Negotiations Move to Meditation

The Scarborough School Board has disappointed the Association by persisting in its efforts to save significant dollars in relation to the custodial and food service employees. 

The Board's interest in outsourcing the custodial staff has led to their effort to have the in-house employees perform work at wages comparable to the outsource companies that are less than a living wage!  And, then they go beyond the sub-par wages and attack benefits as well. 

The parties are proceeding to mediation.  MEA and SEA are committed to doing everything we can to preserve this unit of dedicated employees.

From MEA: Lies About Your Pension

Read the MEA Newsletter about your pension by following this link:

Lies About Your Pension - MEA

Who Contributes To State Employee Pensions?

Below is a link to an article, a very compelling argument for keeping State Retirement for retirees. It is written by a small online news non-profit called Common Dreams.org.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/03/09-9

SEA Members will be meeting with Amy Volk (House Representative for a portion of Scarborough)  on Monday, March 14 to discuss our views and ask her about her views on the proposed cuts of Maine State Retirement benefits. We will be discussing the impact these cuts would have on our income as State Employees and on our retirement benefits. I will blog following our conversation to keep you informed.

- Crystal Goodrich
SEA President

Your Health Insurance Benefits Are At Risk

Follow this link to find out more about proposed health insurance benefit cuts:

CLICK HERE

To find out more about the facts about how the cuts would impact our health care benefits and have us paying more with fewer benefits CLICK HERE for an MEA News Brief.

-Crystal Goodrich

SEA President

Retirement Raid March 4th, 2011

Hello SEA Members,
Many of us want to express our opinions about the proposed retirement cuts, but we cannot be at the hearing in Augusta on Friday, March 4.
Here is what you can do!
Send an e-mail to:
Carol.Tompkins@legislature.maine.gov and she will forward your comments to the 13 committee members.

Or mail your comments to: AFA Committee c/o 5 Statehouse Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0005

Thank you for making your voice heard. SEA is organizing a committee to handle the communications related to the retirement issue. If you would like to help this committee please e-mail seamaine@gmail.com and I will get you connected to the other people involved.

Thank you!
Crystal Goodrich, SEA President

Governor Proposes Rollbacks in Retirement

For a complete newsletter report from MEA regarding the proposed rollbacks in retirement benefits please

CLICK HERE.

The following is from MEA Communications 2/14/2011

"While it would be easy to engage in debate over Governor LePage's proposed budget, MEA is taking a more measured approach at the moment. Here's where we are and why …

1.) The details of the governor's draft budget are under review.We need to know the full extent of what is actually being proposed before we offer a detailed reaction.

2.) We also know that any governor's budget is just that; it's the governor's proposed budget. The Legislature's Appropriations Committee will have a great deal of influence in shaping the final budget that is voted on by the full legislature and sent to the governor for his signature. While the governor's budget does contain his priorities and views on important public policy issues, the final budget will ultimately contain a series of compromises that will be worked out after hearing from many different constituencies…including MEA members from across the state!

3.) Here is what we can say at this point in the process:

a. MEA believes that the Governor's proposed changes to the Maine Public Employee Retirement System are unfair and unacceptable. Teachers and state employees who retire under the Maine Public Employee Retirement System receive only a very modest retirement income and are not eligible for Social Security benefits.

b. MEA is ready to be part of the solution to address MePERS's unfunded actuarial liability (UAL). But before we jump to solutions, we want to hear from the experts at the MePERS who have been closely studying this important issue for the past several months and have prepared a report that will be presented to the legislature's Appropriations Committee later this month.

c. Once we have solid information concerning the various alternatives that are available to address the UAL, then MEA will engage in a dialogue regarding solutions that are fair for taxpayers and educators.

In the meantime, members and local affiliates should contact local legislators and begin a discussion about the issues we face.

From MEA Communications.

Follow the link at the beginning of this blog to find out how to contact your local legislators.

Crystal Goodrich, SEA President