Bargaining Underway!
With our current contract set to expire at the end of June, the Local 6 Bargaining Committee has been hard at work negotiating with Trial Court management to craft a new agreement to cover our members across the state of Massachusetts.  To date the parties have met four times since April 6—with more dates scheduled through the month of June.

Two more OPEIU Local 6 members who utilized the OPEIU towing/service calls benefit, administered through Nation Safe Drivers, in the month of April 2017 saved 176.40.

Each member is entitled to up to two tows per year, valued at up to $100 each, for the member and family living in the same household.

Local 6 is happy to share with you the announcement of the OPEIU Student Debt Reduction Program.  Please find the rules and regulations for the OPEIU Student Debt Reduction Program on our website opeiulocal6.org. This program provides five awards of $2,500 each year to a member who has completed an associate or undergraduate degree and who can demonstrate they have at least $10,000 in student debt and their account is current.

The application deadline is June 30^th.  All applications must be signed by the Local Union President, Secretary Treasurer or authorized officer before submission to the International Union.

This is a great benefit for OPEIU members.

Download the application

Download the eligibility requirements

Due to expected inclement weather, the general membership meeting is being changed to Tue 3/28, at 6:00 p.m.

The date of our Executive Board meeting is remaining the same, 3/28, but the time is changed to 5:00 p.m.

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

We are pleased to announce several scholarships that you and your families are eligible for as OPEIU Local 6 members. The 2017 OPEIU Scholarships are: the John Kelly Labor Studies Scholarship, the Howard Coughlin Memorial Scholarship, and the Romeo Corbeil/Gilles Beauregard Summer Camp. OPEIU scholarships a great benefit for our Local 6 members and their families.

The deadlines for the John Kelly Labor Studies and the Howard Coughlin Memorial Scholarships are March 31, 2017. The deadline for the Romeo Corbeil/Gilles Beauregard Summer Camp is May 15, 2017

In addition, OPEIU Local 6 members are eligible for several $1000 and $500 scholarships distributed by the Central Massachusetts AFL-CIO. To be eligible, the student must be a 2017 graduating high school senior going on to college and a child, grandchild or member who’s local union is affiliated with the Central Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Union members must live or work in the jurisdiction of the Central Massachusetts AFL-CIO. All names must be submitted to the Central Massachusetts AFL-CIO by April 28, 2017.

Please click on the documents below to find out how to apply to each scholarship.

Scholarship cover letter

Central MA Scholarship Infomation

Romeo Corbeil/Gilles Beauregard Summer Camp

John Kelly Labor Studies Scholarship

Howard Coughlin Memorial Scholarship

2017 OPEIU Local 6 Scholarship Announcement 02.07.17

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

I regret to report that that the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) is considering a proposal that would shift significant health care cost increases onto the backs of our members and retirees. Those changes currently under consideration include:

• Medical benefit plan design changes
• Significant deductible and co-pay increases
• Adding tiers and deductibles to the pharmacy benefit
• Narrowing provider networks

I find this proposal to be nothing short of outrageous.

If approved, these changes would severely impact all public employees, including Local 6 members, who depend on GIC –provided health insurance to cover their most important health care needs and those of their families.

On Friday, January 13, I joined with other public sector union leaders and retiree advocates to discuss strategies to fight this latest attempt to shift health insurance costs to public sector workers. While we discussed many different approaches to the issue, we all agreed that the first step has to be slowing down the approval process. Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Steve Tolman reached out to House Speaker Deleo and Senate President Rosenberg with the hope that they could exercise their influence over the Governor and the GIC.

On Tuesday, January 17, I joined a delegation of union leaders from the public sector that met with both Speaker DeLeo and Senate President Rosenberg to update them on the proposed changes and the detrimental impact they will have on our respective members. Both leaders expressed concern over the financial impact of increased out-of-pocket costs on employees, and yesterday each sent a letter to the Commission requesting that a vote be delayed until after a public hearing is held. Please see their letters below.

There is no question that the rising cost of health insurance is a challenge that must be addressed and Local 6 stands ready to partner with the state and the GIC in seeking solutions that are fair and responsible. Cost-shifting, as currently being contemplated by the GIC, is not.

I assure you that Local 6 will make every effort, on our own and in concert with our brothers and sisters in the Massachusetts labor movement, to protect our current and retired members from this shameful attempt to cut costs by shifting those costs onto the state’s public workers.

Yours in solidarity,
George Noel
Business Manager

GIC Letter – Speaker DeLeo
GIC letter – SP Rosenberg

Sisters and Brothers,

The holidays have a way of bringing family and friends together. They help us appreciate the people in our lives that we sometimes take for granted.

The Officers and Staff at OPEIU Local 6 wish our members and their families the peace, joy and all the best this wonderful holiday season has to offer. Best wishes for a happy and safe holiday.

In solidarity,

Mary Mahoney
President

George Noel
Business Manager

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Thanksgiving is a uniquely American Holiday. As we reflect upon all the things that we are grateful for, the Officers and Staff of OPEIU Local 6 want to wish you and your families a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

In solidarity,

Mary Mahoney, President
George Noel, Business Manager

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

As we prepare to observe Veterans’ Day, the Officers and Staff of OPEIU Local 6 want to express our gratitude to our sisters and brothers who served and to all veterans across our great nation. We want to wish our members and their families a happy and safe Veterans’ Day. Thank you for your service.

In solidarity,

Mary Mahoney, President

George Noel, Business Manager

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

With this important election quickly approaching, I cannot stress enough the importance of your involvement in helping decide who will lead our government. These races will determine the future for not only union families, but for every American across the country.

Donald Trump is no friend of working people. Trump stiffs contractors who work for him, and Trump clothing and other products are made in China, Bangladesh and other low wage countries where workers are treated poorly. He buys Chinese steel in his buildings. Yet he claims that he will bring the very jobs that he has personally out-sourced back to America.

Trump claims to love veterans. He shows is admiration by insulting a Gold Star Family and by calling Vets who struggle with mental illness “weak”. Yet he sought and received five draft deferments for himself.

Hillary Clinton has spent her entire life striving to better the lives of children and working families. From her early days expanding children’s health care to advocating for a living wage and access to paid sick leave, Hillary Clinton will fight for working people. She will invest in our country’s crumbling bridges and highways, creating good paying jobs that will help our economy grow. She opposes “right to work” laws and bad trade deals like TPP.

Here in Massachusetts we have another major battle of Wall Street v Main Street right on our voting ballots in the form of Question 2, which our local is strongly opposed to. The out-of-state groups behind lifting the charter school cap are backed by Wall Street billionaires who want more charters schools that are run by for-profit companies. This year alone charter schools will drain more than $400 million that would otherwise stay in neighborhood public schools to help all students. Not to mention, lifting the cap on charter schools will raise our taxes because our cities and towns will have to pay more to borrow money. If some of our schools are falling short we should fix them, not keep taking more resources from them. That’s why 200 school committees are also opposing Question 2.

How you vote is a personal decision, but your union has carefully researched the issues in these races, and we hope you will join us in voting for Hillary Clinton and NO on Question 2.

In solidarity,

Mary Mahoney
President

George Noel
Business Manager