SHARE Negotiations Update – Inches Away from a Deal

Good news SHARE, members! The SHARE Negotiating Team believes that we will be able to announce a tentative agreement with the hospital next week. Negotiations on Thursday continued into Friday discussions, and we were able to resolve the biggest issue – raises.

We just have some smaller details and specifics to iron out – dotting i’s and crossing t’s – and we expect we can finish them next week. We know the wait is frustrating. Thank you for your patience. We can’t tell you more yet, but we expect to describe the agreement next week.

So, stay tuned. And, as always, thank you for all you do to support your union!

P.S., We say “tentative agreement” because no agreement is final until SHARE members vote on it. The SHARE Negotiating Team will present to you the best deal we think we can get, and then it’s up to you.

P.P.S., If you are new, and have not yet signed your SHARE union membership card, now is the time! Only SHARE members are eligible to vote in contract ratification. Click here for a link to the SHARE membership card – it just takes a minute.

P.P.P.S., In entirely unrelated news, the clock is ticking on the federal student debt relief program. But it’s easy to apply for loan forgiveness, and several resources for getting help. This post on the SHARE blog contains the latest updates.

Student Debt Relief Update

Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley (pictured above) brought the Student Loan Debt Cancellation Tour to UMass Medical School earlier this week. On either side of Representative Pressley are SHARE’s own Kellie Morton and Kona Enders!

Getting started with student Student Debt Relief is easy. Register here: https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief/application

To learn more, check out this recent FAQ from National Public Radio, which includes help understanding the process, and some analysis of the current status of the legal challenges that have been brought against the federal government’s debt relief program. Additionally, you can find more debt-management resources in these previous messages from UMass Memorial and from our parent union, AFSCME.


SHARE Negotiations Update

This week we negotiated on Tuesday instead of Thursday. We have agreed to extend the contract again, this time through our next negotiating session. Next week we will be back to Thursday. For more general information about how negotiations works, check out these answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

In Negotiations, the SHARE Team has worked hard to depict what it’s like to work on the front lines and why members need good raises. It’s been meaningful to convey these messages directly from you. For a bigger sample of what we’ve presented to management, check out the “Always Essential" Gallery online . . .

Hanging the SHARE signature poster helps demonstrate how far and wide SHARE’s 3000 members work across UMass Memorial, and how much we do to support it. In the Emergency Department (seen above) they’re also describing why a good raise is so important.

“I need a good raise because”

At last week’s contract negotiations, photos of SHARE members — as well as “I need a good raise because . . .” signs — wallpapered the room around the negotiating table. The SHARE Negotiating Team continues to present the ideas and experiences of SHARE members to management — last week in pictures as well as the usual stories, numbers, charts, and graphs. SHARE members’ support matters both inside the negotiating room and outside in the departments. Standing up to support contract negotiations makes a real difference in our ability to negotiate a strong contract — we can tell that your efforts are being noticed by management. Thanks to you, we are getting very close — read on for details.

Raises – Getting Closer

Again, the majority of our discussion was about raises. The SHARE Negotiating Team put a creative package together in response to management’s proposal last week. We continue to talk about raises to address inflation, that are good for both high-paid SHARE members and for members in the less well-paid grades. We are getting closer and closer…

We are also discussing how many years the new contract should be for. The SHARE Negotiating Team says, “It all depends on the numbers.” Whether we lock in a shorter contract or a longer one, there are potential risks and rewards, depending on what the future brings. We could lock in a raise in times of high inflation that turns out to be great in a future year of low inflation. Or, it could turn out that inflation is high again that year. Two advantages of a longer contract: it locks in our health insurance and pension benefits, and it gives SHARE members predictability. One advantage of a shorter contract: we have the flexibility to address new issues as they arise.

Health Insurance & Pension

The SHARE Negotiating Team wants to protect the good health insurance benefits we have. Good news: the hospital is not proposing any cuts to these benefits. (The cost of health insurance will go up in January, but the premium split is defined our contract: SHARE members pay 15% of the total cost, while the hospital pays 85% of the cost.)

Promotion Increase, Bridging

We are talking about two more parts of the contract that have to do with pay rates: how much a SHARE member gets when they transfer or get promoted to a higher grade, and how much a re-hire gets offered for pay if they come back in less than 3 years.

Absenteeism & Leaves-of-Absence

We’ve mostly wrapped up this part of the negotiations. The state of Massachusetts now provides protections that duplicate protections we had negotiated in previous contracts. So, we’re working with UMass Memorial to make the system easier for members to use, removing Leaves that are now redundant. Beyond that, general attendance is as important as ever, given the tight staffing levels, and SHARE is carefully considering management’s concern that there may be overuse and abuse of time off in some areas, while advocating that SHARE members need to be able take time off from work, now more than ever.

Career Training

SHARE would like to create a state of the art training program so that SHARE members can get help to learn new skills and grow their careers at UMass Memorial. We think that hospital would like that too – but we are still working on what we can agree to going forward.

SHARE Updates: Negotiations & How You Can Help

SHARE Contract Negotiations Update: Fingers Crossed…

Contract negotiations on Thursday, October 6, moved us closer to a deal. Both the SHARE Negotiating Team and the hospital management team made moves to get closer to each other. While we can never predict how long it will take to get to a final agreement, Jay Hagan, SHARE Co-President on the Memorial campus says, “I’m optimistic. I’ve been through a lot of contract negotiations that went worse than this one. We hope to finish very soon.”

SHARE Co-President from the University Campus Rita Caputo, says “SHARE has been a good partner to the hospital — we worked hard through COVID, we’re doing Unit Based Teams, we testified against MGB taking insured patients from our region — and in negotiations we’re expecting our hospital to recognize that that’s valuable.”

SHARE members are showing their support for negotiations by posting the signature poster in their work area, wearing red on Thursdays, and coming to SHARE events. That really shows management that all 3000 SHARE members are paying attention to negotiations and care a lot about the outcome. SHARE’s negotiating team can’t do it without you!

The next negotiating date is Thursday, October 13th.

Kelly Fournier, from the SHARE Negotiating Team adds, “This is all new to me, this is my first contract negotiation. I had no idea how much goes into it. I’m learning a lot. More importantly, I feel like I’m working on behalf of my co-workers and SHARE members across our hospitals to make UMass Memorial a better place to work.”

Next Steps: How YOU Can Help SHARE Get a Good Deal

We need to keep the momentum going. Let’s send another message to management about why good raises are important. SHARE wants to convey specifically why raises are important to you.

Click the button to download and print a poster. Then, name why you need a good raise: fill in the blank, take a picture with your poster, and email your photo to SHARE.

Share the poster with your co-workers, take single or group pictures, and send them back to us. If we get your photo by noon on Wednesday (October 12th) we can use it for negotiations on Thursday. It’s fine to take pictures in front of your heating oil tank, at the gas station, in the grocery store, anywhere you want – just make sure there’s are no patients in the pictures! We’ll also be using these photos on the SHARE website and our social media accounts.

It’s exciting to see so many SHARE members getting engaged in so many ways during this year’s negotiations. For more ways that you can keep updated, show your support, and be involved, check out the 2022 Negotiations section of the SHARE website.

SHARE Updates: YOU Are Making a Difference, Contract Extended, Free Classes, and More

Current Contract Extended

As you may know, our current contract with UMass Memorial expires today, September 30. However, we are still negotiating, so we have jointly agreed with the hospital to extend the existing contract for 2 weeks. 

The contract extension runs through October 14. The SHARE Negotiating Team is cautiously optimistic that we will be able to come to a new contract agreement in that time. Don’t worry, the SHARE Negotiating Team is totally clear that the raise has to be retroactive, so SHARE members don’t lose anything by the delay.

Our talks continue to move forward. SHARE and the hospital management both recognize the importance of delivering good raises as soon as possible. However, the SHARE negotiating team still cannot agree to management's most recent proposal. It is not enough.

You are making a difference. Thank you for the fantastic turnout at our first few Signature Poster events, for wearing red on Thursdays, and for all the ways you're showing that SHARE is sticking together for good raises. Want more ideas? Check out the special 2022 Negotiations section of the SHARE website! And read on for more . . .

UMass Memorial Works Because SHARE Members Do

When our community sees that, it makes a difference. Central Massachusetts relies on SHARE’s 3000 members for its healthcare. Let’s keep the momentum going! 

Send us your photos! We want our community to know we’re wearing red on Thursdays to show that SHARE members work everywhere in our hospital — UMass Memorial works because SHARE does! — and we’re sticking together for a good raise.

Thanks for coming out for Poster Events! Showing off the 2,400 signatures on the 2022 SHARE Signature Poster in your department is an important display of our union’s strength.

Work-from-Home Picnic POSTPONED 

We're sorry to say the weather doesn't look reliable enough on Saturday, so we're postponing the Saturday picnic due to rain 🌦 The event is being re-scheduled to Saturday, October 22, from 10am-noon. 

In the meantime, we'll be holding 2 virtual info sessions about contract negotiations for WFH employees:  

  • Monday 10/3 - 12p-1:30p, and  

  • Tuesday 10/4 - 5p-6:30p 

Details and Zoom links have been mailed to members in Work-from-Home departments. Please email SHARE if you did not receive that information. 

UMass Memorial to Offer Free Med-Term Course 

Organization and People Development is partnering with Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) to offer “Introduction to Medical Terminology” to UMMH caregivers. The course is live, online, instructor-led, and completely free to UMass Memorial employees. There are 15 sessions for a total of 45 learning hours. 

  
Interested caregivers can begin this Fall, or reserve a spot for January 2023. Learn more here 

Please note also that, if you have friends or family who were put out of work by the pandemic, QCC offers free courses through its Fast Track Skills Academy 

Getting Covid Test Kits at No Cost 

SHARE members who take advantage of the health insurance through UMass Memorial are eligible for Covid test kits at no cost. Learn how to get them here.  

Additionally, test kits can be delivered to your door from the federal government. Learn more about this program – plus other ways to get free test kits – here.   

Coverage for Over-the-Counter At-Home COVID-19 Tests

In case you missed it, we’re reprinting this email from UMass Memorial Hospital that explains ways you can get Covid test kits at no cost.

As a caregiver covered by a UMass Memorial Health medical plan, your plan covers over-the-counter (OTC) at-home COVID-19 tests at little or no cost to you. Please review the below information detailing where to purchase these test kits and how to get reimbursed.

Note that effective February 12, 2022, OptumRx is the exclusive provider of OTC at-home COVID-19 test kits under the UMass Memorial Health medical plan. As such, effective on and after February 12, plan participants must go through OptumRx (prescription plan administrator covered through your medical plan) and not Blue Cross Blue Shield for the purchase and/or reimbursement of these test kits.

You have four options for test kit coverage:

1. Pay $0 at a preferred network pharmacy: Visit the pharmacy counter at a Kinney Drugs, Rite Aid (including Bartell Drugs), Sam’s Club, Walgreens or Walmart and present your OptumRx member ID card and ask to have your OTC at-home COVID-19 test kits submitted to your plan for coverage.

2. Order at-home COVID-19 tests online with $0 copay through the Optum Store. (Get free shipping on orders of $45+.) Sign in to optumrx.com and go to Get at-home COVID-19 tests with $0 copay. Click the Order Now link. (Smartphone users may need to scroll down to find the link.) If you’ve never signed in to the OptumRx portal, follow these step-by-step instructions.

3. Purchase a kit and then submit an online form for reimbursement: You can also purchase an OTC at-home COVID-19 test kit at other stores or online retailers. Keep your purchase receipt(s) to submit for reimbursement. Your plan will reimburse up to $12 per test. Start your online request form.

4. Purchase a kit and then print and mail in a paper reimbursement form. Your plan will reimburse up to $12 per test. Please note you will receive reimbursement more quickly if you submit an online claim form.

Which COVID-19 tests are covered?
Coverage includes OTC at-home COVID-19 test kits authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The most common tests are brands BinaxNOW™, CLINITEST®, Flowflex™, i-Health®, InteliSwab™, On/Go™ QuickVue® and COVID-19 at-home test kits (Roche).

Is there a limit to how many tests will be covered?
Yes. Covered members can get up to eight individual tests per month (e.g., a family of four would be eligible for 32 tests a month). Members are limited to eight tests per person (or four kits/32 tests per household) per calendar month at the Optum Store.

How do I get reimbursed for OTC COVID-19 tests purchased at other stores or online retailers?
If you purchased FDA-authorized COVID-19 tests at a retail store or online retailer on or after January 15, 2022, you can be reimbursed for up to eight tests per covered member per month.
You will need copies of your purchase receipt(s). Complete one form per covered family member. To receive the quickest possible reimbursement of up to $12 per test, submit an electronic claim form. You can also print and mail in a reimbursement form.

More information
Visit optumrx.com/testinfo for the latest updates and information.

If you have any questions regarding this information, please call the Benefits Contact Center at 508-334-8511 or email the benefitscontactcenter@umassmemorial.org.

UMass Memorial to Offer Free Med Term Courses

SHARE has received the following information from UMass Memorial Hospital about this program that can benefit many SHARE members:

Introduction to Medical Terminology

Organization and People Development is partnering with Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) to offer “Introduction to Medical Terminology” to UMMH caregivers.  This 15-week course is available at no cost to caregivers, and credits can be applied toward many of QCC’s healthcare certificate and degree programs. There are no out-of-pocket expenses for caregivers. Tuition, books, and fees for this class will be covered by UMass Memorial Health.

The course is live, online, and instructor-led. There are 15 sessions for a total of 45 learning hours.

Registrations will be processed on a first come, first served basis.

  • Session 1:  November 1st, 2022 - February 14th, 2023     Tuesdays from 6:00 – 9:00 P.M.  

  • Session 2:  January - May 2023                           Day & time TBD based on caregiver interest

See this inquiry form for a course summary, FAQ, and contact information.

SHARE Updates: Memorial Poster Event TODAY, Negotiations, UBTs Spotlights, and More!

Don’t forget: Memorial Campus Poster Event!

Let’s keep the momentum going! Come pick up a SHARE Signature Poster to hang in your department.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 28, noon-1:30

WHERE: outside the Memorial Amphitheater

WHY: To show we’re sticking together in support of good raises and a strong contract. Come take a picture with your co-workers and the poster, find your own signature, bring a copy back for your department, and pick up a Regatta sub.

Negotiations Update

As you may remember from the last contract update, SHARE recently received a counter-proposal from management about raises. It’s progress, but the SHARE Negotiating Team believes it’s not for SHARE members yet.

Now is the time for SHARE members to show support for strong contract. Two-thousand four-hundred SHARE members’ signatures on our 2022 Signature Poster makes a beautiful and powerful statement about what SHARE members care about. The SHARE Negotiating Team asks you to continue to show your support for a great contract: come to a Poster Unveiling event near you, put the poster up in your area, take pictures of SHARE members with their poster, and come to SHARE contract events. (See even more ways to show your support in this special section of the SHARE website dedicated to our current negotiations.)

Our message for the hospital management is this: SHARE members need good raises to attract and retain skilled, committed staff, especially to recognize all the sacrifices during COVID.

While raises are the main focus of contract negotiations, we are talking with management about how to support SHARE members’ career development, and how to help members who are dealing with housing crises due to the rapidly rising rent, among other issues.

The University Campus poster event was a great success. Next stop: Memorial!

News from the Partnership Office: UBT’s Making a Difference!

SHARE is excited to turn the spotlight on two recent UBT updates: the Rheumatology department on the Memorial campus has developed a useful system for communicating with patients about wait-times, and the new Psychiatry Lean Team at 100 Century Drive is making headway on new projects to improve patient care and how it feels to come to work everyday. The Partnership Office also offers this helpful tip for departments with UBTs to get more bang for their buck.

A Psychiatry Lean Team UBT meeting . . . bringing together teammates virtually and on-site

WORK-FROM-HOME PICNIC FOR A STRONG CONTRACT

In our ongoing series of events in support of a strong contract, SHARE is hosting a Work from Home Picnic in the park this Saturday morning. If your department primarily works from home, we hope you’ll join us to enjoy some free food, check out the Signature Poster, and have a good time with co-workers and fellow SHARE members in real life!  For more info, please contact SHARE.Comment@theshareunion.org

MEMORIAL POSTER EVENT

Let’s Show Our SHARE Strength!

Over 2,400 SHARE members signed-on to our statement in support of a strong contract before it was time to send to the printer. If you’re on the Memorial campus, come find your own signature on the poster, bring a copy back for your department, and enjoy a free sandwich.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 28, 11:30-1:30

WHERE: outside the Memorial 1 Conference Room (near the cafeteria)

WHY: To show we’re sticking together in support of good raises and a strong contract. Plus, free sandwiches.

The poster is gorgeous!

SHARE members at University are sticking together for a strong contract

Sticking together as a union helps our negotiating team drive home the case that SHARE members need good raises and a strong contract!

Reach Department Goals by Aligning your UBT Project!

A Unit Based Team (or UBT) is a group of frontline employees, managers, and physicians from the same department who come together to work on meaningful projects to improve caregiver satisfaction and patient care, while improving the way they feel about coming to work every day. This project does just that!

Rheumatology Department UBT Improves Communication about Wait-Times

Department metric: improve patient satisfaction.

As a first project to work on, the UBT in the Rheumatology Department on the Memorial campus chose to communicate better with their patients about wait times once they were roomed.

An example of the timer outside a patient room in the Rheumatology Clinic

How did they do it?

The UBT worked to to re-educate the staff on timer protocols; a schedule was put into place to check on the timer batteries, and a standard location was established to ensure the timers are in the same location outside of every exam room, so they are not overlooked. The staff would then check-in with the patients according to the timer to communicate the wait time and offer some water.

The Results?

The results are positive! Caregivers now update patients more frequently about their wait times. And that’s provided additional opportunities for communication between patients and caregivers.

These check-ins have increased patient satisfaction and improved Press Ganey patient comments regarding wait times. Caregiver satisfaction improved, too!

This worked so well for their clinic, the members of the UBT were asked to present it at the All-Managers Meeting!

Way to go, Rheumatology!



From the Partnership Office: Did You Know that Department Goals and Metrics Make the Best UBT Projects?


Align your Goals, Pull Two Weeds with One Yank!

What are your department’s Goals and Metrics? Make it a point at your next UBT meeting to invite your Management Cosponsor to discuss your Department Goals and Metrics, then try brainstorming. You will find there are many projects that can improve patient safety, satisfaction, and your overall feeling of accomplishment and purpose in your workplace!


Psychiatry Lean Team UBT Kicks Off New Improvements

Another Unit Based Team is on their way to making positive change at UMMH!

UBT committee members at the department orientation at
100 Century Drive . . . attending both in-person and virtually

The Psychiatry Lean Team at 100 Century Drive recently came together to form a UBT. They started to meet and work on several projects a few months ago. We’re looking forward to seeing how these projects develop.

The UBT is already experiencing a change in the way the department communicates. “It has been helpful for the team; everyone wants to be heard and this allows the perfect venue for this to happen,” said Management Co-Lead Michelle Rickert

Their UBT committee includes:

  • SHARE Co-Leads, Sherrell Cooley and Wanda Dyer

  • Management Co-Lead, Michelle Rickert

  • Management Co-Sponsor, Derrick Tallman

  • SHARE Co-Sponsor, Carol Hehir

SHARE Updates: Poster Unveiling Event TODAY, New Negotiations Website, Spotlight on the Memorial Inpatient Pharmacy

Don’t Forget: 2022 Signature Poster Unveiling Event TODAY!

Over 2,400 SHARE members signed-on to our statement in support of a strong contract before it was time to send to the printer. Today we the reveal the poster in all of its glory. If you’re on the University campus, we encourage you to come to the big event. Come find your own signature on the poster, bring a copy back for your department, and enjoy a free sandwich. (More details on the flyer below.)

You can also pick up a poster at signature events including Memorial campus next Wednesday [[details]]. More sites, including for employees with work-from-home arrangements, will be announced soon.

New Contract Negotiations Website

The best way to find out about what’s happening in contract negotiations is to come to information meetings and talk with SHARE Reps and Organizers firsthand. So you can always have useful information at your fingertips, we’ve also dedicated a new section of the SHARE website to round up contract negotiation resources. On the new site you can find:

  • Links to negotiations updates & contract event announcements

  • Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about negotiations

  • “Always Essential” graphics (with directions about how to add them to your email signature or virtual meeting background)

  • And lots more ways that you can support a strong contract!

UBT Spotlight: Memorial Inpatient Pharmacy

Congratulations to the Unit Based Team in the Memorial Inpatient Pharmacy! SHARE members and other staff there are now experiencing smoother transitions among roles and shifts, thanks to a project designed to measure and improve communication. Learn more about how they did it in this UBT Spotlight post.

Memorial Inpatient Pharmacy Improves Department Communications

The Inpatient Pharmacy Unit Based Team on the Memorial campus recently completed a project to address communication within the department. The staff had been struggling to consistently convey necessary information within the pharmacy across roles and shifts. When the UBT committee members identified this issue as a project to tackle, they got to work.

First, the UBT committee members developed a survey for the Pharmacists and Tech staff to complete so that they could capture a baseline measure of communication. After brainstorming potential solutions, they came up with the following: they instituted daily huddles, standardized shift-change report-out, and mounted whiteboards for communicating key information. After implementing these changes, the UBT then resurveyed the staff to see if the changes had made a difference. The results showed a significant improvement, as you can see from these responses to individual questions:

  • “My shift works well together and communicates with each other effectively” — those who agreed improved from 64% to 74%

  • “My Co-workers share with me the information I need to do a good job and I have an easy time sharing with them the information they need to do a good job” — those who agreed improved from 52%-68%

  • “My shift cooperates with other shifts effectively, and shift to shift communications are constructive” — those who agreed improved from 27% to 61%

The staff now describe smoother transitions among roles and shifts as a result of their new ways of communicating. The project improved collaboration within the department, as well as increasing patient quality and safety.

Way to go, Inpatient Pharmacy!

SHARE Updates: 25th Anniversary!

SHARE Is 25!

In September of 1997, staff at UMass Memorial voted decisively in favor of having their own union. And look at us now! We’ve negotiated solid raises every year since. We still have good health insurance at an affordable price. Every SHARE member still has a real pension . . . an uncommon benefit that provides stable, consistent income after retirement. Just as importantly, SHARE has developed an engaged community of members. We take care of ourselves and one another. And we have a say about where UMass Memorial goes from here. Happy Anniversary!

Rad Onc is wearing red to support a strong contract!

Negotiations Update

SHARE and UMass Memorial's negotiating teams continue to meet each Thursday. During our most recent session, management put on the table another counter-proposal for raises. SHARE's team can see that management's proposal moves closer to what members need, but believe that it's still not enough. SHARE's team again described the need for raises that meaningfully address the pressures of inflation, and provide wages that make hiring (and staying) at UMass Memorial more attractive.

SHARE and UMass Memorial have a tradition of reaching agreements that keep our members' wages ahead of the market. SHARE aims to continue that. The pandemic's extraordinary pressures shifted the job market significantly, and our next agreement requires more.

Negotiating side-tables continue to discuss career development as well as attendance. In our most recent session, management described their interest in absenteeism and curbing call-outs. SHARE agreed that staffing levels matter deeply to members -- especially as departments are now fatigued and short-staffed. SHARE made clear our interest in ensuring members can get time off without putting a burden on co-workers.

How You Can Help

It’s time to show some SHARE strength! Our negotiating team is making a strong case at the negotiating table, bringing forward thoughts and ideas you’ve shared. SHARE’s strength at the negotiating table comes from 3000 members staying informed and keeping connected. SHARE Signature events start next week — more details soon. Additionally, you can:

It’s always a good time to wear your “Always Essential” SHARE button to show that we’re sticking together! (Need some for your department? Call or email and we’ll get them to you!)

Federal Student Debt Relief Update

Good news for federal student loan borrowers: Last month, the Biden administration again extended the pause on student debt repayment. The new extension includes a “fresh start” program, which erases the default and delinquency status on late payments for millions of borrowers.

Please note: to take advantage of this debt relief, some borrowers will need to take steps before Oct. 31, 2022.

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

  • You can read the full SHARE blog post about federal student debt relief here.

  • You may also have seen that UMass Memorial recently announced a partnership with tuition.io for student debt relief management. In case you missed it, SHARE has reprinted the hospital’s announcement, which includes a list upcoming virtual information sessions about the program.

Labor Day Roundup

We hope that everyone had a meaningful Labor Day this year, with special thanks to those of you who were working on the holiday to take care of patients and our hospital. AFSCME President Lee Saunders marked the occasion with this thoughtful op-ed in Newsweek describing reasons that working people have to be optimistic now.

One of our own SHARE families joined SHARE organizers at the annual Central Massachusetts AFL-CIO Labor Day Rally this year . . . to be awarded a college scholarship! Congratulations to Adela Vasili, daughter of SHARE member Erlinda Vasili, and recipient of the $1000 prize. Adela is attending Holy Cross University.

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 . . .

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