Hanfu Mi never attended a UUP leadership workshop before, but he figured the seminar would certainly help him in his new leadership role at SUNY Oneonta.

He was right.

Not only that, Mi made a number of acquaintances at UUP’s spring Chapter Presidents Retreat/New Leadership Workshops, including new leaders like himself and veteran unionists from chapters spanning the state.

Both groups were at the event, held March 20-21 in Saratoga Springs.

“This is really wonderful place to meet new people and get to know what’s going on at their campuses,” said Mi during a break in the UUP Chapter Development seminar, one of five offered to new leaders at the conference. “It’s a great way to get new ideas.”

More than 75 new leaders were at the conference to take part in five weekend workshops on a variety of topics. UUP’s Communications Department offered its popular Communications 301 workshop, which provided tools, tips and techniques on public speaking, newsletter design and media relations. There were also seminars on collective bargaining and the Taylor Law, problem solving, chapter development and grievance.

“My workshop on problem solving was great for a new union person like myself,” said Hilary Wolfskill of SUNY Stony Brook.

Like last year, the event combined the meeting of chapter presidents and vice presidents with new leader workshops in an effort to save dollars on meetings during these tough financial times.

UUP President Phillip Smith opened the conference March 20 by thanking members for setting aside part of their weekend for union matters. He hit on several important issues during the two-hour session, discussing SUNY’s tuition hike and how much of that additional revenue SUNY will be allowed to keep, and the federal stimulus package.

He cautioned that members may be asked to take on extra duties due to the state’s financial shortfall and warned them not to do so without ensuring the tasks are temporary and additional compensation will be paid.

Smith reported that UUP, in a recent meeting with the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations, said it would not forego its 3 percent salary increase or agree to a proposed five-day pay lag.

“We’ve said no before and we’ll continue to say no,” Smith said.

UUP Treasurer Rowena Blackman-Stroud discussed a number of budget- related topics with members. She and Plattsburgh delegate Patricia Bentley—both members of the New York State United Teachers Board of Directors—reviewed proposed UUP-sponsored resolutions to the 2009 NYSUT Representative Assembly in Buffalo.

UUP sponsored three proposed resolutions at the RA, in support of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act; maintaining the integrity of the state of higher education; and supporting the United Automobile Workers.

— Michael Lisi