Meanwhile, pieces of a package of legislation aimed at improving pay and working conditions for the hundreds of aides in House and Senate offices have languished in the House Rules committee. In February, Congressional staffers launched a union effort citing similar issues to those raised by legislative staff. Massachusetts employment law, MCLE, loose-leaf. An updated version of MEPA passed unanimously by both branches in 2016 intended to close the gender wage gap and ensure "equal pay for comparable work." David Holway, president of the National Association of Government Employees, which represents 12,000 Massachusetts state employees, pointed out that if people get fired for refusing vaccination . But despite the work done in the past, having a say in decision-making is paramount to giving staff agency over their working conditions, said Evan Berry, a union organizer and communications director for Senator Becca Rausch. The agreement, which is separate from the MCOFU contract, gives full-time union member employees who worked in person between November 2, 2020, and May 29, 2021, and who were not given the option of working remotely or in a hybrid schedule, a $2,000 bonus. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. They cite unequal pay, gaps in health care coverage, and what they frame as a culture that allows discrimination and harassment. 456 CMR Mass. A lock icon ( MGL c.150Conciliation and arbitration of labor disputes, MGL c.150CCollective bargaining agreements to arbitrate, MGL c.150EPublic employee labor relations, 456 CMRMass. Massachusetts State Employees Credit Union has closed or merged with another credit union. Staffers are the unsung heroes its time for them to have a seat at the bargaining table, Chang-Daz wrote. The mission of the Human Resources Division (HRD) is to attract, engage, educate, develop and retain a high performing and diverse workforce. Find discounts on travel, insurance, prescriptions, cell phones, tires, movies, theme parks, and more. This marks a critical step in our organizing effort. If they successfully organize and they face major legal hurdles in doing so they would be the second group of State House staff in the country to form a union. Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. Mariano pointed to a two-year, annual 3% cost-of-living salary adjustments the House approved in 2018, another 6% cost of living adjustment in May 2021and now the 8% increase introduced Thursday. NLRB Casehandling Manual: Representation Proceedings, 2020. Agencies However, as the years have gone on, the polished veneer has begun to fade, and we can begin to see just how empty the fancy suit and central casting smile are. Thank you for your website feedback! Governor Bakers nice guy routine managed to captivate a majority of voters in the past. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. Senate President Spilka, April 1, 2019, Greater Boston Labor Council Breakfast. Oregons state legislative employees made history by becoming the first in the nation to unionize, and labor experts are predicting it will have major ripple effects across the country. Jim McGovernRep. This is what we want, Wilson told the Globe. Please let us know how we can improve this page. And when we say we represent our members, we mean all of our members. Stunningly, this year seems no different. Includes detailed procedures, summary of law, andmore. If theres not room for everyone at the table then we simply build a bigger table! Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. To date, tax revenues are nearly $1.4 billion above the original benchmark. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. GouveiaSenator HindsSenator Lesser, Senator John Keenan@SenJohnFKeenanand Representative Patrick Kearney@RepKearneyhavefiled bills to extend collective bargaining rights to MA legislative staff. Nor should it be cited as precedent or considered a substitute for issue-specific research.". Following several shutdowns, supporters say officials should be able to step in when a hospital wants to end necessary services. Legislation filed to allow staff to unionize has failed to pass the Legislature in the past, though Senate staff told the Globe that they hope Spilka continues her pro-union legacy by granting them a seat at a collective bargaining table. State Employee Benefits State Employee GIC benefits include non-Medicare health insurance, dental & vision, LTD, Life Insurance & AD&D, FSA, and the Mass4YOU Employee Assistance Program. Mariano described the raises and salary floors as part of "a process we began in 2016," when the House voted to approve the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act. Is barbecue growing in popularity in New England? An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, Unemployment Insurance (UI) for Employers, is, Third Party Administrator (TPA) UI Online login, Pay unemployment insurance contributions to DUA, Employer responsibilities during the unemployment claims process, The Employer's Guide to Unemployment Insurance, Guide to seasonal employment certification, Wage Reporting for Reimbursable Employers, Call Department of Unemployment Assistance at. State Worker Bargaining 2021 In 2021, state employees bargained a new contract that covers wages, benefits, and workplace conditions like safety, telework and more. The raises will be carried forward in the House's operating budget in future years, the spokesperson said. If you need assistance, please contact the Trial Court Law Libraries. As our Mission Statement makes clear, The entire IBEW 2222 family, the general membership, along with the officers, staff and our leadership team, are united in the notion that United We Bargain, Divided We Beg,and we mean it. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. Labor attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan, who is running for attorney general, also shared her support. A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. It is not a digest of substantive law. A lock icon ( The union would require from its members: 1% of the employee's annual base pay. Our goal is to provide exceptional service and expert guidance to help you achieve your financial goals! Senate employees at the Massachusetts State House launched a petition to form a union this week, hoping to become the second collective bargaining unit of legislative staff in the nation after workers in Oregon unionized last year.. Beacon Hill staff have fought for a union for years but have been stymied by a state law that prohibits legislative employees from . We couldn't do it without you. Use this button to show and access all levels. Federal law now requires that every local union file an annual information returnForm 990, 990-EZ, or 990-Nwith the IRS. UI benefits offer workers temporary income while they're out of work or working reduced hours. 123, Issue 3 (January 2010), pp. Technical Resources for Remote Access at the Commonwealth. In 1996 IBEW Local 2222 was and still is proud to be the first local to guarantee healthcare coverage for Domestic Partners. DUA is committed to helping you understand the Massachusetts unemployment insurance law. Step one is to open the door.. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. It is within their power to make changes, said Shelly MacNeill, a 28-year State House veteran and chief of staff to Senator Michael O. Moore. Now this is the moment its happening.. "I challenge you to find a city or town that matched that with any of their employees. IBEW Local 2222, 159 Thomas Burgin Parkway, Floor 3 They also serve as a resource for unemployed workers seeking UI benefits. Many of these issues have been raised by staff-led group dubbed Beacon BLOC (Building Leaders of Color) and were again reiterated by the National Conference on State Legislatures, which found fault with the chambers hiring and pay practices for its staffers, concluding the approach can be perceived as lacking fairness and may lead to problematic staff turnover.. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. Main Fax: (617)984-5695. The bills areS.2014andH.3069. Stream GBH's Award-Winning Content For Parents And Children. Bill sponsors Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven and Sen. Diana DiZoglio also called for providing legislative staffers with yearly cost-of-living adjustments (HD 4388) and offering retroactive bonuses to offset costs incurred during the pandemic (HD 4387). Today, growing economic evidence, supported by strong data, suggests that Massachusetts has weathered the fiscal storm and will emerge from the pandemic in a strong position to meet the challenges of tomorrow. Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. State House Employee Union IBEW Local 2222. Some page levels are currently hidden. 155 (2010), Chief Counsel Memorandum 2010-1, Department of Labor Relations, December 2, 2010. After leading us to believe a serious offer was forthcoming since late February, the parameters offered by the Governor are a joke. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The MPE Fund is committed to improving the health of our members through dental and vision plans that offer comprehensive quality care. How to take a case before the NLRB, BNA, 2016. Representing more than 70,000 healthcare workers throughout Massachusetts, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the most politically active union in the Commonwealth. As an employer, you may be subject to unemployment insurance. NLRB bench book, National Labor Relations Board, 2021. "We hope we'll balance some of the inequities and the unfairness and some of the differences between the same job titles that exist in the State House today, bringing some sort of definition and shape to who is doing what and what that job is valued at," House Speaker Ron Mariano of Quincy said. Democrats want South Carolina to lead 2024 primaries. Hubway 20% discount on annual membership. Quincy, MA 02169. One year ago, the economic condition of the Commonwealth was admittedly tenuous. Use this button to show and access all levels. We work for legislators who make the laws. . Memorandum concerning Boston Housing Authority v. National Conference of Firemen and Oilers, Local 3, 458 Mass. If your local fails to file under this new requirement.. Find out more here. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. Please limit your input to 500 characters. We will use this information to improve this page. Spilkas office declined to comment on the legality of the unionization effort. Hybrid Work for Commonwealth Employees. The legislation, Ready to Say Union Yes Sign Your Authorization Card Here. Regional Commissioner William J. Sibley noted that the union membership rate for the state was at its peak in 1989 and 1990, when it averaged 17.5 percent, and at its low point in 2019 and 2020 at 12.0 percent. The group, which staffers dubbed the Massachusetts State House Employee Union, announced its union drive in a statement dated Tuesday. Im writing to tell you that Governor Baker does not have your back and he doesnt care what you think about that. We will use this information to improve this page. Department of Labor Relations forms, includes forms for: public employment, private employment, conciliation, mediation, and arbitration. 617.367.2727 Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. "Enabling employee choice: astructural approach to the rules of union organizing," by Benjamin I. Sachs,Harvard law review, Vol. Samantha J. Representatives from a local of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which is representing some Senate staffers, delivered a letter to Spilkas office Thursday, saying that a strong majority of around 200 staff members had signed union cards and were asking for voluntary recognition. "To evaluate comparable work, the plan classifies all House employees into three organizations: Personal Staff, Committee Staff, and Operational Staff," the plan says. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. The Massachusetts Organization of State Engineers and Scientists is a professional employee union that represents the 3,400 technical, engineering and scientific employees of 29 different agencies of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts including the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Union Local Tax Issues Federal law now requires that every local union file an annual information returnForm 990, 990-EZ, or 990-Nwith the IRS. This bench book "sets forth Board precedent and other rulings and authorities on certain recurring procedural and evidentiary issues that may arise during the hearing. Charlie Baker's vaccine mandate. Note: Prescription drug benefits are part of all health insurance plans. Massachusetts labor relations reporter, Massachusetts Landlaw, monthly.Massachusetts public sector labor law and research companion to Massachusetts labor cases. Over half the staff have signed onto this effort. In 2018, the House rules reform process mandated the development of employee classifications, including written job descriptions, leading to the plan released Thursday, a Mariano aide said. Please limit your input to 500 characters. We will use this information to improve this page. Additionally, the state is earmarked to receive $4.55 billion in federal aid alone from the American Rescue Plan. Quincy, MA 02169, Copyright 2023 State House Employee Union Powered by IBEW Local 2222, State House Employee Union Authorization Card. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. The jobs violated a Massachusetts State Retirement Board policy that state employees must not spend more than 25 percent of their time working for a private foundation, the university said in . A union representing Massachusetts state troopers is challenging Gov. Employers can also find information about the contributions they must make by law for their employees. Some page levels are currently hidden. A Mariano spokesperson said the House's Human Resources and Employee Engagement Committee approved the package Thursday. A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. This letter will look back over the sacrifices you have all made over the past year as public employees to keep the Commonwealth running efficiently during incredibly difficult times perhaps a thank you has never been more in order or deserved.