From: Greater Lowell Workforce Investment Board <oneilb@nmsda.org>
Date: Wed, Jun 2, 2010 at 5:00 PM
Subject: News from Greater Lowell Workforce Investment Board
To: blipchitz@comteam.org
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 GLWIB Meeting & Events
Community Events
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| Member Corner  Name: Tom Foster Organization: SEIU 509/MVCLC AFL/CIO Title: Organized Labor Representative Website: www.seiu.org, www.mvclc.org About Member: Tom grew up in Somerville, Massachusetts and graduated from Springfield College before choosing to settle in the area 19 years ago. Tom's past positions include worker and management for Pizza Hut, Filenes Department Stores, financial accounting for Brown Brothers Harriman and the Mutual Fund Service Company, as well as a short stint in Child Support Enforcement. With many other part-time and night jobs ranging from water safety instructor, janitor, plumber assistant, stock clerk, loading trucks for UPS and finally settling down as a state social worker at the Department of Transitional Assistance, it's safe to say that Tom has a vast knowledge and experience of many occupations. With Tom's experience and understanding of Business and Workforce Development, he was chosen by the Affiliated unions to represent the voice of the working people of the area Organization Description:For the past 10 years Tom has held various Union posts including AFL/CIO Labor Council Treasurer and Public Sector Vice President culminating in his most recent role as the Regional Vice President of the SEIU 509 representing the Social Workers of Massachusetts. His responsibilities include negotiating contracts, defending union members and supporting other unions in their fight for reasonable wages and working conditions. This experience has given Tom the skills necessary to assist the region with job development and unity between organizations for the benefit of creating sustainable jobs with a living wage and proper affordable benefits Tom has been a member of the GLWIB for 10 years. He is the Chair of the Workforce Issues Committee. As chair, Tom uses his humanics philosophy to orchestrate meetings of WIB members, staff and other community participants to review and improve the services offered at the Career Center of Lowell. One highlighting achievement for Tom during his tenure on the WIB, was being elected as the Chair of the GLWIB Youth Council. Tom's experience and skills have helped bring together the collective resources of the the regions youth service providers to greatly improve the youth services provided by the Career Center of Lowell
SEIU Local 509 represents 11,000 Human Service workers throughout Massachusetts. 8,000+ State social workers (bargaining units 8 and 10, DTA, DMA, DOR, DCF, DMR, DMH, Department of Ed, etc.) and private sector Health care workers. Several thousand SEIU 509 members work as professional, direct care, and support staff at private agencies that receive public funding to provide a variety of social services to elders, at-risk children, and people with mental illness and developmental disabilities. The Merrimack Valley Central Labor Council AFL/CIO is made up of the unions in the region including AFGE, AFT, CWA, IAFF, IBEW, IAM, Iron Workers, IU BAC, IUE, IUPAT, LIUNA, OPEIU, SEIU, Teamsters and UFCW over 40 thousand strong, pooling resources and electing officers for the combined united good of working people.
Unions elect officers and delegates to the AFL/CIO who then elect from that pool higher officers and delegates to boards. This is somewhat different than other board members who are sponsored by one organization. The Labor Delegate to the board brings forth the collective knowledge of the group. |
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Greater Lowell Workforce Investment Board | 107 Merrimack St | Lowell | MA | 01850 |
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