SAUGUS Vol. 22, No. 22 -FREE- www.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday 781-233-4446 ~ THE ADVOCATE ASKS ~ Top two SHS seniors say replacing the custodians is a mistake; class president says he’s “neutral” Editor’s Note: For this week, we A MEMORIAL DAY SALUTE: Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services Secretary Francisco A. Ureña stands under a giant American fl ag that is suspended by two cranes (from Junkster Bags, Inc. of Saugus) across Central Street in front of Saugus Town Hall following last Saturday’s annual Memorial Day Parade. Secretary Ureña was the keynote speaker. See more photo highlights on pages 13 & 13. (Saugus Advocate Photo by Mark E. Vogler) sat down with three student leaders of the Saugus High School Class of 2019, which will be graduating tonight during the school’s 148th commencement exercises at Stackpole Field: Valedictorian Raisha Rahman, Salutatorian Vi Pham and Class President Seven Greer. We asked them where they stand on whether to keep school custodians or to privatize. We also asked them about the biggest challenges they and their graduation classmates faced, their individual and class accomplishments, college plans and future career goals. Highlights of the recent interviews are below. Raisha Rahman scored a 4.82 cumulative grade point average to top this year’s graduating class of 160 students and earn the honor of Valedictorian. Raisha, SHS | SEE PAGE 4 Friday, May 31, 2019 CLASS OF 2019: Valedictorian Raisha Rahman, Class President Seven Greer and Salutatorian Vi Pham will be among 160 SHS seniors graduating tonight (May 31) at Stackpole Field. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) Workers vote to authorize strike at Saugus Care and Rehabilitation Center New ownership’s proposed wage cuts raise concerns N ursing home workers with 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East announced that they have voted to authorize a strike at Saugus Care and Rehabilitation Center. At issue is wage concerns and ownership policies and mismanagement, which are having a negative impact on residents and employees. Management cancelled the last bargaining session on May 21 and has been unresponsive to workers’ eff orts to reschedule that meeting and to schedule future sessions. “Our community deserves quality, aff ordable and reliable nursing home care, and I’m deeply troubled by the actions of Saugus Care and Rehabilitation Center’s ownership during these negotiations,” said State Senator Brendan Crighton. “The hardworking employees at this facility deserve wages that allow them to provide for their own families, and I urge ownership to rethink this disastrous proposal that would cut wages and jeopardize patient care.” Saugus Care and Rehabilitation Center is an 80-bed nursing home that employs about 70 1199SEIU workers; a large majority of them are of Haitian and African descent. Among the chief concerns is the ownership’s proposal to make workWORKERS | SEE PAGE 6 ~ Home of the Week ~ ANGELO’S FULL "Over 40 Years of Excellence!" 1978-2019 Regular Unleaded $2.639 Mid Unleaded $2.799 Super $2.899 Diesel Fuel $2.879 KERO $4.759 Diesel $2.699 SERVICE Call for Current Price! (125—gallon minimum) Open an account and order online at: www.angelosoil.com (781) 231-3500 (781) 231-3003 367 LINCOLN AVE • SAUGUS • OPEN 7 DAYS CE HEATING OIL 24-Hour Burner Service DEF Available by Pump! IL ! SAUGUS....Nicely located and maintained 6+ living room, formal dining room, updated kitchen leading to enclosed sunroom for summer updated windows and heat, level yard with Cliftondale Square and Saugus Center on $389,900 View the interior of this home right on your smartphone. Prices subject to change FLEET
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