Business leaders & professionals letter on Salary Reserve

8/4/2019 Business leaders & professionals letter on Salary Reserve

1/6

Providers Council Human Services Providers Charitable Foundation, Inc.

250 Summer St., Ste. 237 Boston, MA 02210 p: 617.428.3637 f: 617.428.1533 e: [email protected]

September 1, 2011

His Excellency Deval Patrick President Therese Murray Speaker Robert DeLeo

Office of the Governor State Senate State House of Representatives

State House State House State House

Room 280 Room 332 Room 356

Boston, MA 02133 Boston, MA 02133 Boston, MA 02133

Dear Governor Patrick, Senate President Murray and Speaker DeLeo:

As leaders in the states business sectors, we are without question pleased that the

Massachusetts economy continues to improve. But in our role as board members of community-

based human services organizations, we are enormously troubled by the low wages the state

continues to provide to our organizations direct care workers and its refusal to secure solutions.

We respectfully add our voices to the request that the Governor submitsa supplemental budget

request containing a $28 million salary reserve for the more than 31,000 employees who make

less than $40,000 per year. In addition, we are asking legislative leaders to take action to ensure

that the next supplemental budget request includes a $28 million salary reserve.

Direct care workers are among the lowest-paid employees in the state, and they work in a critical

sector that helps to drive the economy in the Commonwealth. We view this appropriation as a

critical investment in the Commonwealths workforce.

More than 31,000 direct care workers in community-based settings have not received even a basic

cost-of-living adjustment since fiscal year 2008. In June, 3 percent increases were given to more

than 4,000 executive branch managers, while low-paid workers in the human services sector have

seen stagnant salaries while dealing with the rising costs of transportation, insurance and other

basic needs.

The state now has the opportunity to help direct care workers who have, as the Governor has put

it, shared in the sacrifice these last three years. In our judgment, none are more deserving than

these hard working women and men who serve one in 10 residents in Massachusetts.


2/6



If direct care workers are unable to care for our employees elderly parents or children with

disabilities, our businesses would experience increased absences, decreased productivity or

possibly resignations because employees may need to leave their jobs and care for a family

member.

While the human services sectors direct care staff members have been chronically underpaid, we

understood the states need to tighten its belt during the recession. In fact, many of our

companies were forced to take a similar course of action. But those employees who shared in the

sacrifice should now be compensated for their efforts.

The Commonwealth has been posting strong economic gains for several months, and we were

further encouraged to hear the Department of Revenue state that the Commonwealth had

collected $1.442 billion in taxes in July 6.6 percent better than July 2010 and $60 million better

than projected for the month.

After going without any type of salary adjustment since fiscal year 2008, we believe the time to

recognize one of the Commonwealths most dedicated workforces is now. We must care for those

whom we entrust to help the most vulnerable individuals in the state. A salary adjustment of less

than $18/week for these employees is more than warranted.

We stand together with leaders from the human services sector in making this request, and we

would be happy to meet with you.

Thank you for your time and your consideration of this critical adjustment.

Sincerely yours,

The board leaders of human services organizations

John Abraham, Engineer/Consultant HMEA

Joseph Ailinger, BNY Mellon Bay Cove Human Services

Thomas Aites, TD Bank Bay Cove Human Services

Alexy D. Arauz-Boudreau, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital Family Service of Greater Boston

Warren Bacon, Initiative for a New Economy Childrens Services of Roxbury

Robert G. Bannish, Heard & Bigelow, Inc. Family Service of Greater Boston

Carol Baribeau, Carol Baribeau Consulting Center for Human Development

Stephen C. Bazarian Esq., Seyfarth Shaw LLP Community Resources for Justice

Tama Bello, Chelsea Jewish Community MA Council for Home Care Aide Services

Meg Beturne, Baystate Medical Center The Childrens Study Home

Penny Blaisdell, BlaisdellCooper Family Service of Greater Boston


3/6



Aaron Bonner, Babson Capital Management The Childrens Study Home

Julius Britto,Attentive Home Care, Inc. MA Council for Home Care Aide Services

Michael L. Brown, Boston Financial Management Community Work Services

Gerry Ann Brown,Action Inc. Home Care Services MA Council for Home Care Aide Services

Greg Buscone, Citizens Bank Bay Cove Human ServicesBrian Callery, 1017 Financial Group Community Resources for Justice

Juan Campbell, Health New England The Childrens Study Home

Loring Carlson, Western New England College Center for Human Development

Amy Caruso, Babson Capital Management The Childrens Study Home

Robert Chateauneuf, Berkshire Bank Center for Human Development

Lisa Clewes, Chase, Clark, Stewart & Fontana Insurance Agency The Association for Community Living

Sarah T. Connolly, Nixon Peabody LLP Family Service of Greater Boston

Laura Connors, Social Worker Bay Cove Human Services

Mary Jo Cooper, Bay Cove Human Services NuPath, Inc.

Dawn Creighton,Associated Industries of Massachusetts Center for Human Development

Seth Crocker, Crocker Building Company The Childrens Study Home

Jo-Ann W. Davis Esq., Baystate Health Center for Human Development

Joseph C. Davis, Waste Management HMEA

Tiziana C. Dearing, Boston Rising Community Resources for Justice

Jennifer DeMoe, Barre Savings Bank The Childrens Study Home

Thomas J. DeSimone, W.S. Development Associates LLC Community Resources for Justice

Dale Desmarais,Aegis Energy Services, Inc. The Childrens Study Home

Linda Donoghue,Jewish Geriatric Services Center for Human Development

Kathleen Dowd, Human Service Forum Western Massachusetts Training Consortium

Wendy Drastal, Home Care, Inc. MA Council for Home Care Aide Services

Denise Dukette, New England Bank Center for Human Development

Paul Dzialo,Affinity Home Health Care MA Council for Home Care Aide Services

Bob Fafard, Retired; Former Owner, Fafard Lawn Products The Association for Community Living

Robert Fanning, Beverly Hospital (Retired) Family Service of Greater Boston

Robert Fawls, Basis Point Group Community Work Services

David M. Felper, Bowditch & Dewey, LLP HMEA

Pam Fernandes,Johnson & Hill Staffing The Childrens Study Home

Michael Ferry, Businessman Berkshire County Arc, Inc.

Shannon Filippelli, van Schouwen Associates, LLC The Childrens Study Home

Jim Foard, Jr., Financial Advisor The Association for Community Living

David J. Ford, EMC Corporation HMEA

Dennis Gagnon, Excel Dryer The Childrens Study Home

Ed Garibian,Applied Software Technologies The Childrens Study Home


4/6


5/6



Robert Lyons, Contec Holdings Family Service of Greater Boston

Philip A. Mason, Mason and Martin LLP Vinfen Corporation

Linda L. Marston, Springfield College Center for Human Development

Gary Martinelli Esq., Martinelli & Discenza The Childrens Study Home

Robert Maulden,John Hancock Financial Services Bay Cove Human ServicesEdwina Mays, EMC Corporation Childrens Services of Roxbury

James McCoy, Manpower Business Solutions Family Service of Greater Boston

Charlene McEntee, Technical Hardfacing & Machining Co. HMEA

Edward McGonagle, Gtr. Boston Home Health Care Services MA Cncl. for Home Care Aide Serv.

Dennis Millner-Hanley Advocates

Gail Molari, MOLARI HealthCare Services MA Council for Home Care Aide Services

Jonathan Morin, Innercity Home Care MA Council for Home Care Aide Services

John Morris, Crestwood Advisors LLC Family Service of Greater Boston

James Mungovan, Deloitte & Touche Bay Cove Human Services

Suzie Murphy, Simmons College Delta Projects, Inc.

Joann Noble, First Trade Union Bank Family Service of Greater Boston

Mark O Connell, Wolf & Company, P.C. The Childrens Study Home

Michael J. OConnor, Partners Healthcare Community Resources for Justice

William Oakley, Retired Bay Cove Human Services

Elizabeth Osbahr, Professional Profiles, Inc. MA Council for Home Care Aide Services

Demetrios N. Panteleakis, OPAL-Real Estate Group Center for Human Development

Peter Patch, Patch & Associates LLC Community Resources for Justice

Peter Pease,Attorney Bay Cove Human Services

Evan C. Plotkin, NAI Plotkin Center for Human Development

Jay M. Primack, Moriarty & Primack Center for Human Development

Terry Przybylowicz, Baystate Health Systems Center for Human Development

Debra Quinn,Attorney at law The Childrens Study Home

Gordon Quinn, Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn The Childrens Study Home

Teresa Regina, Springfield Public Schools (Retired) Center for Human Development

Howard Rich, Rich Family Enterprises NFI Massachusetts, Inc.

Rev. Richard Richardson, Retired Childrens Services of Roxbury

Amy Roberts, Kollmorgen Electro-Optical Center for Human Development

John J. Roche, Roche & Murphy HMEA

Angela Rocheleau, Home Staff LLC MA Council for Home Care Aide Services

Cathy Rossi Esq.,Attorney at Law The Childrens Study Home

Timothy J. Ryan, Ryan & Downey, P.C. Center for Human Development

Robert Schaeffer, Multicultural Home Care, Inc. MA Council for Home Care Aide Services

Mark Scuzzarella, Hologic, Inc. HMEA


6/6

Documents

Business leaders & professionals letter on Salary Reserve