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Massachusetts Library Staff Association Officers
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Patricia K. Kelly, President
patkkelly@gmail.com
Michael Conboy, Vice-President
mjconboy@gmail.com
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Matt Amory, Treasurer
matt.amory@gmail.com
Lori Salotto, Secretary
lori@salotto.net
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Upcoming meetings and events
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Member Benefits Workshop
Tuesday, January 28, 2020: 6 - 8 pm
Jimmy's Pub and Restaurant
141 North Main Street
Mansfield, MA
Register here
MLSA Executive Board Meeting
Thursday, January 30, 2020: 7 pm
Canton Public Library
768 Washington Street
Canton, MA
MLSA Member Meeting
Location & Time TBD
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Sign up for the MLSA newsletter here!
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Tips for Chapter Chairs:
Whether you have been a chapter chair for a day or a decade, always remember that your AFT-MA Field Representative is your best resource and ally as you navigate the world of contracts and member representation. When you have a question or concern regarding your workplace, don't hesitate to reach out to your field rep for support and information. I know this sounds a tad ridiculous, but "you don't know what you don't know." So no matter how trivial it may seem, if there is something going on in your workplace that gives you a bad feeling, contact your field rep. She or he can very quickly let you know if the issue is something the union can address or is covered under your contract. For example, there are many things that can fall under the heading of changes in working conditions, from requests by trustees that staff wear name tags, to changes in hours, to requests that members carry and administer Narcan. So don't be afraid to reach out to your first line of defense - your AFT-MA field rep. The more questions we ask, the more the number of things we don't know will shrink!
Do you have a new member in your unit? Email Pat Kelly at patkkelly@gmail.com and I'll send you a member welcome packet for your newest unionist!
Do you need Weingarten Rights bookmarks for you members? Email Pat Kelly at patkkelly@gmail.com and I'll get them out to you
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AFT Massachusetts 2020 Scholarship Program:
Scholarship Applications are due Friday, December 20, 2019.
To be considered for a scholarship the student must be a dependent of an AFT Massachusetts member and a high school senior. The student must also attend a college or other post-secondary school in the fall of the following academic year.
This school year's Labor History Exam will be given February 10, 2020.
To learn more and to register for the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarship Program: https://www.massaflcio.org/scholarships.
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Our next Executive Board meeting on January 30, 2020 at the Canton Public Library is open to all Chapter Chairs (you are defacto members of the eboard: please attend!) as well as interested members. Please join us: it's YOUR union!
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We would like to congratulate Dan Haacker on his retirement as MLSA Vice President. Dan decided not to run for re-election this past fall, although he will thankfully be staying on in his capacity as a member of the AFT-MA executive board through the end of 2020. Dan has served as vice president of the MLSA for over 25 years and has guided the MLSA from its infancy as an affiliate of the AFT-MA. Throughout the years, Dan has worked tirelessly to promote the union and the library profession. He has been a member of the MLSA Scholarship Committee which administers the George L. Hallissey, Jr. Memorial Scholarship (please see Dan's article below which explains the origin of the scholarship). He has been an active member of the AFT-MA COPE (Committee on Political Education) which reviews and interviews candidates seeking AFT-MA endorsements in political races. Dan has joined many a picket line in support of striking union members: he has exemplified the union mantra of 'solidarity.' We will miss Dan's guidance and repository of institutional knowledge, but know that he is only a phone-call away (except when on one of his fabulous trips!) when we need him.
And I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome the newly elected MLSA Vice President, Mike Conboy of the Milford Town Library Staff Association. Mike is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Brandeis University, and most recently Simmons College. Since January of 2018, he has worked full time as the supervisor of technical services at the Milford Town Library, while also working part time as a reference substitute at both the Waltham and Hopkinton Public Libraries. Mike has been a member of a union since his first job in high school and has worked in libraries since his freshman year of college. Mike’s work at multiple libraries has provided a broad view of the field and he is excited to bring and share ideas on the importance of unions to the MLSA eboard. Mike is very passionate about the democratic and egalitarian characteristics of unions; he has brought these passions and beliefs to the Milford Town Library and encourages his fellow members to participate in the process and management of their own union. In Mike’s words: “I like to remind my fellow members that the union is not a union of a particular member, but a union of its members, all of its members. With that in mind, I hope to also encourage those of the broader MLSA to do the same, and to be involved with their union and the labor movement for the betterment of all.”
We thank Dan Haacker for his years of service and welcome Mike Conboy to the MLSA executive board!
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Take advantage of ALL the benefits available with your union membership. A reminder: these benefits are only available to dues paying members of the MLSA. And remember that our local number is 4928: you may need this information to access some of these benefits.
American Federation of Teachers
Click on the link above to see all the AFT benefits available to MLSA members! Some of the newest benefits are a steep discount on Dansko Shoes and Office Max/Office Deport. Click here for a list of member benefits and a guide to signing up.
AFT-Massachusetts
Log in or create an account using using the membership number found on your AFT membership card. Can't find your membership card? See your Chapter Chair.
AFT Rosetta Stone Offer
AFT’s Rosetta Stone program is up and running and ready for you to learn one of 25 languages for just $99.00! Comes with a free headset to make learning easy. Click here for more information.
AFT Massachusetts 2020 Scholarship Program
Every year AFT Massachusetts awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to eligible high school seniors who are dependents of AFT Massachusetts members. Click here for all the details, requirements, and deadlines.
Massachusetts Library Staff Association George L. Hallissey, Jr. Memorial Scholarship
The MLSA offers annual scholarships to dependents of our members based upon scholastic achievement, need, character, and abilities. Please click here for all details and application form. And please see the article below which answers the burning question: "Who was George L. Hallissey, Jr.?"
Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarship Program
The annual AFL-CIO scholarship program is now in it's 61st year. Through the scholarship program, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO is honored to continue the tradition of helping students as they pursue their education and work towards creating bright futures for themselves and their families. The deadline to apply is Friday, December 14, 2018. For details, please click here.
Accidental Death & Dismemberment
The MLSA currently provides Accidental Death & Dismemberment (A D & D) insurance for our members in the amounts of up to $31,250 (double if the AD &D occurs at work) for members or their beneficiaries. The AFT national has added an additional $5,000 (double if the AD & D occurs at work) to the amount the MLSA provides for each member at no additional cost to us for a potential benefit of $36,250. Click here for more details. Please see the benefits summary here.
Make sure you fill out a beneficiary card available here. We ask that you provide a copy of the beneficiary card to your Chapter Chair for efficient processing of any claims.
Occupational Liability Insurance
The MLSA provides Occupational Liability Insurance (OLI) through the AFT for claims or charges arising out of the employment activities of members of the MLSA. The Occupational Liability Insurance (OLI) Plan provides our members with broad protection for legal defense costs and court judgments. Please click here for more information on this benefit.
Union Plus Benefits
MLSA members are eligible for a variety of benefits through the AFL-CIO Union Plus program. Check out all the benefits here.
Union Plus Legal Program
You can get reliable advice at an affordable price if you need legal help or simply have a question of a legal nature with the new Union Plus Legal Program. The free basic program provides a free initial consultation up to 30 minutes, 25% off attorney's hourly or flat rate fees, and access to over 6,000 in-network attorneys. Click here for more details.
Union Plus Pet Health Insurance
Check out this health insurance benefit for the furry members of your union household by clicking here!
2019 - 2020 Union Plus Scholarship Program
Since 1991, the Union Plus Scholarship Program has awarded more than $4.3 million to students of union families. Please click here to access more information and learn how to apply for this union benefit. |
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The George L. Hallissey, Jr. Memorial Scholarship
Each year the MLSA awards scholarships to deserving children of our members. The total award started out many years ago at $500. The amount has grown over the years ten-fold so that the amount now is $5000 each year. The name of our scholarship is the George L. Hallissey, Jr. Memorial Scholarship. Who was George?
Mr. Hallissey was a member of the Thomas Crane Public Library chapter in Quincy. This chapter was one of earliest units of our Massachusetts Library Staff Association, perhaps the very first one. This is before we affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers in the mid-1990s. Prior to that we were part of the Hospital and Public Library Employee’s (HPLE) union. This was an independent union that was headed by John Keefe. He first organized the Quincy City Hospital employees, then expanding to several public libraries in Massachusetts.
Mr. Hallissey was not only a member of the Quincy unit but was on the negotiating team of their association, bargaining the early contracts for the Quincy librarians. After he passed away it was decided that a scholarship would be created in his honor. It is fitting to recognize an early pioneer in our library union movement in this way.
We again will be awarding our scholarships this spring. The guidelines and application for the George L. Hallissey, Jr. Memorial Scholarship can be found here.
Dan Haacker
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The Massachusetts Library Staff Association is not the only unionized group of librarians in Massachusetts and around the country. Many of our sister and brother librarians are represented by unions such as AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees), SEIU (Service Employees International Union), various trades unions such as the Teamsters, or are independent (such as the Boston Public library Professional Staff Association). And, of course, many libraries are unfortunately not unionized. For news about what's going on in other library unions, check out the Union Library Workers blog which is hosted by the Progressive Librarians Guild.
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I think we are all aware of the ever-growing expansion of duties we routinely face as librarians. As well as being purveyors of information, we have taken on the roles of social workers and first responders as we deal with a myriad of social issues: homelessness, mental illness, the opioid crisis, and more. Please take a look at this thoughtful article from the National Endowment for the Humanities: The Complicated Role of the Modern Public Library. As you read this article and reflect upon the additional duties you and your members have taken on over the last number of years, I would encourage you to think of this in terms of your contract and bargaining. As librarians take on more responsibilities - administering Narcan, providing passport services, support for the unhoused - you should receive adequate compensation, training, support, and safety measures. Don't be afraid to take an honest look at what you do and demand fair compensation and support for everything you've taken on!
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Union News:
Are you interested in the AFT political endorsement process? Whether we like 'politics' or not, the decisions made by politicians affect our funding, our profession, our lives. Please click here to explore, understand, and take part in the process by which the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) - our parent union - endorses political candidates.
Boston's Battery Wharf hotel workers approve contract after a lengthy strike.
Chicago Teachers Union members have reached a tentative agreement with the city of Chicago after an eleven day strike.
The AFT and members of Congress continue to press Betsy DeVos on the Department of Education's unwillingness to address the student debt crisis.
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Need samples of contract language? Curious to see how other MLSA libraries have addressed contractual issues? Check out the MLSA contract page!
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Follow AFT Massachusetts for news and updates on union issues:
On the web: http://aftma.net/
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/AFTMass
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aftma/
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