A resolution was passed by the SUNY Board of Trustees honoring Rowena Blackman-Stroud. It is a lovely tribute by Chancellor King and the trustees and you are encouraged to take a moment to read it.
For those of you who are following the Supreme Court Student Debt Cancellation case, some information is attached prepared by our partners from Student Borrower Protection.
Few reminders:
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Cancellation are 2 SEPARATE programs
- Check your MOHELA accounts often
- Register for a clinic through the UUP calendar here: https://uupinfo.org/calendar/
- Don’t forget to let me know when you have received forgiveness
UUP members have received over $6.5 million in PSLF!
Rising Worker Power in Troy and Cohoes:
A Lecture and Discussion
Thursday, June 15, 2023— $10 Donation
Celtic Hall, 430 Karner Rd., Albany, New York
Speakers: Carole Turbin and Daniel J. “Danny” Walkowitz
Carole Turbin is a native New Yorker who lives with her husband in Manhattan’s Upper West Side. In the early 1960s she studied painting and drawing in New York and Berkeley, California, and after joining New York Radical Feminists decided to learn about woman’s history. She earned a PhD in Sociology from the New School for Social Research (1978), and then taught, researched, and published books and articles on the history of working women and material culture. In the mid-1990s she returned to art, became a lithographer, and has exhibited prints and drawings in the New York area. Her book, “Working Women of the Collar City, Gender, Class, and Community, in Troy, New York, 1864-86” is the definitive work on Kate Mullany and the Troy Collar Laundry Union. It explores how Troy’s laundresses were able to organize America’s first bona fide women’s labor union in alliance with male labor activists.
Daniel J. “Danny” Walkowitz is a graduate of the University of Rochester and an American Historian who specializes in labor history, urban history, and public history. He holds a joint appointment with the Department of History and the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University. As Project Director, he supervised the 90-minutes docudrama, “Molders of Troy” (PBS, 1980). He is the author of “Worker City, Company Town: Iron and Cotton-Worker Protest in Troy and Cohoes, New York, 1855-84.” The book is a study of the ways in which labor and capital helped to shape the environment of manufacturing centers located just two miles apart. It explores the differences between Troy, a union town where mainly Irishmen worked, and Cohoes where a paternalistic
cotton mill dominated the labor of unskilled French-Canadian women and children. He presents a historical anatomy of protest in the making by showing how social, political and economic contrasts created opposing responses to management repression and control.
“Don’t Iron While the Strike is Hot!”
The inspirational musical story of Kate Mullany and the Troy Collar Laundry Union February 1864 Strike
The Cohoes Music Hall
58 Remsen Street, Cohoes, NY 12047
Saturday, June 17, 2023
Matinee 2:00 pm, Evening 7:00pm
Ticket Office (518) 434-0776
Box Office: Monday – Friday 11:00am – 3:00PM
Tickets
Orchestra & Parquet $25
Balcony $20; Students $15
Colleagues,
Black History month is a time to celebrate achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history, but it’s also an opportunity to understand the injustices Black people around the world continue to face.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a high strategic priority for UUP. Despite the attacks on it from sectors in our society and unfortunately from governors in several states, we will remain firmly committed to DEI efforts and fight back against these attacks. Our goal is to create a diverse and inclusive environment for all members to foster a space where everyone feels valued, heard, and respected. To do so, we must continually assess our own union culture and actions. Greater diversity and inclusion at UUP will ensure a wider range of ideas, expertise, and life experience, to evolve UUP’s collective knowledge and overall mindset.
Join me on Friday, February 24th at noon for a webinar where Rev. Terry Melvin – New York State AFL-CIO, Secretary-Treasurer, will speak about Why Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is important for unions, and you will also hear from UUP members who will share why DEI is important to them and what resources are available at their chapter and campus.
This event is hosted by UUP Statewide Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, Co-Chairs – Darleyne Mayer & Patrick Romain and I am thrilled to be a speaker along with: Carolyn Kube – UUP Statewide VP of Professionals, LaNina Cooke – Farmingdale, Assistant Director – Center for Criminal Justice Studies, Edward Lawson – New Paltz, Adjunct Professor, Black Studies Department and Nakeia Chambers – Upstate Medical University, Dir. of Multicultural, Disability, and Veteran’s Affairs.
Please REGISTER by Monday, February 20th. For more information, please contact Darleyne Mayers at dmayers924@gmail.com
In solidarity,
Frederick E. Kowal, Ph.D.
President
United University Professions
Fellow members,
Back by popular demand, we have more dates for our workshops on Leaves and Performance Programs. We also added a special workshop that reviews all the union benefits available to our part time members. We set dates both during lunchtime and in the evening to make sure there’s a time for everyone.
Please register in advance for the workshops using the links below. See you then!
In solidarity, Pamela
Workshop Descriptions (All workshops will leave time for questions)
Leave Benefits
This workshop will provide information on all of our leave benefits, including leave for sick time, vacation, professional development and family leave. We will have time for questions.
Performance Programs
Performance Programs are critical to a professional’s work. A properly constructed performance program provides clear expectations, objectives, and criteria for evaluation. This workshop will review the components of a good program, contractual obligations of a supervisor, and problems that have been known to happen. We will have time for questions.
Part Time Member Benefits
Did you know as a part time member at Empire, you are likely earning vacation and sick time? That you are eligible for the space-available tuition waiver? And many more benefits, too! Come to this workshop to learn all the contract provisions and benefits that apply to you.
Register Here for the Workshops
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16th at NOON: Leave Benefits
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30th at NOON: Performance Programs
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8th at 5 PM: Performance Programs
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8th at 6:30 PM: Leave Benefits
THUSDAY, DECEMBER 15th at NOON: Part Time Member Benefits
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15th at 5 PM: Part Time Member Benefits
The time is now! Open enrollment for the Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) starts November 1 and continues through December 12! The PEP program provides a means by which eligible employees – generally, NYSHIP enrollees who earn vacation and currently make less than $103,433 a year – may cash in previously accrued vacation days for a bi-weekly credit to reduce the cost of their health insurance premiums. The number of days that may be forfeited to receive this credit varies based on income.
- Full-time employees with an annual salary at or below $72,366 who enroll in PEP for 2023 will forfeit either three days or six days of annual leave in return for a credit of up to $600 or $1,200 that will be used to reduce the employee share of NYSHIP premiums deducted from paychecks in 2023.
- Full-time employees with an annual salary above $72,366 and below $103,413 who enroll in PEP for 2023 will forfeit either two days or four days of annual leave in return for a credit of up to $600 or $1,200 that will be used to reduce the employee share of NYSHIP premiums deducted from paychecks in 2023.
Benefits-eligible part-time employees with annualized salaries within the above ranges, who earn vacation and who choose to enroll in PEP will forfeit prorated days of annual leave and receive a prorated credit toward their health insurance premiums based on their payroll percentage.
An email was sent to all employees by Laura Decker on Oct. 28, with ESC-specific information on PEP. Please also see the announcements on the HR website in MyESC for more details and the correct form to submit.
Categories
Vacation Cap Extension
The NYS Office of Employee Relations has again agreed to suspend the January 1 40-day vacation credit cap contained in Article 23.2(d) of the 2016-2022 State/UUP Agreement. As you will recall, two similar prior agreements suspended the January 1, 2021 and January 1, 2022 40 day vacation caps This agreement, which suspends the vacation cap for one more year will provide our members who earn vacation credits and who are currently carrying more than 40 days of vacation an additional year, and much needed flexibility, to exhaust excess vacation leave which they have been unable to use during the pandemic and which they currently have accrued.
The text of our newest agreement reads as follows:
This will confirm our agreement regarding expiration of vacation leave accruals.
1. Vacation leave accruals subject to our last MOA dated October 22, 2021 (which extended the deadline to December 31, 2022), may now be carried by employees through December 31, 2023.
2. Vacation leave accruals earned between January 1 and December 31, 2022, that would otherwise expire at close of business on December 31, 2022, may also be carried by employees through December 31, 2023.
3. Employees shall be permitted to accrue vacation leave in excess of the contractual maximum until the close of business on December 31, 2023. Thereafter, forfeiture of vacation leave accruals shall be governed by the operative language from the applicable collective bargaining agreement between the parties.
4. All other conditions set forth in our last MOA remain in effect.
Just in from SUNY Empire:
The Flex Spending Account (FSA) Open Enrollment Campaign for the 2023 plan year begins November 1 and ends December 12, 2022 at 11:59 pm ET. This deadline is strictly enforced. If you are enrolled for the 2022 plan year, you must re-enroll to continue your benefits in 2023.
The FSA program consists of three important benefits for employees:
- the Health Care Spending Account (HCSA – for at least half-time, annually paid employees only)
- the Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAA)
- the Adoption Advantage Account
Eligible employees may choose to enroll in any or all of the accounts. This flyer includes additional information about eligibility and the available accounts. Please note, if you become inactive on payroll, your enrollment in the FSA is automatically discontinued and it is your responsibility to re-enroll when you return to active status.
To enroll, submit your application online here or by telephone at 1-800-358-7202. You will need your NYS Employee ID number, located on your paystub, to complete your application.
For questions, or more information, please call 800-358-7202 or e-mail fsa@oer.ny.gov or visit oer.ny.gov/FSA
Categories
GOTV Rally with Gov. Hochul
From Fred Kowal:
On Wednesday, November 2nd at 6pm labor unions and supporters from across the Capital Region will rally at the Albany Labor Temple in support of Gov. Kathy Hochul, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado and the rest of the slate of candidates endorsed by UUP and NYSUT. This is a critical election for our members. We have developed a strong and productive relationship with the Governor and her team. In the final stretch we must show up, speak up, and vote.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1UR_w6qIDMnbf5Zmy5kyPs-rDLbrTeLX0HWeeYXqh85g/edit
Please wear your UUP red! If you need a UUP t-shirt, please email Celine Mell at cmell@uupmail.org to coordinate.
Hope to see you there!
Good Afternoon…
The NYSUT Social Justice Department invites you to participate in a workshop from NYSUT’s Many Threads, One Fabric. This training is titled “Sticks & Stones: Understanding Implicit Bias & Stereotypes.”
The workshop will be held virtually on Saturday, October 29, 2022 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Breaks will be provided) Participants will explore the meaning of implicit and explicit bias as well as discover ways to confront and combat the bias within ourselves and others.
The purpose is to empower our members in raising awareness of the role that implicit bias plays in our classrooms, the education system, and the impact it has on our students, families and colleagues.
You must register for the workshop using the link below, by or before Close of Business on October 27, 2022.
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Oct 29, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://nysut.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJckdOiupjotGdyqmNaBnPtJ_1u8da5QE5R2
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
In solidarity,
Philippe
J. Philippe Abraham
He, Him, El
Secretary-Treasurer, NYSUT