ICYMI: UMass Memorial Debt Management Resources & Federal Student Loan Forgiveness

TO:                  UMass Memorial Health Benefits-eligible Caregivers
FROM:            Tod Wiesman, Interim Chief Human Resources Officer
                        Adriana Florez, Vice President, Benefits and Wellness
DATE:             September 9, 2022
SUBJECT:      UMass Memorial Health Partners With Tuition.io for Student Debt Relief Management
 
As part of our efforts to support your professional growth and financial wellness, we are excited to announce our partnership with Tuition.io, our new student loan debt management administrator. Tuition.io will provide support to assist our caregivers with managing student loan debt, including the Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. 
 
Time-limited Opportunity for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program
Caregivers who work at a non-profit organization such as UMass Memorial Health for a minimum of 10 years and who meet specific requirements may qualify for forgiveness of their remaining federal student loan balance through the PSLF program. The U.S. Department of Education is offering a time-limited waiver for this program now through October 31, 2022 that allows borrowers to receive credit for past student loan payments that would not otherwise qualify for PSLF.
 
On September 15, you will receive further details about the limited PSLF waiver opportunity from Tuition.io, as well as more information on how to begin using all the tools available to you through the Tuition.io website. Even if the PSLF program isn’t right for you, Tuition.io can assist with finding other strategies for your specific student debt goals.
 
More information
Join us for an upcoming webinar covering the new Tuition.io benefit at UMass Memorial Health! We'll use this time to walk through the benefit details, platform information, a live demo of the features and a  Q&A period. Preregistration is not required.

Tuesday, September 13, noon to 1 pm via Zoom (Meeting ID: 830 9458 8073; Passcode: 689899)

Tuesday, September 20, 1 to 2 pm via Zoom (Meeting ID: 818 8826 1655; Passcode: 330839)

Monday, September 26, 7 to 8 pm via Zoom (Meeting ID: 846 1328 4307; Passcode: 732928)

 
If you are unable to join, these webinars will be recorded and shared in an upcoming communication. 
 
To learn more about the Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, visit the Federal Student Aid website and read these frequently asked questions detailing how Tuition.io can help with the application process.
 
We hope you’ll find these new student debt management tools and programs helpful and we look forward to sharing more information about these new offerings in the coming weeks.

Message about Federal Student Debt Relief from AFSCME

The SHARE office recently received the following good news from our parent union, AFSCME. In addition to the resources named below, you can learn more about student debt relief, including eligibility requirements, at the Federal Student Aid website.

Good news for federal student loan borrowers: This month, the Biden administration again extended the pause on student debt repayment — this time through Aug. 31. That means, instead of federal student loan payments resuming after May 1, borrowers have four more months of reprieve with payments set to start Sept. 1. And the new extension includes a “fresh start” program, which erases the default and delinquency status on late payments for millions of borrowers.

Visit AFSCME’s Student Debt Resource Center to learn about federal student debt relief programs.

Once again, President Joe Biden is showing that he understands the everyday challenges facing working people who are struggling to make ends meet while being saddled with the crushing burden of student debt.

While the pause on student debt repayment is helpful, especially given the economic and health crises caused by the pandemic, more people need relief. Public service workers and all working people struggled to repay mounting debt even before COVID hit. That’s why AFSCME pushed for changes made by the Biden administration in October to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The changes dramatically increased the number of public service workers eligible for student debt relief. More than 100,000 public service workers have already had their debts forgiven.

Visit AFSCME’s Student Debt Resource Center to learn about federal student debt relief programs.

We encourage you to review the requirements for loan forgiveness programs, including these temporary changes to PSLF. To benefit from the changes to PSLF, some borrowers will need to take steps before Oct. 31, 2022.

If you have questions or concerns about your student loans, you should contact your student loan servicer for free help. Contact information for loan servicers is available on AFSCME’s Student Debt Resource page.

Our union will continue to advocate for increased relief for public service workers and all working families. To support AFSCME’s ongoing advocacy work, make sure to visit the AFSCME member student debt resource page and share your story.

We’ll raise our voices together.

In Solidarity,

Nicole Pollard
Executive Assistant to the President, AFSCME

SHARE Updates: Negotiations, Signing On, Wearing Red, and More

YOU Can Help SHARE Bring Home a Strong Contract!

Through countless conversations and survey responses, you’ve told SHARE what matters to you. Our negotiating team is making the case to the hospital that it needs to invest more in SHARE members. We need meaningful raises. Here are some ways to support SHARE now:

  • Sign-on to the 2022 SHARE Poster for a Strong Contract. If you already signed — thank you! If you haven’t already, we urge you to do that asap! Just talk to the SHARE Rep in your area, or call or email the SHARE office.

  • Wear red on Thursdays to show solidarity with the negotiating team as they meet with management.

  • Every day is a good day to wear your SHARE “Always Essential” button!

  • Stay informed! Read on below to learn what’s happening now. For a look back at recent updates, check out posts marked #Negotiations

SHARE members in Urology are wearing their red! Pictured here are SHARE Union Rep Miranda Leger, LPN; SHARE Union Rep Yvonne Ashworth-Thayer, LPN; and SHARE member Alexandra Towouh, LPN

Negotiations Update

Our negotiation sessions are still all about the money. After presenting initial proposals, both teams have made adjustments to their positions in response to the interests we’ve heard from each other. In case you’ve missed it, SHARE’s proposal is designed to:

  • Take inflation and the rise in cost-of-living expenses into account.  

  • Make sure SHARE members make progress every year as their experience grows.

  • Catch up to what other employers are paying so that UMass Memorial can hire and fill positions, so SHARE members aren’t so short-staffed.  

  • Deal with the fact that the rising minimum wage in Massachusetts, added to the national staffing shortage, makes it especially hard to retain staff.  

  • Recognize SHARE members’ hard work during COVID and now – SHARE members are Always Essential!  

Negotiations Update: Side tables

While the main Negotiations is all about the money, two side tables are focused on other good things for SHARE members. The “Leaves & Absenteeism” side table continues to work to streamline the Leave of Absence programs. SHARE wants to make it easier for you to understand what programs are useful to you, while at the same time retaining the job protections currently available.

The “Career Advancement” side table is exploring ways to make it easier for you to get the education you want and to grow in careers at UMass Memorial. SHARE and management members had an exciting meeting with representatives from the Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust (BHMT) at Kaiser Permanente, a nationwide healthcare provider network based on the West Coast engaged in Labor Management Partnership. The BHMT has developed over the years to help over 110,000 union members have access to training and academic degree programs with zero out-of-pocket costs. Their system provides a useful model for what our hospital and union could do right here.

SHARE Testifies for Bed Expansion

SHARE testified in support of adding beds at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health virtual hearing about UMass Memorial’s application to add 91 new inpatient beds: 72 at the “NIB” (New Inpatient Building, the old Beaumont nursing home building next to University Campus), and 19 at Memorial.

In her testimony, SHARE Organizer Janet Wilder described how difficult it is for SHARE staff to provide care in these circumstances: feeling bad for making patients wait, always juggling, always running – it’s exhausting! Read the full post here . . .

Updates from the SHARE-UMass Memorial Partnership Office

SHARE’s Unit Based Teams continue to expand and make important strides toward improving how it feels to come to work in our hospital. And the SHARE-UMass Memorial Partnership Office continues to develop new ways to support those teams. We’re excited to hear these new updates from them . . .

PCA Committee Off to a Strong Start

Congratulations on launching your team!

Already got a UBT? Check this out . . .

SHARE Testifies in Support of Adding Beds at DPH Hearing on UMass Memorial Bed Expansion

On Tuesday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health held a virtual hearing about UMass Memorial’s application to add 91 new inpatient beds: 72 at the “NIB” (New Inpatient Building, the old Beaumont nursing home building next to University Campus), and 19 at Memorial.

Leaders from UMass Memorial, legislators and Worcester city leaders, providers from inside and outside UMass Memorial, and community organizations testified about why the additional beds are needed:

  • Central Mass. is “under-bedded:” Both Western Mass and Eastern Mass have more beds per capita than Central Mass, and we are substantially below the national average.

  • As the state’s only academic medical center outside Boston, UMass Memorial Medical Center is the only provider of a wide range of highly specialized care in Central Mass. If there aren’t enough beds at UMass Memorial, patients have to go to Boston, which can be very difficult for them and their families.

  • The Medical Center’s Emergency Department (ED) is the second busiest in the state and has a high patient acuity level. Because there aren’t enough beds, admitted non-psychiatric ED patients wait an average of 17 hours as ED “boarders” before they get a bed. A typical day begins with 50-70 patients boarding in the ED.

  • From February 2021 through February 2022, the Medical Center had to decline approximately 43% of requests for patient transfer from community hospitals – 3500 patients declined total.

  • In her testimony, SHARE Organizer, Janet Wilder, described how difficult it is for SHARE staff to provide care in these circumstances: feeling bad for making patients wait, always juggling, always running – it’s exhausting!

The only speakers in the hearing who were against the bed expansion at UMass Memorial were from St. Vincent’s hospital.

SHARE Updates: Virtual Info Meeting, Negotiations, and More . . .

Contract Negotiations Update: It's All about the Money 

As SHARE Members made clear in the 2022 Contract Surveys, raises are SHARE’s top priority for negotiations. Last week, the SHARE Negotiating Team put our first raise proposal on the table to the hospital. Our proposal aims to:  

  • Take inflation and the rise in cost-of-living expenses into account.  

  • Make sure SHARE members make progress every year as their experience grows.

  • Catch up to what other employers are paying so that UMass Memorial can hire and fill positions, so SHARE members aren’t so short-staffed.  

  • Deal with the fact that the rising minimum wage in Massachusetts, added to the national staffing shortage, makes it especially hard to retain staff.  

  • Recognize SHARE members’ hard work during COVID and now – SHARE members are Always Essential!  

Read more about what’s happening SHARE and UMass Memorial negotiations, including our wage discussions, in this blog post.

Virtual Information Meeting on Wednesday

Informed members keep our union strong. The SHARE Organizing staff invites all members to join online in the next of our series of information meetings to talk about how contract negotiations are going. We encourage you to bring your questions, enjoy your lunch if you want, and appear on camera if you can.

What: Negotiations Update, with a special focus on remote work

When: Wednesday, August 17, 11:30am-1pm

Where: Online, via Zoom: link here

The Inflation Reduction Act & Healthcare Savings for Americans

President Biden is soon expected to sign into law a set of reforms known as the Inflation Reduction Act that promise some good news for American workers. According to the Washington Post, the new rule would, among other things, “prevent huge spikes in the cost of health insurance for roughly 13 million Americans. It would limit seniors’ drugs costs at $2,000 a year. And it would place a cap of $35 a month on how much diabetics enrolled in Medicare would pay for insulin, a lifesaving medication.” Read what AFSCME President Lee Saunders says about the package, and why it’s good for union members, here.

Support a Strong Contract: Sign the SHARE Signature Poster

So many SHARE members have already signed the 2022 SHARE signature poster in support of a strong contract. Thank you! To ensure the best possible raises and contract, we encourage all SHARE members to sign on to this statement of our needs and values. SHARE Reps and Organizers will continue to bring signature forms through the hospital buildings and answer questions about negotiations. You can also call the SHARE office (508-929-4020) to make arrangements to sign.

About the Federal Inflation Reduction Act: A Letter from AFSCME President Lee Saunders

AFSCME Family:

On Sunday, Senate Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – a massive and historic win for working families and the country. This law is also the capstone of two years of progress, from investments in states, cities, towns and schools to the lowest unemployment rate in fifty years to lowering prescription drug costs.  

We expect the House to pass, and President Biden to sign, the Inflation Reduction Act in the coming days. Once it is law, we will provide an update with factsheets addressing the specifics of the new law.

In the meantime, here are a few toplines from the Senate-passed bill:

  • Lowering Health Care Costs – The Inflation Reduction Act will make prescription drugs cheaper for seniors by allowing the federal government to negotiate lower Medicare drug prices and penalizing prescription drug corporations for hiking drug prices in Medicare by more than the overall inflation rate. It also will cap out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors under Medicare Part D at $2,000 per year and limit their out-of-pocket insulin costs to $35 per month. For people who buy individual health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, it will lower health insurance premiums by an average of $800 a year.

  • Tackling Climate Change and Improving Energy Security – The law makes historic investments in fighting climate change, improves our energy security and tackles the climate crisis by providing tax credits for and investments in energy projects, thereby creating thousands of new good union jobs and helping lower energy costs.

  • Requiring Corporations and the Wealthy to Begin to Pay Their Fair Share – The Inflation Reduction Act requires large corporations to pay a minimum 15% income tax and makes it harder for multinational corporations to avoid paying their fair share of US taxes. It also puts a 1% tax on corporate stock buy backs, which are often used by corporations and their wealthy shareholders to avoid taxes. The law also boosts efforts to ensure corporations and the wealthiest in our society pay the taxes they owe, with no tax increases for families making under $400,000 a year.

While we have made massive progress on the issues that matter most to AFSCME members, our opponents are hellbent on denying Americans of their rights and freedoms. As we head into the fall, it’s up to us to make the contrast clear and make sure AFSCME members know what’s at stake.

Lee Saunders

President

AFSCME

Contract Negotiations Update: It's All About the Money

As SHARE Members made clear in the 2022 Contract Surveys, raises are SHARE’s top priority for negotiations. Last week the SHARE Negotiating Team put our first raise proposal on the table to the hospital. Our proposal aims to:  

  • Take inflation and the rise in cost-of-living expenses into account  

  • Make sure SHARE members make progress every year as their experience grows  

  • Catch up to what other employers are paying so that UMass Memorial can hire and fill positions, so SHARE members aren’t so short-staffed.  

  • Deal with the fact that the rising minimum wage in Massachusetts, added to the national staffing shortage, makes it especially hard to retain staff.  

  • Recognize SHARE members’ hard work during COVID and now – SHARE members are Always Essential!  

To see slides from the presentation about the economics that SHARE members are living with, click here. 

As expected, UMass Memorial has made a counter-proposal. The good news is that UMass Memorial is also focused on retention and recruitment. Discussions are respectful and constructive – recognizing that SHARE and the hospital have common interests in retention and recruitment. That said, the SHARE Negotiating Team is not satisfied yet with the numbers on the table – so we’ll keep talking.  

SHARE and UMass Memorial will continue to negotiate about raises. Maybe an agreement is just around the corner, but maybe not. SHARE intends to be ready to make the point that this agreement matters to all 2948 SHARE members. That’s where you can help – we need all SHARE members to show that they are paying attention and ready to help get a strong contract. If you haven’t already, it’s particularly vital that you sign on now to the SHARE poster. (Lots and lots of SHARE members have already signed – thank you!)  

***  

Additionally this week, UMass Memorial Leave Program Coordinator Sandy Clougherty joined the “Absenteeism” negotiations side table to describe the many leave-of-absence options available to SHARE members, and how the various leaves interrelate and overlap. The hospital wants to look at the number of policies, try to simplify them, so that SHARE members can have the same level of job protections with a more tailored set of leave options.   

The “Careers” negotiations side table is discussing lots of ideas for helping SHARE members to learn new skills and different jobs, if they want. SHARE and UMass Memorial agree that creating a pipeline for caregivers to come into UMass Memorial in an entry-level job, and move up to build their career, is good for both SHARE members and the hospital. 

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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SHARE Updates: Info Table TODAY, Negotiations, Opportunity for PCAs

Reminder: University Campus Negotiations Information Table TODAY

Don’t forget! SHARE will have an information table set up outside the old main entrance to the University Campus hospital, near the Prescription Center today, Tuesday, August 9, from 11:30am-1:00pm. Please come by to talk with SHARE organizers about what’s happening in Contract Negotiations. And, please bring your co-workers to sign the poster in support of good raises and a strong contract.

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE: TALKING ABOUT MONEY 

SHARE and UMass Memorial negotiating teams continue to discuss money. The Medical Center’s Chief Financial Officer, Therese Day, recently made a presentation to both teams. Day described the hospital’s current financial status, addressing questions provided to her ahead of time by the SHARE negotiating team. She described recent financial losses, due largely to the increasing costs of running the hospital and evaporating COVID support from the government. She was clear that a big part of the problem is that travelers and incentives are pushing up labor costs, as well as inflation in supplies prices.  

Day was also clear that UMass Memorial must solve its staffing problems, though her role was not to talk specifics about raises. Because reimbursement rates aren’t rising as fast as costs, departments are looking for ways to make the difference for next year’s budget. She assured the SHARE Negotiating Team that the hospital’s approach is to grow in ways that increase revenue, rather than making cuts. She described ways that the hospital could expand some of its most profitable work to help offset losses.  

SHARE has since made an initial comprehensive wage proposal that aims to account for the surge in cost-of-living expenses, make predictable financial progress, keep SHARE jobs competitive in the market, and recognize the essential service SHARE members provide for our community. While discussions about money continue, negotiating teams subcommittees have begun to discuss in greater depth career opportunities for SHARE members, and attendance. 

Are you a PCA or MHC? Participate in This Conversation, Get A $75 Gift Card

Design Impact and ReThink Health are looking to understand the work experience of Patient Care Associates and Mental Health Counselors – what brings you joy and what makes it hard. In particular, their team is interested in when you feel like your dignity is being respected at work and when you feel like its not being respected. They aim to help people in jobs like yours to feel more strongly valued, at work and in the world. They’re pulling together some sessions on Zoom the week of August 22nd. The sessions will be 90 minutes long, and they will pay you $75 dollars for your time. You just need to sign up for one. We think participating will be a good experience, and that it could help PCAs around the country. You can contact the program directly (see the flyers below), or email Will Erickson (will.erickson@theshareunion.org) with questions or to connect with this opportunity.

SHARE Digest: CORRECTION!

SHARE really wants to know what you know so we can make our strongest case when it comes to negotiating wages. But, the link in today’s earlier email didn’t work. A big thank you to the SHARE members who reached out to let us know! Here’s that button again, this time with the corrected link:

SHARE Needs Your Info About What Other Employers Pay 

You can help SHARE in a way that no one else can: we need to know what you know about the job market for comparable jobs at other institutions. The SHARE organizing team is compiling stories and data about what we’ve heard about other employers, specifically how their pay, benefits, and culture compete with what UMass Memorial has to offer. We’re advocating for improvements that make it an easier decision to come to work here and a wise choice to stay. Let us know what you’ve experienced in your job search, or about things you’ve heard from your friends in the field. 

SHARE Digest: Negotiations Info Table, Help SHARE with Market Research, and More

University Campus Negotiations Info Table & Poster Signing

Tuesday, August 9, from 11:30am-1:00pm, SHARE will have an information table set up outside the old main entrance to the hospital, near the Prescription Center. Please come by to talk with SHARE organizers about what’s happening in Contract Negotiations. And, please bring your co-workers to sign the poster in support of good raises and a strong contract.

SHARE Needs Your Info About What Other Employers Pay 

You can help SHARE in a way that no one else can: we need to know what you know about the job market for comparable jobs at other institutions. The SHARE organizing team is compiling stories and data about what we’ve heard about other employers, specifically how their pay, benefits, and culture compete with what UMass Memorial has to offer. We’re advocating for improvements that make it an easier decision to come to work here and a wise choice to stay. Let us know what you’ve experienced in your job search, or about things you’ve heard from your friends in the field. 

SHARE Executive Board Election, University Region C 

Reminder to SHARE members at University in the Technical and Diagnostic areas (region C): please remember that your votes are due by August 9 at noon. Eligible voters have been sent a link to vote from ElectionBuddy at their work email address and cell phone number that SHARE has on file. Find more details, and a list of eligible departments, here. If you have questions, or if you believe you should be eligible but did not receive an email from ElectionBuddy on Friday, 7/22/22 at 12pm, please email share.elections@theshareunion.org.  

Free College Benefit: Continued Complications

Earlier, we reported on the SHARE blog that the AFSCME Free College Benefit was being discontinued. Although the program was briefly re-instated, the free college providers serving Union Plus and the AFSCME Free College Benefit have again suspended some programs. Current enrollees should contact their college for details. Thank you to the SHARE members who reported to the SHARE staff your difficulties contacting the program, and alerting us to a problem. SHARE has been posting more specific updates to the original SHARE blog post, here. SHARE will continue to keep our eye on developments, and to report about educational opportunities for members.

Let’s Keep Connected 

SHARE continues to receive reports that folks aren’t receiving informational emails like this one. Please help SHARE stay strong by making sure that we have good contact information for you and your co-workers.  If you don’t get email from SHARE regularly, please provide us with a cell phone number and/or personal email address (and pass along this notice to any co-workers who might not have seen this. Thanks!) Read more here.  

COVID Test Kits Update 

If you still have older kits on hand, you may still be able to use them. The Boston Globe reports that the FDA has approved expiration extensions for several brands of rapid test kits, according to the agency’s website. Find a list of extensions and learn how you can get new test kits free on this SHARE blog post.

 

Covid Test Kits Update: Testing Options & Test Kit Expirations Extended

HOW TO GET COVID TEST KITS . . . WITHOUT PAYING FOR THEM

In case you missed it, US households are now eligible to receive an additional eight free Covid test kits from the federal government via USPS. Additionally, many health insurance providers offer a test-kit reimbursement program such as this one from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Local drugstores including CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid offer direction for other insurance providers and in-store pickup. Walgreens also provides Drive-Thru PCR testing. You can also find Covid testing sites near you through the mass.gov website.

Test Kit Expirations Extended

If you still have older kits on hand, you may still be able to use them. The Boston Globe reports that the FDA has approved expiration extensions for several brands of rapid test kits, according to the agency’s website, including: 

SHARE Digest: Contested Election in Region C, Negotiations Update, Signature Poster & More

SHARE Rep & Executive Board Elections — Contested in Region C

The SHARE Rep and Executive Board nominations period has closed, and we are excited to see so many members actively engaged to keep our union running strong. There were sufficient openings for all of the nominated SHARE Rep candidates, and most of the open EBoard positions were uncontested. There is one contested election in University Technical & Diagnostic Region C. Eligible voters are being sent a link to vote from ElectionBuddy at their work email address and cell phone number that SHARE has on file. ElectionBuddy, a virtual voting platform, is compliant with Department of Labor standards for union elections. To learn more about this election, including whether you are in a department which is eligible to vote, read more here. We will post a full list of 2022 SHARE EBoard and Reps after August 9 when the election is finalized.

SHARE 2022 Signature Poster

As always, SHARE members are coming together this negotiations in support of our negotiating team and shared interests. One way we’re doing this is through our 2022 Signature Poster. You can find examples of posters from past negotiations in departments throughout UMass Memorial, with thousands of signatures and photos of SHARE members standing together. Our 2022 statement addresses the difficulties we’ve worked through and continue to face: working through Covid, working in short-staffed areas, and working while financially stressed. We’re calling on our hospital to agree to raises that will make it smart and sustainable to stay in our jobs at UMass Memorial, and to recruit and retain co-workers to help us keep our hospital running strong. Read the full statement, and learn how you can sign on, here.

Final SHARE Survey Report

SHARE members completed over 4000 surveys on 4 different subjects earlier this year to help steer the SHARE Negotiating Team’s priorities in our current contract talks. SHARE prepared this comprehensive multi-page Survey Report which served as the core of our opening statement in negotiations with management.

This is only the first page of the full report . . . to read the rest, click the red button below

Contract Negotiations

The central SHARE and UMass Memorial negotiating teams continue to work toward our next Contract Bargaining Agreement. Here are some highlights:

  • Given the primacy and urgency of wages in these negotiations, SHARE and UMass Memorial have taken an unconventional approach, agreeing to begin discussing raise-related issues early in our talks.

  • SHARE presented to management about the needs of SHARE members when it comes to wages, pulling together data about the spikes in living costs, informed predictions about things to come, and stories about hardships currently faced by SHARE members.

  • Management described concerns about absenteeism in the context of the hospital’s staffing shortage.

  • Delegates from both negotiating teams met together with leaders from the Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs) to discuss how to better involve patients’ interests directly in our negotiation process. Although the PFAC will not be bargaining, we do want to recognize where their interests align with those of SHARE members and our hospital.

  • The next proposed negotiation subject will be a presentation by hospital management about UMass Memorial’s finances.

Equity Seed Program Now Accepting Applications

The Health Equity & Inclusion Seed Program is currently accepting grant applications from departments with ideas for projects that use “cutting-edge approaches to generate new findings and resources to eliminate health disparities.” Learn more about this program, including how your department can apply for funding. Grants are already being distributed.

AFSCME Free College Program Discontinued

The SHARE office has received the unhappy news that the US Department of Education now disallows educational programs such as the ones offered through the AFSCME Free College and UnionPlus benefits. Many SHARE members have benefitted from these programs over the past several years. It appears that currently-enrolled students can continue in their programs. Read more here.

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

AFSCME Free College Program Discontinued

8.8.22 Update: The free college providers serving Union Plus and the AFSCME Free College Benefit have again suspended some programs. EGCC most recently reported that “Students eligible for the Free College Benefit for the Fall 2022 term are students who had final grade for Spring 22 AND/OR active in courses for Summer 22 OR a new student who registered for Fall 22 courses on or before July 18, 2022.” 

Thank you to the SHARE members who reported to the SHARE staff your difficulties contacting the program, and alerting us to a problem. We will continue to keep our eye on developments and to report about educational opportunities for members. The largest of the free online programs, Eastern Gateway Community College, has been providing ongoing updates here: https://egcc.edu/press-release/

7.28.22 Update: SHARE has received word that currently enrolled students can contact the Student Resource Center, 888-590-9009, if they have questions about their status, including whether they are Pell eligible.

Please disregard the contact information that was included in SHARE’s original post. We apologize for any confusion we caused anyone with that.

The SHARE office has received the unhappy news that the US Department of Education now disallows educational programs such as the ones offered through the AFSCME Free College and UnionPlus benefits. Many SHARE members have benefitted from these programs over the past several years.

Note that in the message below, “By offering this benefit, we learned that a large percentage of our members are eligible for Pell Grants,” which will continue to be available and helpful to members and their families. SHARE will continue to seek out more educational and scholarship opportunities, and to post about them on the SHARE website. Look for the #Education tag.

Read on for the official notice . . .

AFSCME Family:

Today we learned that the US Department of Education notified our “Free College” partners - Eastern Gateway Community College (EGCC), Central State University and Paul Quinn College - that they could no longer offer no-cost college to our members and their families. The Department indicated that the financing of the program for students not eligible for Pell Grants is inconsistent with federal requirements. As a result, new students may not enroll.

There is no financial liability owed by any former or existing students who participated in the program. We are engaged in discussions with the Department and EGCC concerning the continuing education of existing students. Continuation at no cost should not be an issue for any student who qualifies for a Pell Grant. For those who are not Pell eligible, and do not have an alternative source of funding, such as an employer or union trust funded tuition assistance program, we are seeking to continue Free College until their education is complete, but we do not now have an assurance that will be the case.

The Free College program is an outstanding benefit, in some cases life-changing, for AFSCME members and their families. I was proud that we could offer the opportunity to obtain a debt free education to our members and I am committed to finding an alternative program.

By offering this benefit, we learned that a large percentage of our members are eligible for Pell Grants. This federal program provides eligible students with up to $6,895 a year in education assistance depending on various factors such as income, cost of attendance, and full or part-time student status. The grants are portable and can be used at almost any accredited college or university. To find out if you are eligible, you will need to complete an application form and the college’s financial office will calculate your eligibility before you enroll. Click on this link to learn more.

I am sorry to report this disappointing news, but we will make every effort to at least partially fill the void left by the cessation of the Free College program.

Lee Saunders

President

AFSCME

Sign on to the New SHARE Negotiations Poster & Show Your Support for a Strong Contract

Remember this blast from the past? Do you know where your signature appeared on this poster from 2016?

If you’ve been around for SHARE’s previous contract negotiations with the hospital, you know how important it is that management recognizes how connected our union is. Even now, if you look around departments in our hospital, you can find posters we’ve used to demonstrate SHARE’s strength:

  • that SHARE is the biggest union in our hospital, now with almost 3000 members in roughly 170 different job titles,

  • that UMass Memorial works because SHARE members do,

  • and that SHARE members keep informed and will stick together for a strong contract.

The poster we assembled during our last negotiations was a beauty, with hundreds of photos, and in each of those photos, a handful of SHARE members held signs to name a vital function they serve in our community. For negotiations in 2022, we’re putting together another poster to describe to our community what SHARE members have been through and what we need to keep moving forward. We encourage you to put your name on it! SHARE Reps and organizers have already begun collecting signatures around the hospital. We want our community to know we care.

If you’d like to schedule for a SHARE Rep to bring a signature sheet to your area, please call the SHARE office: 508-929-4020.

Here’s what the 2022 SHARE Signature Poster will say:

SHARE Members Are Always Essential 

We are the nearly 3000 SHARE members who – through thick and thin -- keep UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Memorial Medical Group, and UMass Memorial Health running. Whether we care directly for patients or work in the background, these last two years have been incredibly difficult:  

Working through COVID.

We maintained the frontline to protect Central Massachusetts throughout the pandemic. We came to work every day, knowing that we could be putting our lives and our families at risk. While COVID surges came and went, patients were our priority. Now we are exhausted, and, at the same time, proud of how well we have taken care of our community. 

Working Short.

In response to the pandemic, across the country, workers continue to leave healthcare. The national staffing shortage has placed an incredible burden on our shoulders – caring for our patients without enough staff. Still, we persevere.   

Working while Financially Stressed.

As if COVID and short staffing aren’t bad enough, inflation is our biggest worry right now. Gas, food, rent – everyone’s costs are rising rapidly. We know that increases in the cost of living hit people at the bottom of the pay scale hardest. We watch as co-workers leave to make more money elsewhere. 

Recruitment and Retention

A good contract is essential for SHARE members and for UMass Memorial. Together we must address our immediate financial challenges, attract new people to fill open positions, and create career pathways for SHARE members to learn and grow at UMass Memorial.  

We want to stay at UMass Memorial

Our work through our Unit Based Teams shows how much we care about making this the best place to give care so it can be the best place to get care. We strive to make this a place where everyone treats each other with genuine kindness and respect. A good contract makes it possible for us to stay. 

We will stand together as the SHARE Union

Our patients, our families, and our community depend on us.

Health Equity & Inclusion Seed Program

The Health Equity & Inclusion Seed Program is currently accepting grant applications from departments with ideas for projects that use “cutting-edge approaches to generate new findings and resources to eliminate health disparities.” Applications for funding will be considered by a diverse committee convened by the the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, which includes representation by SHARE members Kona Enders and Tameka McDaniel Vasquez.

SHARE Rep & Seed program committee member Tameka Vasquez-McDaniel

SHARE Executive Board & Seed program committee member Kona Enders

We expect that this program can have a profound impact on patients, and can help SHARE members give the kind of care they truly care about. We’re excited to see what projects shape up. Tameka McDaniel Vasquez prepared the following information for a recent presentation in our hospital. . . we’re including a copy here to help SHARE members understand the program and how to apply. Download a printer-friendly .pdf version here.

Learn more on the UMass Memorial Hub.

SHARE MEMBERS 2022 CONTRACT SURVEY RESULTS

SHARE members filled out over 4000 surveys to prepare for contract negotiations this year on a range of topics: retention and why staff stay or leave, benefits, career opportunities, our COVID experience, money, and our priorities for contract negotiations. SHARE members have been through a lot, and have a lot to say.

This final report puts it all together under the following headings:

1. Raises Are Our Top Priority

2. Keeping Staff: Pay and Staffing Levels Go Hand and Hand

3. COVID: What We’ve Been Through

4. High Priority: Hold onto Great Benefits

5. Career Opportunities for SHARE Members: So Much Potential

6. Respect and the Daily Experience

The SHARE negotiating team has used this information to help define our union’s priorities. The team presented the report in its entirety to management in negotiations as part of its opening statement.


Blog Digest: Nomination Deadline NOON TODAY & Negotiations Update

Last Call for 2022 SHARE Rep and Executive Board Nominations

Find full details here: https://theshareunion.net/NominationsandElectionNoticeSHARE2022.pdf

If you know someone who would make a good rep, especially in a department that doesn’t have a SHARE rep, please nominate them. Someone from SHARE will call them to see if they accept the nomination.

Contract Negotiations Update

After meeting twice for training and ground-rules discussions, SHARE & UMass Memorial management’s negotiating teams met last Thursday for our first official negotiating session. You can read a more detailed report of that session online. Here’s an overview:

  • Both teams opened with introductory statements (described in the full post). SHARE’s opening statement focused on the results from our series of surveys earlier in the year, and on the need, now more than ever, for meaningful raises.

  • The teams got to know each other better with introductions from each individual negotiator, in which they described how long they’ve been working with UMass Memorial and/or SHARE, what they do in their current job role, and a bit about their life and interests outside of work. See the list of negotiators in the blog post.

  • Both teams are now preparing financial presentations as a prospective topic for the next negotiation session.

The SHARE 2022 Contract Negotiations Team: (kneeling, left-right): Kim Latrobe, Kellie Morton, Tracy O’Donnell; (middle row): Kathy Girouard, Jana Hollingsworth, Deb Clark, Christean Hughes; (back row): Janet Wilder, Rita Caputo, Deb Largesse, Jay Hagan, Deb Engvall, Carol Hehir, Kona Enders; (not pictured): AJ Iaconi, Armon Rad, Elisabeth Szanto, Kirk Davis, Tameka McDaniel-Vasquez

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