At the Vermont Workers' Center's request the UP Political Committee (UP/COPE) and the Workers' Center's director James Haslam met with Sen. Doug Racine Friday to ask him to schedule public hearings early in the session for the Healthcare is a Human Right bill, S.88. The UP board endorsed the campaign at its September board meeting. Mari Cordes and Karen Quill from VFNHP, Kate Suchmann and Steve Belitsos from VSC Faculty Federation, and Frank DiNicosia from United Academics joined me at the meeting along with other Vermont Workers' Center staff.
We were successful!
Senator Racine committed to moving S.88 in his committee.
There is no certainty where democracy is concerned so of course there
is no guarantee the bill will pass, but Senator Racine made a solid
commitment to hold public hearings early in the session.
Fundamentally this meeting was about delivering the message to key
elected leaders that when they hear from UP/COPE they're hearing from
our members all across the state. It was a great experience for our
group to start meeting with our elected leaders.
UP President Jennifer Henry and I met earlier this month with VT house speaker Shap Smith to discuss our key issues for the year, focusing on appropriations for higher ed and our healthcare bills. We've also had a similar meeting with Senator Doug Racine.
Hot on the heels of these meetings we are working to set up meetings with the key legislators in positions to move the legislation that effects our own lives directly:
- Appropriation for higher education
- H238 and S80 (safe patient handling)
- H.268 (ban on mandatory overtime)
The strength we need to win will come from you - your time, your effort and your financial contributions to UP/COPE. To all of you who contribute Thank You! To those who aren't yet contributors please consider what you can give. Ask your local union rep how you can join our effort to be the voice for quality healthcare and higher education in Vermont.
--Ben Johnson, UP/COPE chair & Vice-President VSC Faculty Federation, AFT #3180
