The DeliberatorThe Deliberator, Winter 2015 a newsletter that is by and for the Mass Defenders, a chapter of Service Employees International Union, Local 888 .

Happy New Year! As most of you know, we hit the ground running in December and January for the campaign to form a union at CPCS. In addition to re-�ling legislation in the House of Representatives and �ling for the �rst time in the State Senate, we are planning on �ling a petition with the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations (DLR) to form a bargaining unit at CPCS at the beginning of March.

In preparation for this, local CPCS activists will be holding regional informational meetings throughout the state for all sta� to attend. We have already had meetings in Pitts�eld, Fall River, Brockton, Cape Cod, Lowell, and Salem. The meetings have been well attended with veteran CPCS organizers as well as many new people. All of the o�ces (CAFL, District, Superior, YAD, etc.) as well as job titles (Attorneys, Investi-gators, Social Workers, Social Services Advocates, Administrative Assistants, etc.) have been well represented. With lively discussions taking place at all of these meetings, momentum is building!

The next regional meeting is currently scheduled for:

• Western Mass area on Friday, February 13th at 5:30 pm at the Cellar Bar in Easthampton.

Other regional meetings are being planned for other areas as well, including Lawrence, Roxbury, Quincy, Framing-ham and Worcester. If you would like to organize a meeting for your area, contact:

• Rudy Renaud for Central & Western Mass at (413) 475-0895 or krenaud@seiu888.org.

• DJ Cronin for Greater Boston North, Merrimack Valley and the North Shore at (978) 387-0585 or dcronin@seiu888.org.

• Ian Woolverton for Greater Boston South, Southeastern Mass and Cape Cod at (508) 667-7056 of iwoolverton@seiu888.org.One more upcoming event: on Monday,

February 9 the campaign for collective bargaining rights will be featured on the Bill Newman Show at 9:00 AM on 96.9 FM and 1240 and 1400 AM in the Pioneer Valley! Bill Newman is a popular talk show host and ACLU attorney. Anyone who would like to join us, please let DJ Cronin or Rudy know.

In this column Frankie, our resident union cat, will address any concerns you may have. If you have any inquiries email Frankie’s mom at krenaud@seiu888.org. She isn’t allowed on the

computer but her mom will pass along the question.

Hi Frankie. Ok, Last time I asked you if it was possible for the legislation to pass before Decem-ber 31. You said yes, but it may not happen. Well clearly it didn’t happen. So what now? -From Nervous in Newton

Hi N in N. Yeah that was too bad that it didn’t pass last legislative session but don’t give up hope. We got reported out of committee favorably, and that means we made it further than some �rst time

legislation does. Now we’ve re-�led and should have a better shot this time around. (Read Dan Ho�er’s political update.) N in N, think of it like we are a newly created team that made it to the playo�s, but not the Super Bowl. Speaking of the Super Bowl, did you know that Seahawks are known to pick up cute little kitties like me and, well, do the unthinkable! Who in their right mind could support a team named after kitty killers! I’m with the Patriots! At least they wouldn’t serve me up for supper!

Frankie, what about just filing with the Department of Labor Relations to ask for recognition? We have enough cards, or at least we are very close.-From Ready for a Fight in Lowell

Hey Ready for a Fight in Lowell. Guess what? We are too! And we are going to do just that! From the start we said that if the legislation didn’t pass after the �rst cycle, we would �le for Written Majority Authori-zation at the DLR. So do your part make sure that everyone in your o�ce is signed up on an updated card and get that card to SEIU Local 888 through your regional point person, or call DJ at 978-387-0585. The last time workers at CPCS and a

Winter, 2015Vol.1.4

L-R: Molly Turner, Co-host , Rudy Renaud, Organizing Director, Jennifer Rosenthal, MassDefender, at 91.1FM Amherst, MA. See page a3 for the full story.

a1a4The Deliberator Winter 2015

Ask Frankie:

di�erent a�liated union tried to �le for recognition with the DLR the petition was rejected but never appealed.

This time the decision will be appealed and we will �ght for recognition using the process. And we all just happen to be students of the pride of Lowell, Mickey Ward. We know how to give a one-two-one-two-punch in the nose! Or is it left-right-left-right-left to the gut! Hmm, it’s been a long time since I’ve been to Art Ramalho’s West End Gym but I’m still fast on my paws!

Think of the legislation as a right jab to the body, and �ling with the DLR as a left hook to the head. Sooner or later we will deliver that knockout punch.

Frankie, I get so sick of hearing report after report about how we need to be more fairly compen-sated yet nothing ever happens. How should we react to every new commission study that says the same thing again and again?

-Sick of the Blah Blah Blah

Hi SBBB. I like your name. I’d say we take all these studies and use them to our advan-tage when we are lobbying legislators and negotiating our �rst contract. And you are doing exactly what you need to do to make sure things improve—working hard to form your own union with SEIU Local 888. I know what you mean though. It’s frustrat-ing. I’m always presenting my person with proof that I’m underfed and underappreci-ated and she does nothing with it. Or she looks at me and says, “yes Frankie, you’re right, but who is going to pay for the fresh delivery of Salmon everyday and a catnip farm?” I hate these rhetorical questions. So I’m with you and sick of the blah blah blah. Let’s organize and speak truth to power!!

Continued on p. a2 -->

• Monday, February 9 @ 9AM and 6PM: The Mass Defenders are on the Bill Newman show! In western Massachusetts listen on 96.9 FM/1240 and 1400 AM.

• February 21st and 22nd, Mass Defenders blitz, Contact an organizer if you would like to be involved.

• Wednesday, February 25th @ 1:00 pm: Black Lives Matter Solidarity Event (Courthouses across the Com-monwealth; https://www.facebook.com/events/788712614509177/)

• State Wide Organizing meeting Feb 28th 10am-12pm. 330 South West Cuttoff Worcester, MA

• Friday, April 17th through Sunday, April 19th : National Lawyers Guild North-east Regional Conference (Western New England Uni-versity School of Law, Spring-field, MA)

• Friday, May 15th @ 6:00pm: National Lawyers Guild 2015 Annual Dinner (Dante Alighieri Cultural Center, Kendall Square, Cam-bridge, MA)

Upcoming Events

Q&A @ MCLEBy Ian Woolverton, Organizer

On Friday, November 14 the Mass Defend-ers had a union meeting during the lunch hour of 15th Annual Criminal Law Confer-ence in Boston. We discussed how far we have come and had a chance to answer questions and strategize for the coming months. A few of the questions that sta� asked:

Q: I think I might be management and am unsure if I will be included in the union, what is the cuto�? A: Many “managers” have signed cards. Ultimately if the Department of Labor Relations (DLR) is the arbiter, they will determine who is included in our bargain-ing unit. Generally the DLR de�nes a manager as someone using independent judgment that can make decisions regard-ing hiring, promoting, transferring, reward-ing, and terminating employees.

Q: When are we going to start acting like a union?A: That is up to us! Get more involved: come to the next statewide meeting in Worcester: (2/28 – 10am – 12pm. 330 SW Cuto�, Worcester, Mass). Donuts and co�ee!

Q: Who will we bargain with?A: We will negotiate with the Committee or its designee at the bargaining table. But we have to win �rst (explained below).

Q: When can I talk to my co-workers about the union and about signing a card?A: The same way you can talk to a

co-worker about the Patriots game, you can talk about unions. You can also wear a union button and distribute union litera-ture on work time. Do what makes you feel comfortable, but you should feel free to sign a union card during a lunch hour or after work.

Q: Who is included in the campaign, just lawyers or all employees? A: We are trying to build a strong union for everyone at CPCS. Our working conditions and wages are a shared concern across the agency, and being in one big union gives us more power. Secretaries, administrative assistants, IT workers, social workers, attorneys, AICs, SSAs, investigators have all been involved in the campaign. We will �le a petition for union certi�cation for a particular bargaining unit. We anticipate the DLR will break up the agency’s work-force into di�erent bargaining units. Most likely a supervisory bargaining unit (SSAs, AICs, supervising investigators and supervising clerical employees); a profes-sional bargaining unit (lawyers, social workers, IT employees); and a non-professional bargaining unit (investigators, admin assistants, etc.) For the record, we shudder at the terms professional and non-professional. Everyone’s work is valued.

Q: What happens if our legislative e�orts fail? Can we try for recognition without a change in the law? A: Great question, even if our legislation does not pass, we can form a union but it is not in our hands (otherwise we would have done this already). The �rst route is �ling for recognition with the Department of Labor Relations on one or multiple bargaining units. A variation of this process

Massdefenders at the MCLE Conference. L-R: James Kaeding, Molly Karp, Paul McManus Natalie Corvington, Allyson Entz, Brett Bauman, Maura Tansley, Rachel Scotch, Adrian Angus, Sarah Fleming, Ben Evans, Anuj Khetarpal, Barusch, Paul Rudof, Christian Williams, Timothy Brown, Marcy C. Levington and Cathleen Bennett.

with di�erent bargaining units has been tried twice in the past by other unions, but we believe they did not do enough to advocate the case for unionization via the DLR. We plan on �ling and if need be, legally challenge a negative outcome.

The Deliberator, Winter 2015 a newsletter that is by and for the Mass Defenders, a chapter of Service Employees International Union, Local 888 .

Happy New Year! As most of you know, we hit the ground running in December and January for the campaign to form a union at CPCS. In addition to re-�ling legislation in the House of Representatives and �ling for the �rst time in the State Senate, we are planning on �ling a petition with the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations (DLR) to form a bargaining unit at CPCS at the beginning of March.

In preparation for this, local CPCS activists will be holding regional informational meetings throughout the state for all sta� to attend. We have already had meetings in Pitts�eld, Fall River, Brockton, Cape Cod, Lowell, and Salem. The meetings have been well attended with veteran CPCS organizers as well as many new people. All of the o�ces (CAFL, District, Superior, YAD, etc.) as well as job titles (Attorneys, Investi-gators, Social Workers, Social Services Advocates, Administrative Assistants, etc.) have been well represented. With lively discussions taking place at all of these meetings, momentum is building!

The next regional meeting is currently scheduled for:

• Western Mass area on Friday, February 13th at 5:30 pm at the Cellar Bar in Easthampton.

Other regional meetings are being planned for other areas as well, including Lawrence, Roxbury, Quincy, Framing-ham and Worcester. If you would like to organize a meeting for your area, contact:

• Rudy Renaud for Central & Western Mass at (413) 475-0895 or krenaud@seiu888.org.

• DJ Cronin for Greater Boston North, Merrimack Valley and the North Shore at (978) 387-0585 or dcronin@seiu888.org.

• Ian Woolverton for Greater Boston South, Southeastern Mass and Cape Cod at (508) 667-7056 of iwoolverton@seiu888.org.One more upcoming event: on Monday,

February 9 the campaign for collective bargaining rights will be featured on the Bill Newman Show at 9:00 AM on 96.9 FM and 1240 and 1400 AM in the Pioneer Valley! Bill Newman is a popular talk show host and ACLU attorney. Anyone who would like to join us, please let DJ Cronin or Rudy know.

In this column Frankie, our resident union cat, will address any concerns you may have. If you have any inquiries email Frankie’s mom at krenaud@seiu888.org. She isn’t allowed on the

computer but her mom will pass along the question.

Hi Frankie. Ok, Last time I asked you if it was possible for the legislation to pass before Decem-ber 31. You said yes, but it may not happen. Well clearly it didn’t happen. So what now? -From Nervous in Newton

Hi N in N. Yeah that was too bad that it didn’t pass last legislative session but don’t give up hope. We got reported out of committee favorably, and that means we made it further than some �rst time

legislation does. Now we’ve re-�led and should have a better shot this time around. (Read Dan Ho�er’s political update.) N in N, think of it like we are a newly created team that made it to the playo�s, but not the Super Bowl. Speaking of the Super Bowl, did you know that Seahawks are known to pick up cute little kitties like me and, well, do the unthinkable! Who in their right mind could support a team named after kitty killers! I’m with the Patriots! At least they wouldn’t serve me up for supper!

Frankie, what about just filing with the Department of Labor Relations to ask for recognition? We have enough cards, or at least we are very close.-From Ready for a Fight in Lowell

Hey Ready for a Fight in Lowell. Guess what? We are too! And we are going to do just that! From the start we said that if the legislation didn’t pass after the �rst cycle, we would �le for Written Majority Authori-zation at the DLR. So do your part make sure that everyone in your o�ce is signed up on an updated card and get that card to SEIU Local 888 through your regional point person, or call DJ at 978-387-0585. The last time workers at CPCS and a

By Jennifer Rosenthal, MassDefender On January 18, CPCS sta� was invited to speak on channel 91.1 FM at UMass Amherst about our e�orts to become unionized. This was an exciting oppor-tunity, as it allowed us to speak to members of the community. DJ Cronin, Rudy Renaud, and I were joined by co-hosts Leo Maley and Molly Turner. We discussed our more aggressive strategy for this legislative term. The strategy includes �ling bills in both the House and Senate and directly asking top management to recognize our ability to unionize. (better to say: our right to collectively bargain)

The recent Boston Globe article provided good talking points for our interview, . Some topics that were discussed included: salary fairness issues; why taxpayers should care that public defenders are the third lowest paid workers in the courthouse; and the ine�ciencies associated with a high-turnover. An underlying theme throughout the interview was the dedication and commitment by all CPCS sta� to helping indigent clients and �ghting for their constitutional rights.

The Deliberator Winter 2015a2 a3

The DeliberatorWinter 2015

di�erent a�liated union tried to �le for recognition with the DLR the petition was rejected but never appealed.

This time the decision will be appealed and we will �ght for recognition using the process. And we all just happen to be students of the pride of Lowell, Mickey Ward. We know how to give a one-two-one-two-punch in the nose! Or is it left-right-left-right-left to the gut! Hmm, it’s been a long time since I’ve been to Art Ramalho’s West End Gym but I’m still fast on my paws!

Think of the legislation as a right jab to the body, and �ling with the DLR as a left hook to the head. Sooner or later we will deliver that knockout punch.

Frankie, I get so sick of hearing report after report about how we need to be more fairly compen-sated yet nothing ever happens. How should we react to every new commission study that says the same thing again and again?

-Sick of the Blah Blah Blah

Hi SBBB. I like your name. I’d say we take all these studies and use them to our advan-tage when we are lobbying legislators and negotiating our �rst contract. And you are doing exactly what you need to do to make sure things improve—working hard to form your own union with SEIU Local 888. I know what you mean though. It’s frustrat-ing. I’m always presenting my person with proof that I’m underfed and underappreci-ated and she does nothing with it. Or she looks at me and says, “yes Frankie, you’re right, but who is going to pay for the fresh delivery of Salmon everyday and a catnip farm?” I hate these rhetorical questions. So I’m with you and sick of the blah blah blah. Let’s organize and speak truth to power!!

Organize, Lobby, Advocate…. and RepeatLegislative Session 2014-2015: Onward to the SENATE!

By: Dan Ho�er, Political Director

Looking Back: Last session's bill, HB2389, "An Act relative to collective bargaining for employees of CPCS," made remarkable progress in its �rst year. Following its �ling in January 2013, CPCS sta� and supportive members from Local 888 participated in many lobby visits, in-district meet-ings and a very successful hearing. Thank you to all the members who participated. This mobilization led to HB2389 being favorably released from the Joint Committee on Public Service (JCPS) on July 28, 2014. The bill landed in the House Committee on Ways and Means, and that is where it stayed for the duration of the session. While the bill came a long way, it ultimately did not pass. But fear not, this was the �rst time since 2005 that a CPCS collective bargaining bill was �led and aggressively pursued. At the outset of our legislative campaign, we antici-pated that it would likely take multiple sessions to pass our bill and that has proven to be correct.

Everyone should take great pride in what we accomplished: we made valuable allies in the House and Senate, achieved unanimous support from the Joint Committee on Public Service, and elevated the conversa-

tion about fairness and equity at CPCS to a new level. In addition, we gained support from the Mass Bar, other important stakeholders, and many community partners.

Looking Forward: On January 3 when the new 2015-2016 legislative session began, Local 888's political team sought to accomplish two things: 1) File CPCS legislation in BOTH the House and Senate, and 2) Recruit co-sponsors in both chambers to help move the bill further along.

Our bills were �led in both houses on January 16. Currently they only have "docket numbers" and will not receive "bill numbers" until they are assigned to a committee. Below are the names, numbers, and sponsors:

HD3439/SD671, "An Act relative to the collective bargaining rights for employees of the Committee on Public Counsel Services." Senate Sponsor: Jason Lewis, House Spon-sor: Mike Moran

Local 888's Political Organizer Jamie Gaynes and I have been busily recruit-ing House and Senate co-sponsors for our bills since �ling. As of the House deadline for co-sponsors, Feb 4th, we had 36 Representatives signed on to our bill, compared to 14 cosponsors last session.

The Senate bill is another story. Last session we only �led in the House. The new Senate leadership under Senator Stanley Rosenberg has changed the landscape in the Senate to our advantage and they may be more receptive to a collective bargain-ing bill for CPCS. CPCS sta� had a very positive meeting with Senate Presi-dent Rosenberg last session about our bill, so we know it is on his radar. As of the Cosponsorship deadline we had 5

senators signed on to our Senate bill.

What's next: Bills of this nature are almost always referred to the Joint Committee on Public Service (JCPS), as our bill was last session. Both the House and Senate Bills will be in this committee and will likely be heard together. Our plan is to push for an early hearing so we can move on to the Committees on Ways and Means in each respective chamber.The key to our success will be educat-ing the members of each committee in each chamber. The Senate Commit-tee assignments have been announced, but the House assign-ments will not be �nalized until mid to late February. Once these assign-ments are made the game plan for union supporters will become clear.

Like last session, to win this �ght the MassDefenders will be asked to call their legislators and set up meetings, lobby committee members, write letters, gain support of community and professional associations, and turn out for each hearing. Your support and participation is vital to the success of this campaign.

Last session we made a strong case for collective bargaining and set the foundation that our eventual victory will be built on. We were given a chance to engage and educate stakeholders without any opposition, and build support and a track record for our bill. This session we will need to redouble our e�orts. That means a more aggressive and pointed strategy. The key to that strategy is MassDe-fenders participating actively in e�orts on Beacon Hill. Our ability to turn out and show up will be the di�erence between victory and defeat.

Do you know a legislator personally? Do you have any intelligence from them on our bill, or just want to gossip? Contact Dan Ho�er, Political Director, SEIU Local 888 dho�er@seiu888.org.

The Political Department: Dan Ho�er and Jamie Gaynes

Mass Defenders take to the Air

L-R: Rudy Renaud, Organizing Director, Jennifer Rosenthal, MassDefender, at 91.1FM Amherst, MA.

Our ability to turn out and show up will be the di�erence between victory and defeat.

Continued on p. a3 -->

The co-hosts focused on three pieces of information. First, that many public defenders have over six �gures of student loan debt, which is one major di�erence between us and other workers in the courthouse (except the Assistant District Attorneys). Second, that one of our main goals is to work with our social services advocates to assist our clients in their recovery from underlying addictions by getting them placements at programs – a reason that they are often committing crimes to begin with – and reintegrate them into society. Finally, they were surprised to learn we do not receive yearly cost of living adjustments, since even individu-als on social security receive that bene�t.

One major bene�t of this interview is that we have piqued additional interest in our cause from a radio station with a broader audience. I am excited to announce that we have been invited to speak on The Bill Newman Show at 9 a.m. on Monday, February 9, 2015. My hope is that more people will tune in and take the time to think about why our work is important and why we need the taxpayers’ support to help facilitate a meaningful change.

Think of the legislation as a right jab to the body, and �ling with the DLR as a left hook to the head. Sooner or later we will deliver that knockout punch.

Sponsors &Cosponsorsin the Houseand Senate41