Greetings MPEA members,
First and foremost, thank you for your interest in this work! We’re excited for this opportunity to engage you all and keep you up to date on what’s going on with your MPEA Union.
If you’re not familiar with the YourMPEA group, we’re a small group of MPEA members that are committed to growing and improving our labor union to improve the strength and success of each and every one of our fellow colleagues.
We envision a Union that is reflective of its members, including:
- Regular and transparent engagement with members (including open Board meetings)
- Continual improvement goals and development for the Union
- Committees that engage member expertise and enhance Union operations
- Member education and communication on worker and Union rights and protections
Not to dwell on the negative, but in recent years there has been growing concern about the representation and management of the Union that is potentially harmful to our collective and individual worker rights. Among these are:
- Closing of Board meetings to members (April Board Meeting notes)
- No Grievance Committee exists as required by Union Bylaws
- An absence of Union Board communication, transparency, and member engagement
- Failure to provide timely Board Meeting notes and financial disclosure
So…what’s next? We want to hear from you. And feed you tacos! (Oct 19th, 11-1pm on the 10th Floor of PSB)
We’d really love to start making more connections and hear what you want from a Union, what issues you’re facing, and what our Union should be focused on improving in the future. It could be as simple as “more happy hours” or as specific as “shortening the duration of time new hire probation from 12 months to 6 months”. Or just show up, say hi, and eat tacos!
We’ll be chowing down on the 10th Floor of the Public Service Building from 11-1pm on Oct 19th. Let us know if you’re planning on stopping by and please feel free to invite other MPEA friends!
Our jobs are more than just a paycheck. They are our rent, our food, our personal safety and security. As the entity charged with protecting your rights, this Union needs to take this work seriously. As we learned from Covid and unrest following the murder of George Floyd, things are fine until they aren’t. We need to be proactive. We need to be on guard. And we need to be continually vigilant about how we protect ourselves and each other.
Do you know your rights? Do you know what to do if you’re facing disciplinary action? Do you know who you should talk to? Do you trust them?