The union’s bargaining unit grew to nearly 34,600 by the end of December 2007, according to statewide Membership Development Officer (MDO) Edward Quinn.

“Since December of 2006, we have added 1,187 active members to the bargaining unit,” Quinn said.

The growth in the union’s bargaining unit reflects the success UUP has achieved over the last two years with its legislative and budget priorities, according to Acting President Fred Floss.

“Our numbers are on the rise because the SUNY Board of Trustees, governor and state lawmakers heard our calls for more faculty and more resources for the University, and they responded by funding these additions,” Floss said.

Quinn added that UUP is seeing growth not only in overall numbers of the bargaining unit, but also in the percentage of SUNY employees who choose to join the union. He attributes the increase to the proactive outreach of UUP’s chapter leaders, and to recent changes in computer technology available to chapters from the UUP Administrative Office.

“From 2006 to 2007, 90 percent of the new employees in the UUP bargaining unit signed the application to join the union as a member,” Quinn said. “This growth shows that people are interested in having a voice not only in their union, but also at their worksite. It also shows that activists are working hard at each chapter for our members, and that the systems we have created — greater use of the Internet and our email systems—are working.”

Of the 1,187 new bargaining unit members added last year, 766 were full-time employees and 421 were part-time. Quinn says the number of full-time professionals grew faster than for full-time academics during the past year, with 458 of the full-timers being professional employees while 308 were academics. Conversely, the number of part-time academics grew by 379 while the number of part-time professionals only increased by 42. UUP also added more than 200 retirees to its membership in 2007.

According to Quinn, part of the growth in the union’s membership is because UUP has responded to requests from chapters to get information about new members to the chapters more quickly and accurately than in the past.

“We have been able to get information  about new employees out to their chapters, such as their names, work sites and phone numbers, which make it easier for chapters to find them soon after they begin working and to introduce them to the union,” Quinn said.

“When new employees hear about the benefits of UUP membership, and they realize they are not automatically union members, they are eager to join.”

Quinn says among full-time employees, 27 chapters have UUP membership percentages of 90 percent or more, and five of those chapters have 98 percent or more of their full-time employees as members.

The biggest growth in the bargaining unit and in UUP membership last year came from the Stony Brook campuses. Stony Brook Health Science Center added 108 staff to the bargaining unit; 107 of them joined as members of UUP.

Stony Brook’s core campus added 125 bargaining unit members; 116 as new UUP members.

Stony Brook HSC Chapter President Kathleen Southerton said the key to her campuses success is its proactive, organized Membership Development Committee, headed by chapter MDO Bruce Kube. The committee participates in the campus’s regular orientation sessions for “new hires,” and presents a persuasive case for joining the union.

“We meet with new hires every two weeks, Southerton explained. “We talk to them, explain the union rights and union benefits through UUP, NYSUT and AFT, and we give them the forms. Once they hear about the benefits, most of them sign right up.”

The personal touch

The Brooklyn HSC Chapter also stood out last year, for adding all 106 of its campus’s new employees to their UUP membership roster. Chapter MDO Josheila Crandall gives the credit for the 100 percent membership rate to Brooklyn HSC Chapter President and statewide Treasurer Rowena Blackman-Stroud.

“This only happened because of the leadership we have on campus in Rowena,” Crandall said.

“Our chapter has one hour during the campus presentation for new hires every pay period, and Rowena has set the tone to make it personal for the new employees right from the beginning. We give them a packet we prepared that includes a “Benefits at a Glance” brochure, we tell them about what’s going on around campus, and we give tell them who to contact if they need help. Rowena also hold monthly lunch meeting where our member can discuss what’s happening on campus and around the state. We make them feel connected as union members, right from the start.”

Quinn adds unlike agency fee payers, only union members get a voice in their union.

“As a UUP member you can help determine the direction of UUP,” Quinn notes.  “You can participate on committees, run for elected positions, vote for people running to represent you, continue your benefits when you retire and most importantly, you can vote to ratify the contract negotiated on your behalf. That’s why it’s important to be sure you are a member.”  

Moreover, as the union’s membership grows, so too does its influence.

“There is strength in numbers, said UUP Acting President Fred Floss. As we continue to grow, we will have an even greater impact on all of the issues affecting our members.”

— Denyce Duncan Lacy