Elections

SHARE Leadership Nominations Closing Soon

Are you looking to have a richer work life? To be in-the-know? To make things better in your department, and across UMass Memorial? To better understand how our hospital works? To share your work experience with other SHARE leaders throughout the system? To increase the impact of your voice and the voices of your co-workers?

Know someone who is?

Nominate yourself or a co-worker to become a SHARE Rep or Executive Board member!

The nominations period closes just after Memorial Day, on Tuesday, May 28. The full nominations notice is below. Learn even more about what SHARE leaders do here.

UMass Memorial works because SHARE members — and elected leaders — do!

For a printer-friendly version of the below elections notice, click here.

2022 SHARE Executive Board & Representatives

Voting in the 2022 SHARE elections is now closed. The only contested election this year was in University and Technical Region C, where Kelly Fournier won the vote and will join the SHARE Executive Board to represent the region. Gary Beauchemin, who was also nominated for that position, will serve this year as a SHARE Representative instead. Nominees from all other areas who accepted their nominations were not contested, so they automatically fill those positions. The full list of Officers, Executive Board members, and SHARE Representatives is listed below.

Thank you to all of our nominees this year for being engaged in the process, to the members who nominated your peers, and to those who voted. This democratic process is important for the strength of our union. Congratulations to all of the newly-elected leaders: we’re excited for the important role you perform in our community. And a particular welcome to our newest SHARE leaders!

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Executive Board Election: University Technical and Diagnostic Region C

SHARE Representative and Executive Board nominations are now closed. There are sufficient openings for all of the Rep positions and all EBoard seats, except for one. A contested election will take place in the University Technical and Diagnostic Region C. Departments with eligible voters for this election are listed below.

On Friday 7/22/22 at 12pm, eligible voters will receive a link to vote from ElectionBuddy at their work email address and cell phone number that SHARE has on file. The link will only work once for voting per eligible voter. ElectionBuddy, a virtual voting platform, is compliant with Department of Labor standards for union elections. Eligible voters can use that same link to get those results as soon as the election closes. SHARE will send a full list of 2022 EBoard and Reps following that.

If you have questions, or if you believe you should be eligible but do not receive an email from ElectionBuddy on Friday, 7/22/22 at 12pm, please email share.elections@theshareunion.org.

Departments Eligible to Vote

University Technical and Diagnostic Region C

ACC

EKG

OUTPATIENT INFUSION CEN PHARM

Biotech 3

ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY

ANPA ADMIN

ANPA CYTOPATHOLOGY

ANPA IMMUNOHISTOCHEMIST

ANPA PATH ASSISTANTS

ANPA SURGICAL PATHOLOGY

MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS

Fitchburg Cancer

RADIATION ONCOLOGY -HA

Marlboro Cancer

RADIOLOGY ONCOLOGY MARLBOROUGH

Univ

ANGIOGRAPHY

ANPA HEMATOPATHOLOGY

BLOOD BANK

CARDIAC SHORT STAY

CARDIAC ULTRASOUND

CAT SCAN

CRYOPRESERVATION

HEART & VASC INTVL LAB

MAMMOGRAPHY

NEUROINTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY

NUCLEAR MEDICINE

PHARMACY

PHARMACY ADMINISTRATION

PRESCRIPTION CENTER UNIVERSITY

RADIATION ONCOLOGY

RADIOLOGY ADMIN

RADIOLOGY ADMINISTRATION

RADIOLOGY CLERICAL

RADIOLOGY DIAGNOSTIC

RADIOLOGY SHORT STAY

RESPIRATORY THERAPY

SURGICAL VASCULAR LAB

ULTRASOUND

2022 Nominations & Elections Notice

The nomination period for SHARE Representatives and open SHARE Executive Board positions is now open through July 12.

The below information has been sent to all SHARE members at the home address on file in the SHARE office.

View or download a printer-friendly version here, which includes a full list of open positions in each region.

Visit this previous blog post to learn more more about the role of a SHARE Representative.

Would you like to be a SHARE leader?

Nominations Open June 27 – July 12, 2022

for SHARE Union Representatives & Executive Board Members

To run for Union Rep or Executive Board Member

1. You must have been a dues-paying SHARE member for at least 6 months prior to the election.

2. You must be nominated in writing by a SHARE member (either a co-worker or yourself).

3. Current SHARE Reps who wish to continue to be Reps need to be nominated again this year.

To nominate someone for Union Rep or Executive Board Member

1. Please send nominations by email to share.elections@theshareunion.org; or by fax to (508) 929-4040; or by U.S. mail to SHARE, 50 Lake Ave, Worcester MA 01604.

2. Nominations should include:

• the name, department, and phone number of the person being nominated;

• the position for which they are being nominated; and

• the name and phone number of the person submitting the nomination.

3. Nominations must arrive at the SHARE office by noon on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. We cannot accept late nominations.

4. Nominees will be offered the opportunity to decline the nomination. Anyone who does not decline is then a candidate.

Descriptions of the different roles

Below are brief descriptions of the roles of Union Reps and Executive Board Members. If you want to talk about what it would be like to be a SHARE Rep or to be on the Executive Board, or if you have other questions, please call the SHARE office at 508-929-4020, or talk to someone you know who is involved with SHARE.

SHARE Reps: There is at least one Union Rep for every 25-50 SHARE members. A Rep is a contact person for their area. Union Reps get training from SHARE to move information between co-workers and union leadership. They can also get training in helping co-workers solve problems (for example, with discipline or work schedules) if they want to. Reps are elected for a 1-year term.

SHARE Executive Board Members: Executive Board members have responsibility for the whole union, and in particular for their region (several hundred people). They make decisions about the direction of our union and participate in contract negotiations. They serve for 2-year terms. There are 13 positions on the SHARE Executive Board:

• 4 Officers: A Co-President from University-connected locations and a Co-President from Memorial-connected locations; a Secretary and a Treasurer elected at large (by all SHARE members).

• 9 Regional Executive Board Members: based on what department they are in.

Election: in late July if there are too many nominees for the number of positions

The election will be held by electronic ballot, hosted professionally by ElectionBuddy.com, an online voting service that meets the standards set by the U.S. Department of Labor and by our parent union, AFSCME.

ElectionBuddy will send a link to your cell phone or email account for you to vote securely online. You can provide your cell phone number and/or personal email address, or request a ballot by mail, by emailing SHARE.Elections@theshareunion.org or talking to a SHARE staff organizer. The SHARE office phone number is 508-929-4020. If we don’t have a cell phone or personal email address for you then we will only be able to provide ElectionBuddy with your work email.

If you don’t get email from SHARE regularly, please provide us with a cell phone

number or personal email address . . . use the QR code to the right to learn how →

You must be a SHARE member to vote, to nominate someone, or to run for office.

If you have not yet signed a SHARE membership card, please go to www.sharehospitalunion.org/join

or talk to a SHARE Rep or Organizer.

(508) 929-4020 – SHARE, 50 Lake Avenue, Worcester MA 01604 –www.sharehospitalunion.org

Positions Open for Nomination in 2022

All SHARE Representative positions are up for election every year. Executive Board positions are up for election every two years. See below for the “even year” positions up for election in 2022. Note that there are also two vacant “odd year” positions which are up for election in 2022.*

What is my region?

Rep and Executive Board positions are divided by location and by region. Your region is based on the kind of department you are in, not what kind of job you do. For example, a secretary in a technical department is in the Technical region, and an LPN in a clinic is in the Ambulatory region. If you have questions, please email share.elections@theshareunion.org or leave a message at the SHARE office at 508-929-4020.

What Does a SHARE Rep Do?

SHARE leaders have a special role in our community. Together, we work to create one of the most important relationship networks in our hospital.

The main role of a SHARE Rep is to aid communication between members and the SHARE leadership. We continually share information to better understand what is happening across our workplaces, and to make our work better.

As a result, SHARE Reps do all kinds of things, depending on the needs and interests of our union and our members. Ultimately, if you become a SHARE Rep, you decide what to take on . . . each Rep has a different level of involvement. In the beginning, you should simply be prepared to meet new people, and to learn a lot of new things from others throughout the UMass Memorial community.

A SHARE Rep always has support. The SHARE organizing staff and experienced Reps are here to help. We provide training and individual coaching to help you develop new skills. Here’s a list of the kinds of projects that some SHARE Reps commonly do:

  • Meet and develop relationships with every person in their work area

  • Come to the monthly SHARE Rep Meetings

  • Provide information to co-workers, and to the EBoard and Organizers

  • Help other SHARE members to find help when they need it

  • Improve work processes and solve departmental problems

  • Lead and participate in Unit Based Teams

  • Bake for events

  • Participate in a web of support for other members in the unfortunate event of a layoff

  • Serve as a “witness” at a disciplinary meeting for a member

  • Distribute and collect surveys

  • Sign up new members on membership cards

  • Negotiate

There’s a whole lot more. The activities that SHARE Reps do are extremely important, and often a lot of fun. When new challenges arise, we figure things out together. And we know that important things get built just like anything else: one little brick at a time.

If you have questions about what SHARE reps do, please contact the SHARE Office (508-929-4020), or talk to a current SHARE rep.

Rep & Eboard Election Results (Plus, Learn About Your Pension!)

SHARE_LOGO_LARGE_BETTER.jpg

Many thanks to all of you who sent in contact information, let us know your preferred voting method, nominated your coworker, or nominated yourself in our first ever attempt at an electronic election of SHARE Reps and Executive Board Members!

The nomination process went smoothly, and there were enough open positions that no voting will be required this year. A vote is only held when there are more people running than there are positions to run for. So, we won’t get to try out the online voting process this year. But the good news is that many people stepped forward to be active in SHARE, and that makes our union stronger.

Congratulations to the new and returning SHARE representatives, who are now considered elected! Visit the SHARE hospital website for an updated list of all current SHARE Reps and Executive Board members. If you have any questions, please let us know.

Thank you,

The SHARE Election Committee

p.s., Be sure to check the blog for details about next week’s Virtual Pension & 401k Information Meetings. They’ll be held on Zoom Monday evening and Tuesday midday.

Important Info for Upcoming Union Election 

Online Voting

SHARE members will be able to vote electronically for the first time, using a smartphone, tablet or computer. The process will be run by an independent, certified online voting company. There is also an option to vote by mail for those who prefer it. Electronic voting will make participation easier for employees who are on vacation, working from home, or who are not easily able to get away from their department.      

Update Your Contact Info 

We need to make sure we have your personal contact information for the upcoming SHARE Rep and Executive Board Elections. The online voting company can send the link/ballot by:  

  • text to your cell phone number,

  • email to your personal (non-work) email account, or

  • U.S. mail to your home address

So, to prepare for the election, we need to have your up-to-date contact information. You can update your contact info one of two ways. (1) click here, OR (2) email share.elections@theshareunion.org to send your contact info by 5/3/21.    

If you Prefer to Vote by Mail

Please email us at share.elections@theshareunion.org by 5/3/21 to let us know that you would prefer to have a paper ballot mailed to your home.    

When Are Elections? 

You’ll be receiving a letter inviting you to nominate your co-workers and/or yourself in early May. If we have more nominees than available slots, we’ll hold elections in early June.    

Haven’t Yet Signed Your Membership Card? 

There are some of you, especially newer employees, who haven’t signed a membership card yet. While there are a number of reasons why this might be, we want to make sure we give you a heads-up so that you can sign up to be a member in time for the vote.  

If you have any questions about joining the union, don’t hesitate to contact us by emailing share.newmembers@theshareunion.org, calling 508-929-4020 or reaching out to your SHARE organizer, rep or executive board member directly. You may also find the answers to some common questions by clicking this FAQ about SHARE Union membership.   

If you’re ready to join today, click here to find a PDF of the card online. To send SHARE a signed card via email, you can print the card, sign, scan and email it to share.newmembers@theshareunion.org. To send via mail, please let your organizer know your address and we’ll send you a blank card along with a pre-stamped envelope.   

Questions? Concerns?

Please don’t hesitate to contact us by emailing share.elections@theshareunion.org, calling the office at 508-929-4020, or contacting your organizer directly. 

Get Active in Your SHARE Union

Our union is strongest and most effective when members are connected and participating. If you are not already active with SHARE, we invite you to consider getting more involved. Please email or call SHARE if you would like to:

  • Volunteer to be more active in SHARE

  • Recommend a co-worker

  • Get more information about what it would mean to be active in SHARE

  • Ask questions or express concerns about this process

Elected Leadership Positions

We usually have nominations for SHARE Reps and Executive Board Members every year in the spring. SHARE union leaders are nominated and elected by SHARE members. They work closely with the SHARE organizing staff and do many different things to keep our union strong.

In short, SHARE’s Executive Board (or "EBoard"), including the four officers, makes decisions about the direction of our union, and participates in contract negotiations. They are elected for two-year terms. They have responsibility for the whole union, and each board member is responsible for a few hundred members in their area. 

SHARE Representatives (or "Reps") serve as the contact person for their area. They are elected for one-year terms. There is roughly one Rep for every fifty SHARE members. Some Reps are trained to help co-workers solve problems in the workplace.

In addition to the currently-elected Reps, several former Reps and unofficial Reps help members in their area keep up-to-date about current SHARE news, and help their co-workers find helpful SHARE resources.

If there are more candidates than positions, then we hold an election.

2020 Elections Postponed

This year, because of the COVID pandemic, that did not happen on time. We have two choices. The one we think makes the most sense is to wait until next spring and go through our normal  nomination process then. With this option, we would make sure that there is an opportunity for SHARE members to get involved new even without a formal nomination. We would invite any SHARE member who would like to be active in SHARE, or be more active than they are now, to let us know, and we would work with them to get the training they need. We would ask also people who are currently SHARE Reps and Executive Board Members to remain in their positions until May 2021, if they are willing.

The other option would be to open nominations now, in the fall, and then again in the spring. With this option, then we would hold our regular nomination and election process now. Reps who were elected would have a 6 month term, and then be up for election again in the spring. Executive Board Members would be elected for partial terms as well. The election would be held by mail.

Either way, we would like to have members from every area active in SHARE.

Again, please email or call SHARE to volunteer yourself or recommend a coworker to be more active in SHARE, to get more information about being active in SHARE, or if you have questions or concerns about this process.

The SHARE Union / 50 Lake Avenue, Worcester, MA 01604 / Phone: (508) 929-4020 / Fax: (508) 929-4040