January 2026 News
Colleagues,
I want to welcome you all back to campus and hope that you are rested and prepared for an active Spring Semester!
My first semester as Chapter President has been a whirlwind as I’ve settled into this role. Our chapter’s success depends on the active participation of our members. Whether you complete a survey, vote, join a committee, serve on our Board, are a Department Rep., are a delegate, or take on an officer role—every contribution matters. Everything you see from our chapter is powered by volunteers who care deeply about protecting employee rights, strengthening membership, advocating for SUNY and higher education, and supporting our community. Your engagement is what makes the Buffalo Center Chapter one of the most active and effective chapters in UUP.
Before sharing updates, I want to take a moment to recognize our Board members and Officers. They are dedicated, hard‑working, and deeply committed to serving our members and securing the future of our chapter. I am grateful for their efforts every single day. They put enormous hours to make our chapter function. If you see one of them on campus, please take a moment to say thank you!
Over the past several months, we’ve been tackling a wide range of chapter priorities, and your involvement has made a real impact. I hope you’ll continue to stay engaged as we move forward.
Moving to non-edu emails
I want to express my sincere appreciation for the overwhelming support you showed for transitioning to non‑edu email addresses. Your understanding of the current political climate, federal pressures on higher education, and the importance of private communication has been vital.
I’m pleased to report that 93% of our members have already switched to a non‑edu email. For those still using a buffalo.edu address, please note that we will no longer send chapter communications to university emails (UB or any other university address). You can update your contact information with us at any time by emailing our Chapter at buffalocenter@uupmail.org.
Contract Negotiations
Our move to non‑edu emails aligns directly with the start of contract negotiations. As Fred Kowal shared last Friday, the Governor’s Office and UUP will hold their first contract meeting on February 4, 2026. This is historic—we have never entered negotiations before a contract expired. Early negotiations are critically important as we enter a gubernatorial election year and prepare for challenging FY 27–28 budget discussions.
Our goal is to build on the strengths of our current contract and secure long‑term stability. Thank you to Abigail Cooke for representing our chapter on the Negotiations Team. This team is entering negotiations more prepared than ever.
How You can Support Negotiations:
- Register for a virtual town hallon Feb 3 at noon to kick-off our contract negotiations and show support for your bargaining team.
- Log in to the UUP Members’ Only page to see our first Negotiations Bulletin. We’ll post regular, detailed reports on progress at the table as well as actions members can take. Log in yourself, but better yet, talk to your colleagues to make sure everyone has login information. If you are having trouble signing on, please call 518-640-6624.
- Request a “Ready to Bargain” poster for your door or window to show support for our union.
- Plan to wear UUP or red clothing on 2/4. Take a photo and post to social media with the hashtag #UUPContract. Please tag @uupinfo when posting.
- Become a Rapid Responder so that we can contact you about important updates, announcements, or actions.
Our Office is Moving
At our January 2026 Board meeting, we had a difficult but important conversation about our office lease, which expires at the end of April. The proposed renewal rate—nearly $2,000 per month, or $24,000 per year—represents half of our chapter’s budget. Moving will allow us to reinvest those funds in initiatives that better serve our members.
We may be operating from temporary storage unit for a short period, but we are committed to finding a new office space that aligns with our chapter’s growth and needs. As April approaches, I hope I can call on some of you to help with the physical move—stay tuned!
Help Wanted
Our chapter has a few immediate needs that I’m hoping our members can assist with.
Web Designer – We’re looking for someone familiar with WordPress to refresh our website. You may choose to take on just the redesign or join the Communications Committee longer‑term. Your help would be appreciated on this project.
Social Media Manager – Help manage our chapter’s social media accounts and share both local and statewide UUP content. Some posts may touch on political topics, so comfort with that is important.
Newsletter Editor (or team) – Help shape the weekly Monday Morning Post. What should we improve? What do members want to read? This role could be project‑based or ongoing. Our goal is to streamline communications and reduce the number of separate emails members receive.
Committee Members/Chairs – We have a number of committees that have been dormant that could use your help in reviving. Would you consider serving on or chairing any of the following committees?
Safety & Health Committee
Women’s Rights & Concerns
Communications Committee (Currently has a Chair)
Veterans Committee
Bylaws Committee
Please email the Chapter at buffalocenter@uupmail.org your interest.
In solidarity,
Kathleen Kielar
Chapter President
UUP Buffalo Center