seat (uncontested)
BC member – Amanda Sheppard

BENNINGTON – 1 seat (uncontested)
BC member – Justin Wilson

CALEDONIA – 1 seat
BC member – Cheri Weber
Alt #1 – Brian McAllister  WITHDREW after election
Alt #2 – Lottie Allen
Alt #3 – Ryan Millet

CHITTENDEN – 4 seats
BC member – Heather Boyd  WITHDREW after election
BC member – Janell Blake
BC member – Mary Leslie WITHDREW after election
BC member – Tina McGrath
BC member – Jairo Dechtiar

ESSEX – 1 seat (uncontested)
BC member – unfilled

FRANKLIN – 2 seats (uncontested)
BC member – Louise Beaudoin
BC member – Audra L. Rondeau

GRAND ISLE – 1 seat (uncontested)
BC member – Johenry Nunes

LAMOILLE – 1 seat
BC member – Darlene Bushway
Alt  - Jason Mills

ORANGE – 1 seat
BC member – Brenda Phillips
Alt – Daniel Eckman

ORLEANS – 1 seat (uncontested)
BC member – Joanne Gilbert

RUTLAND – 2 seats
BC member – Barbara Terrien
BC member – Oscar Newkirk
Alt #1 – Laurie Lesperance
Alt #2 – Christopher Scotellaro

WASHINGTON – 2 seats
BC member – Mary (Montgomery) Warren
BC member – Tanager Kastner
Alt #1 – Cynthia Marsha
Alt #2 – Danielle Warner
Alt #3 – Krista Grout

WINDHAM – 1 seat
BC member – Logan Lee Rouille
Alt – Erika Salem

WINDSOR – 1 seat
BC member – Kelly Willard
Alt – Diane Packard

(First published by AFSCME.org)

Barre, Vt. – Dozens of Vermont home care providers recently launched their new union, AFSCME Vermont Homecare United Local 4802.

Nominees for the bargaining committee of new Local 4802 receive their local’s charter from AFSCME Council 93’s Mark Bernard (far right).

The founding meeting was the culmination of two years of organizing and hard work, including passage of state legislation recognizing the right of home care providers to join a union. AFSCME led the successful fight for the law signed in May. Local 4802 is the newest AFSCME local in a state where approximately one in every 100 Vermonters is an independent home care provider.

“It makes me feel good to be a part of something so big,” said Christine Connors, a provider from Winooski who attended the founding statewide meeting.

Since that day, home care providers moved quickly to build their union. AFSCME Vermont Homecare United won its union election in October in what was not only the largest organizing victory in the nation this year, but the largest organizing victory in Vermont state history.

The newly charted local is working quickly to elect its bargaining committee to negotiate its first contract.

“It was a good thing to get together and gather notes on what we should be looking for in the new contract,” said Lori Lovell, a provider from Goshen.

Mark Bernard, Council 93’s director of special projects, said, “It gave me goose bumps just being at the founding meeting.”  Bernard and Jim Howell, AFSCME’s Eastern regional director, presented nominees for the new local’s bargaining committee with the charter of AFSCME Local 4802. The local’s number, 4802, is a tribute to the small state’s only area code, 802.

On Saturday, November 16, 2013, AFSCME Vermont Homecare United was launched as a new AFSCME union local: Local 4802!

Our Founding Statewide Meeting kicks off the march toward a contract with the State of Vermont.