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.

Check your mail over the next few days. You should get a ballot from AFSCME Vermont Homecare United.

Vote for your Bargaining Committee member(s) to represent you at the negotiating table with the State of Vermont. Ballots were mailed today, and the deadline to postmark your vote is Monday, November 18^th.

Watch for this envelope in your mail. Return your vote by mail postmarked no later than Nov. 18th.

If you prefer, you can vote on-site at the Founding Statewide Meeting on Saturday, November 16.

To see biographical sketches of Bargaining Committee candidates for your county, CLICK HERE.

To see more information about the Founding Statewide Meeting on November 16, CLICK HERE.

If you have not received your ballot by Friday, November 8^th, please contact the AFSCME Vermont Homecare United office for a replacement. Call or email: 802-857-5985 or toll-free 866-388-9611, vthomecareunited@gmail.com

(NOTE: You will not get a ballot if you are in one of the six counties with uncontested races: Addison, Bennington, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle and Orleans.)