Take a look at what 1199ers are up to in our workplaces and communities!

1199ers Agree to Free and Fair Election Process at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital

We have developed an agreement with Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain. The agreement outlines a free and fair election process that allows approximately 500 service workers to make their own decision about whether or not to join our union. This agreement is another important step in our ongoing advocacy to ensure all workers – including those not yet unionized – have good jobs, fair wages and respect, dignity and a voice in the workplace.

As healthcare workers, we know that quality care is directly linked to quality jobs. Throughout our organizing campaign, we hope to demonstrate our union difference – that uniting with over 56,000 1199SEIU healthcare workers across Massachusetts and more than 400,000 on the East Coast gives us the stability, strength and voice to better advocate for ourselves and our families while providing the quality care our patients need and deserve.

For the full statement, click here.

47 SEIU members & allies - including Elva, 1199er and Springfield PCA - arrested as they demand a real plan before members of Congress vote to take away healthcare

47 SEIU members, healthcare workers, faith leaders and activists — including 1199er Elva Lebron and local minister of Old South Church John Edgerton — were arrested Tuesday as they demand a real plan before members of Congress vote to take away healthcare. Thank you for standing up for healthcare! Click here to check out the photo album on Facebook.

1199ers Deliver Petitions to Senator Elizabeth Warren, Urge Her to Vote No on Trump Labor Secretary Nominee

Days after Senate Republican leadership delayed fast-food CEO and multi-millionaire Andy Puzder’s confirmation hearings for U.S. Secretary of Labor for the third time, 1199ers and our Fight for $15 allies delivered 317,547 petitions (including 10,967 from Massachusetts voters) to Senator Elizabeth Warren -- who is a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee -- and urged her to vote against Puzder’s nomination.

Puzder has come out against raising the minimum wage, overtime protections, workers’ rights to join a union, paid sick and family leave, federal housing assistance and access to healthcare coverage through the Affordable Care Act – policies that are essential to workers’ ability to build a better future for themselves and their families.

Read more about the action on the 1199SEIU blog, and take a look at photos on our Facebook page!

Lynn Community Comes Together to Address Health Needs

We joined our community partners in Lynn on January 26 for a robust discussion about how we can positively impact the future of healthcare for the city.

We discussed three major themes: 1) culturally competent and coordinated care 2)transportation & accessibility to care and 3) emergency services in Lynn.

We'll continue our conversation and move forward with key recommendations at our next community discussion on March 30. Stay tuned for more details, and click here to take a look at photos from the forum!

Governor's Budget: Analysis and Next Steps

Governor Baker filed his FY2018 state budget on Wednesday, January 25, the first step in the budget process. The House will release its own proposal in April, and the Senate will provide its version in May. The budget likely will be finalized by the end of June.

For the first time in state history, the Governor is proposing an annual state budget exceeding $40 billion, an increase of $1.7 billion or 4.3% over spending this year (FY17). Nearly $1 billion of this increase is for the state's Medicaid program (MassHealth).

The Governor's budget includes some of our 1199SEIU priorities. For example:

1. Medicaid rates for hospitals are not significantly increased BUT the Governor’s budget includes enough funding to maintain many of the supplemental provider rates and other gains we made under health care reform and in the FY17 budget.
2. Nursing home rates remain virtually frozen at 2007 levels BUT the Governor included re-authorization for our $35.5 million direct care worker wage pass-through. We will need to address the language directing the money to frontline workers in the House and Senate budgets.
3. The PCA program appears to be fully funded, including full funding for the Workforce Council, for our contract, and for increased payments for overtime.
4. The Governor is proposing to reinstate enforcement of the “employer mandate” that requires employers of 11 or more employees to provide health insurance to their workforce. His proposal would assess such “large” employers $2,000 per employee (FTE) if less than 80% of their workforce receives employer-sponsored insurance. This is significant policy proposal, and we expect to increase our engagement on this in the coming weeks.

While the Governor uses creative ideas to help with healthcare spending, his budget does not make some of the most needed investments in programs that strengthen our economy and does not “fully fund” many vital programs and services we all rely on throughout our communities.

Again, this is just the first step in what will be a debate over several months about the state budget. Stay tuned for additional information and Action Alerts as we ramp up our budget advocacy. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact your Administrative Organizer.

1199ers at Southcoast VNA Reach Tentative Agreement on a New Contract

1199ers and management at Southcoast VNA reached a Tentative Agreement for a new three-year contract on January 24. The agreement provides wage progression over the next two and a half years, creates an innovative labor-management project that will help amplify our voice at the table and rectifies serious issues related to health insurance payments. Members will vote to ratify the agreement next week. Congrats to our fellow 1199ers!

1199SEIU Hospital Systems Delegates Participate in Training

Last week, 1199 health systems delegates participated in a day of training to continue their leadership development. The delegates learned about important processes and skills to help them better represent our fellow members and continue to be a strong workforce advocate. If you have questions or would like to know who your delegate is, please contact your 1199SEIU Administrative Organizer.

Free Tax Prep for 1199SEIU Members!

Get your taxes prepared for free and keep the money in your pocket! Save it or use it to build a better future for you and your family.

You may be eligible to receive up to $6,269 from the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the tax refund for working people. You earned this money, so don’t let your refund go unclaimed.

Single:

1. with 3 or more children and earn $47,955 or less
2. with 2 or more children and earn $44,648 or less
3. with 1 child and earn $39,296 or less
4. with no children and earn $14,880 or less (and you are between 25-65 years old

Married:

1. with 3 or more children and earn $53,505 or less
2. with 2 or more children and earn $50,198 or less
3. with 1 child and earn $44,846 or less
4. with no children and earn $20,430 or less (and you are between 25-65 years old)

There are tax sites in both our Quincy and Springfield offices starting now through April 15! Call for an appointment 1-877-409-1199

Direct Deposit Your Tax Refund with GreenDot!

Direct deposit your tax refund on a 1199SEIU card today! It's fast - get your refund faster than a paper check. It's smart - a prepaid card is not a credit card, so you can’t get into trouble with debt. It's convenient - get text alerts when your refund arrives.*

1. Get a card at GreenDot.com/1199SEIU. You do not need to have a checking account to sign up.
2. After successful registration, receive your direct deposit numbers online or call our direct deposit hotline at (866) 795-7974.
3. When you file your return, enter these numbers in the refund section of the tax form, and choose “Checking” as the account type.

*Carrier message rates and data rates may apply.