As you probably already know, UUP reached a Tentative Agreement with the State for a new contract, and signed a memorandum of agreement on December 19, 2007.  As the first step of the ratification process, the UUP Constitution requires the Negotiations Team to meet with the Negotiations Committee to review the Tentative Agreement for the purpose of offering a recommendation on ratification to the UUP President.   Due to the fact that the agreement was signed just prior to the holidays, and in order to allow the greatest number of committee members to attend, the Negotiations Committee meeting has been delayed until January 10th. 

After the committee concludes its work, a “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ) document will be mailed to all UUP members and will be posted on the UUP website: www.uupinfo.org .  As soon as possible thereafter, the full agreement noting additions, deletions, and alterations will be mailed to all voting UUP members.  In order to be eligible to vote, one must have been a member of UUP (not an agency fee payer) on December 19, 2007, the date the tentative agreement was signed.  Concurrent with that mailing, the American Arbitration Association, a neutral and independent entity, will mail the ratification ballot and voting instructions to UUP members.  Please check the UUP Web site for the latest information and news. 

As has been customary, the UUP Negotiations Team will visit all UUP chapters as quickly as possible during the opening weeks of the spring semester to explain the agreement and to answer questions.  Since there is no ESC statewide meeting scheduled before the All-College meeting, I will provide a schedule of dates and times for all scheduled visits to SUNY campuses as soon as the schedule becomes available.  Members of our chapter will be welcome to go to the closest SUNY campus to meet with the Negotiations team when they come to that campus.