MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 and SEIU - Celebrating our 20-Year Partnership

At our convention this year, we will mark the 20-year anniverary of our powerful partnership with SEIU. What does that mean to us as individual members? Stronger together yesterday Folks who've been around a long time vividly remember some victories a lot of us take for granted. We have good healthcare benefits and retirement security because SEIU stood with us in years gone by. "In the early 1990's, the governor wanted to take $10 million from our healthcare program. An SEIU expert came and found the savings that resulted in a better plan for employees, with paid prescriptions, free office visits and free wellness checkups." - Bob Glidden, MSEA-SEIU retiree member Stronger together today As the worst recession in our adult lives hit a year ago, SEIU immediately convened an emergency economic summit with leaders of public sector local unions, and then pushed hard in Congress to win the economic recovery act. We're receiving $1.2 billion in new federal funds over a two-year period, and our governor used about $100 million of that to plug holes in this year's state budget. "So many problems in the state of Maine are national problems that need to be nationally corrected-funding issues, the Social Security Offsets, healthcare, TABOR, the Employee Free Choice Act-and that's why I think we should stay affiliated with SEIU." - Steve Keaten, MSEA-SEIU state employee member, DHHS Stronger together tomorrow In coming months, we face both huge challenges and exciting opportunities. After another TABOR fight, will come a projected $80 million state budget shortfall and one of the most closely watched elections in the whole country. Our new child care and home care members are bargaining contracts with the state. We have a lot to work to do together, we need SEIU standing strong with us more than ever and we need you more involved than you've ever been before. "I'm sort of the new kid on the block but I have seen what being united in MSEA-SEIU can do for us that we would never have been able to do on our own. For the first time, child care providers finally have a voice with the state, they're excited about that and SEIU played a major role in making it happen." - Penni Theriault, president, MSEA Kids First Where would we be today without our powerful MSEA-SEIU partnership? "SEIU has helped my chapter tremendously. It's such a big thing for home care workers to get to have a say in where the money goes." - Helen Hanson, MSEA-SEIU member and home care worker, Alpha One "When we faced tough times this year, if you were involved in MSEA, you know SEIU was there with us. I've seen what SEIU can do and I'm hoping we can do even more together." - Jonatha French, MSEA-SEIU state employee, DOT "The vote to affiliate with SEIU was the first vote I took as an MSEA member. It is as right now as it was then." - Scott Austin, MSEA-SEIU executive board member and state employee, DEP