SEIU Local 509 members at Lifelinks in Chelmsford recently voted unanimously to authorize a one day strike.  Lifelinks is a group home system in the Merrimack Vally that takes care of developmentally disabled individuals and is funded with our tax dollars.

The workers at Lifelinks are trying to improve the quality of services at Lifelinks by improving the training requirements for workers. The company has refused these proposals.  Management of the company is also forcing workers on strike by insisting on numerous concessions such as reducing leave time for employees and reducing job security. These proposals if accepted will height staff turnover and  further erode the quality of care at the agency.  

Main Issue -  We are close to winning a historic victory by bringing in additional funding from the state.  This funding, called the Quality Care Funds, will provide for higher wages and require additional trainings for Lifelinks' staff.  Sadly, these funds will not reach Lifelinks because the language needed for us to access these new funds has been rejected by Lifelinks' management.

Other Issues
Sick Time - Management has proposed that sick time can only be used in full days - This would mean that if you had to leave work early because of an illness or had a doctors' appointment you would have to use a full sick day regardless of the actual time you used.

Investigations - If you are subject to a DPPC abuse and neglect investigation, management wants to be able to reassign you to any hours, if you can't work the hours then you would be immediately fired.

Layoffs - Management wants to reduce our two weeks notice to ten days.

Personal Leave - Management is still proposing to reduce the amount of our personal time by four days.  The bargaining committee has proposed language that gives us the freedom to use our time when we want to and stops the agency from dictating to us when we use our paid time.  They have still not responded to our proposal.

Wages - The bargaining committee proposed a 1% raise in addition to the Salary Reserve and Quality Care Funds.  We proposed wage reopeners for years two and three of the contract.  Management has rejected our 1% raise proposal and has also rejected our wage reopeners.

Leaves of Absence - Management has proposed to effectively reduce our amount of unpaid leave.