UUP Cortland Chapter

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By Darryl McGrath

The history of unionism in the United States is filled with stories of people who took great personal risks to seek justice not only for themselves but their fellow workers.

UUP knows that personal risk still plays a role in unionism.
In recognition, UUP annually presents the Fayez Samuel Award for Courageous Service by Part-time Academic and Professional Faculty.

Robert Earle                                   Gregg Weatherby

This year’s co-winners—Robert Earle and Gregg Weatherby—share the award for serving as founding members of the organizing committee for the proposed TC3 Adjunct Association at Tompkins Cortland Community College in Dryden, Tompkins County. In addition to their work as adjunct faculty at Tompkins Cortland, both men are also UUP members and lecturers at SUNY Cortland—Earle in the philosophy department and Weatherby in the English department. And it is their awe-struck UUP colleagues there who nominated them for the award.

Exemplifying excellence
“Mr. Weatherby speaks to labor issues at every opportunity,” wrote Bill Buxton, a former Cortland Chapter president, in his nominating letter. He described Earle in a related nomination as a catalyst for change at TC3 “by virtue of his optimism and also his training as a philosopher, which enable him to envision and strategize a way forward.”

The formation of the prospective NYSUT local for TC3 adjuncts is before the Public Employment Relations Board, following a protest by the college, which asserts that its adjunct faculty should instead join the existing local for full-time faculty. Because a majority of the adjunct faculty signed cards—more than 200 did so, in fact—NYSUT was able to seek recognition without an election, but the college’s subsequent protest of the adjunct local will delay the outcome until the fall.

“Both of these members exemplify what it takes to be a unionist in these tough times, when national and well-funded forces are trying to destroy the rights of working people, and that attitude trickles down to a local level in the workplace every day,” UUP President Fred Kowal said. “We are proud to claim these two courageous leaders as our own, and even more gratified that they want to empower others.”

Stepping up; fighting back
Weatherby joined the organizing effort at TC3 when he tried to return to his adjunct faculty job at the college following a medical leave and learned that his illness—from which he was by then recovered—was cited as the reason that the college almost did not rehire him. Earle joined the organizing effort after the TC3 college president watered down an amendment to the college’s bylaws that Earle had drafted; the amendment would have allowed for greater inclusion of adjunct faculty in the college’s governance.

Both have been outspoken about the struggle to organize their colleagues at TC3.

“Imagine working two full-time jobs and still not making a livable wage,” Weatherby told the Tompkins County Board of Legislators as he asked for their support. “What message does this send to our students? What does it say about how much we value education?”

Both believe that the organizing effort will prevail.

“Because of the widespread support for union representation, there is no question that TC3 adjuncts will have a union,” Earle said in a statement last fall to the college’s board of trustees. “The TC3 Adjuncts Association looks forward to a cordial and productive relationship with the college and, of course, we also look forward to continuing our hard work and dedication in serving the needs of our students.”

UUP President Fred Kowal has announced the members of UUP’s Negotiations Team. The 18-member Team will negotiate a new bargaining agreement with New York state; the current contract expires July 1, 2016.

Statewide VP for Professionals Philippe Abraham will serve as chief negotiator.

Members of Team are:

Bret Benjamin, Albany
Douglas Cody, Farmingdale
Raymond Dannenhoffer, Buffalo HSC
Jennifer Drake, Cortland
Patricia Ghee, Buffalo State
Carolyn Kube, Stony Brook HSC
Michael Lyon, Upstate Medical University
Pamela Malone (Assistant Chief Negotiator), ESC
Michael Smiles (Associate/Deputy Chief Negotiator), Farmingdale
Jason Torre (Assistant Chief Negotiator), Stony Brook
Idalia Torres, Fredonia
Thomas Tucker, Buffalo Center
William Tusang, Cobleskill
Paula White, Downstate Medical Center
Anne Wiegard, Cortland
Beth Wilson, New Paltz
Ezra Zubrow, Buffalo Center

Kowal will contact chapter presidents regarding the formation of the Negotiations and Ad Hoc Negotiations committees, and to set up Team meetings with these committees.

Assembly members put their stamp of approval on one of UUP’s top legislative priorities when they passed Maintenance of Effort legislation, 146-1.

Now, UUP advocates are working hard to convince state senators to bring the MOE bill to the floor for a vote before the legislative session tentatively ends June 17.

The June 9 Assembly vote came after two weeks of face-to-face advocacy by dozens of UUPers during a series of regional advocacy days in June. Cortland Chapter members Marc Dearstyne, Jen Drake and Dave Ritchie were among those who came to Albany to ask lawmakers to change the MOE language to include SUNY hospitals and inflationary and mandatory costs. The current MOE only requires the state to provide the same level of funding and fringe benefits of the prior state fiscal year. They thanked Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (D-Ithaca), left, for her vote in support of the MOE.

But they’re not finished yet.

“It’s important for us to remember that our work isn’t done,” UUP President Fred Kowal said. “We can be proud that our advocacy helped convince the Assembly to pass an important piece of our legislative agenda. But we must continue to make our case to members of the Senate that a genuine Maintenance of Effort is one of the necessary steps to move SUNY forward.”

Making the case for SUNY

In all, more than 55 UUPers from 17 chapters came to the Capitol in June to urge lawmakers to pass legislation that would move SUNY forward and make public higher education accessible to all New Yorkers. Key among them: Create a SUNY endowment, and make campus and research foundations more transparent.

The advocacy days follow other visits to lawmakers in Albany and in district offices. UUP’s efforts this legislative session led to increases in the state budget for EOP and EOC; the Legislature raised funding for EOP by $5.7 million and for EOC by $1.5 million.

Here’s a little note to provide a big thank you for your support and involvement in Tuesday’s “SUNY Cortland Works!” event.  We had some challenges that we overcame.  It was absolutely wonderful that everyone stayed and seemed to enjoy the program.  The band was great, Henry Steck was in outstanding form, Erik Bitterbaum spent the whole 2 hours with us, and our new VP for Finance, Dave Duryea and Cortland City Mayor and SUNY Cortland Swimming Coach Brian Tobin both got soaking wet dragging band equipment and hot dog pans in out of the rain!  It was a day to remember.

Recognition is offered to The President’s Office, Toni Murray our UUP Staff Assistant, UUP membership, and CSEA membership for their support and participation.  Thank you!

Marc Dearstyne for the “SUNY Cortland Works!” Committee

Cortland Chapter was awarded the following:

First Award: Best Website
http://uuphost.org/cortland……………..…Toni Murray

Honorable Mention: General Excellence
The Cortland Cause………………….Editor: Karla Alwes

Honorable Mention: Best Original Article
“Librarians as Housewives”…………Gretchen Herrmann

25-Year Solidarity Awards

Dawn Van Hall                  Dianne Galutz

20-Year Service Pin       15-Year Service Pin

Jamie Dangler                  David Ritchie

5-Year Membership & Service Award

Marc Dearstyne               Jennifer Drake

from LEFT, BEHIND CORTLAND BANNER: Claire Kuiken, Chloe Kuiken,
John Kuiken, Josephine Kuiken in stroller), Jo Schaffer (holding 
end of banner), Gretchen Douglas, Michelle Kelly (holding up sign), 
Bill Buxton, Wayne Douglas (in tan UUP hat behind), Eileen Landy, 
Tim Emerson (obscured by Eileen, holding up sign), Jen Drake, 
Laura Rhodes (Potsdam chapter president), Cody Westbrook,(son 
of Joe W. - obscured by Laura Davies), Laura and John Davies with 
their children from left to right are Addie, Mac, John Henry, 
Gilly, and Cate. Joe Westbrook and Anne Wiegard. 

SUNY Cortland students and their advisor, UUPer Marc Dearstyne, right, meet with Assemblyman Will Barclay to request additional funding for SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC).

The Cortland students were among nearly 300 students from 16 SUNY campuses that traveled to Albany Feb. 12 for UUP’s EOP/EOC Advocacy Day.

The students, along with UUP members involved with the programs, visited the offices of more than 100 lawmakers and urged them to restore a $632,400 reduction in EOP funding in the 2014-15 Executive Budget. The students also pushed lawmakers to increase funding for EOC. State aid for EOC is unchanged in the proposed spending plan.

EOP students, such as Sasha Miller of Geneseo and Demar Harvey of UBuffalo, talked about the opportunities EOP and EOC have given them and how the programs have changed their lives.

“College wouldn’t be a reality for me without EOP,” Miller said. “With the financial support and counseling they provide, I feel I can succeed.”

“Being involved with EOC started me on the track to secure stability in my life,” said Harvey, who said he lost his job and was unsure where to turn before enrolling in the program.

Students followed the advice of UUP President Fred Kowal, who told them to speak from the heart when talking to legislators.

“These lawmakers want to hear your personal stories and what these programs mean to you,” Kowal said, as he greeted students prior to their meetings with lawmakers. “Don’t underestimate the power of your story.”

UUPer Elyzabeth Wengert, director of SUNY Oswego’s EOP, explained the importance of the program to an aide for Assemblyman Bill Nojay. The program receives about 2,000 applications each year, but only has resources to enroll 300 students.

“We are turning away 1,700 (applicants) each year,” she said. “We are changing the trajectory of their future.”

EOP provides academic and career counseling and financial aid to students from low-income families. EOCs help prepare students for college or vocational training programs.