Don't Bash State Workers
Why is it that when the mainstream media in Massachusetts is allergic to heavy lifting, it trots out union- and state employee-bashing? Unions are the last line preventing the American people from becoming a nation of wage/debt slaves. In these hard times, it is important to remember not to turn on state employees about problems primarily caused by the private sector banking industry. We have hosed them with money and have nothing to show for it in the everyday life of working people (including state employees).
When people lose their jobs, Department of Transitional Assistance employees help with unemployment assistance, food stamps, health insurance. For persons with mental retardation, Department of Developmental Services service coordinators provide case management and planning towards independence (and less expensive care). For struggling children/families, Department of Children/Families social workers provide support and direction to resources. State employees provide job training and assistance within the Mass. Rehab Commission.
Our reward over the last 20 years has been reduced staffing levels and more complex forms of labor-intensive work. Since 1991, the mental retardation population has grown more than 50 percent (from 21,000 to 33,000), while the numbers of state employees in DDS have gone from 10,491 in 1991 to 6,900 or so today. Since 2002 we have averaged less than 2 percent raises. Most of us have done this for decades for mediocre pay because we value making a difference in people's lives—bringing our case management skills and resource knowledge to bear on improving the lives of people such as the mentally retarded and the mentally ill. Please try to value instead of demonizing us.
Stu Dickson, SEIU Chapter President
Massachusetts Department of Developmental Sevices
Cut Nuke Arsenal
Alan Bisbort is to be commended highly for his article ["Bomb Culture"] in the June 25 issue of the Advocate defining the continued existence of nuclear weapons as "unacceptable and intolerable." He stressed what people seem to have forgotten, namely, the utter destructiveness of a nuclear weapon detonation and its radiation effect on survivors of the blast. While the administration's emphasis on the economy, global warming and health reform is extremely important, progress on these issues would be derailed, to put it mildly, by the catastrophe of one or more nuclear bombs exploded in an American city. We must begin to move toward the world-wide abolition of nuclear weapons, as our president has pledged he would do. So, besides calling or writing the president, as a minimum calls should be made to Senators Kennedy (202-224-4543 and 617-565-3170) and Kerry (202-224-2742 and 413-785-4610), urging them to press the president to begin the fulfillment of his pledge.
Chadwick Johnson
Amherst
