BECOMING A MEMBER OF RAM IS ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS YOU CAN MAKE FOR YOUR BUSINESS.
By joining you gain access to exclusive, money saving discounts on services and programs, legislative updates and advocacy as well as valuable educational opportunities. We aim to help you grow and protect your business, promote the retail industry and save your business money.
Advocacy
As the active voice of the retailing community, RAM represents members and their interests before all branches of state government in an effort to protect, preserve and promote the thriving retail sector of the Massachusetts economy. RAM's staff of registered lobbyists remains keenly engaged in the debate and discussion on both the legislative and regulatory fronts with regard to all issues that impact the retail community. RAM breaks down the issues so you can clearly see the potential impact they could have on your business.
 Contact your Legislators today!!
It is extremely important that your legislators hear from you and your fellow employers now on the real economic pressures you are currently experiencing as a result of the paid sick leave law and the EMAC assessment, as well as those you fear in the future, like a $15 minimum wage and Paid Family and Medical Leave mandate.
RAM remains focused on supporting our small retail businesses, as well as seniors and low income families, by seeking a reduction in the highly regressive sales tax and the establishment of a permanent sales tax holiday. Although our ballot proposal has the support of almost 70% of voters in a recent public poll, we remain committed to working with legislators, other employer organizations, and other negotiators to see if a legislative solution can be reached. With 3 ½ weeks of negotiating time to go, we remain focused on reaching a compromise that is fair to all parties and will provide much needed support to our Main Streets, our small businesses, and our economy.
YOU have an important role to play as well. Click here to email your legislators today or call the State House at (617) 722-2000 and discuss with them the impact that all of the Raise Up proposals would have on your business, if left unmitigated. The Legislature is hearing form the other side, and now they need to hear from you.
Beacon Hill Ballot Question Negotiations Underway With Tight Deadlines
As RAM members know, your association has been working for almost a year to qualify a ballot initiative to roll back the sales tax to the 5% rate last seen in 2009. The measure also authorizes an annual two day sales tax holiday.
Sufficient signatures have been obtained to file with the Secretary of State by the July 3rd deadline to qualify the measure for the November ballot. But important negotiations are underway on Beacon Hill with various ballot measure sponsors in order to achieve middle ground and avoid the questions being placed before the voters. Besides the sales tax question, two payroll mandate proposals are being negotiated: the initiative to raise the minimum wage to $15 over 4 years, and another initiative to create the most costly and extensive paid family and medical leave mandate in the country.
2018 Marks RAM's 100 Year Anniversary
Want to learn more about RAM? Who we are, what we offer and why you should join.
Hear from our members on the value of RAM.
Mark your calendar for our celebratory reception.
As we reflect on our past and begin to embark on our next century of serving the retail industry, we want to learn the histories of the businesses we represent. Some of our members have been in business as long as we have, and we want to know about them.
The cover of the January/February edition of the Retail Review featured the Union Oyster House—the oldest restaurant in Boston founded in 1826. The March/ April issue featured Rocky's Hardware store in Springfield which opened in 1926 and the May/June issue highlights, M. Steinert & Sons in Boston which opened in 1896.
Help us celebrate industry success stories like these by clicking here and sharing with us your piece of Massachusetts retail history.
State DUA Announces Changes to EMAC Supplement -- EMAC to only Apply to Employees 18 & Older!
State to issue credits in 2nd Quarter for taxes paid on minors in 1st Quarter
The MA Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA), the agency responsible for administering the EMAC Supplement tax, recently issued emergency regulations to change and clarify the tax treatment of minor-aged employees. The quarterly EMAC Supplement took effect on January 1, and employers saw notices and bills at the end of this past first quarter.
Free e-Training for Members
NEW DATES & LOCATIONS ANNOUNCED.
RAM is pleased to offer social media and e-commerce training to retailers throughout the state of Massachusetts. The training is free for employers and employees whose organization pays into the state Workforce Development Fund. All for-profit employers with payroll employees in Massachusetts contribute to the Workforce Training Fund. Some nonprofit organizations with payroll employees in Massachusetts contribute to the Workforce Training Fund, but others do not.
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