Online survey: Study under way on contingent academics—The Coalition on the Academic Workforce (CAW) is kicking off a major survey of contingent faculty, instructors and researchers, including graduate employees.
The survey is the first national study of its kind to examine salaries, benefits, course assignments, and general working conditions facing contingent academic employees.
The survey will collect institution-specific and course-specific information to create a more textured and realistic picture of contingent academic workers’ working lives and working conditions.
CAW hopes that a sufficient number of respondents will complete the survey, which will help CAW develop a rich dataset that will be available to CAW member organizations to advocate on behalf of professional compensation and working conditions for the contingent academic workforce.
UUP’s national affiliate, the America Federation of Teachers, is an active participant in CAW. To take the survey, go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/VNNNRVS.
And AFT’s survey says: State worker wage growth flat; gap persists—A standard talking point among some politicians, pundits and anti-government groups masked as think tanks is that government employees make more money than private-sector workers.
Not so, according to the 2010 AFT Public Employees Compensation Survey of state government jobs, which is the only national survey of its kind. In fact, the survey’s authors found that private-sector occupations that have a comparable match in state government earn at least 20 percent more on average. The gap between private- and public-sector pay is much larger in some occupations. On average, an attorney working for the government earns 57 cents for every dollar earned by a private-sector lawyer; a government-paid chemist earns 65 cents for every dollar earned by a private-sector chemist; and a government-paid librarian earns only 74 cents for every dollar earned by a private-sector librarian.
The survey, released every September, reflects pay rates in effect March 1 of the same year for 45 professional, scientific and related occupations in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
For the first time since the AFT started publishing the survey in 2000, wage growth was virtually flat, up an average of 0.4 percent to $47,245.
Recently, I participated in a panel on good government held by the League of Women Voters. What was most intriguing was when the conversation turned to how society as a whole is more interested in celebrity or personality than in the issues at hand. Relate the concept to government and it’s like saying the only reason for governmental dysfunction is because bad and corrupt people have taken over. If this were true, then the throw-the-bums-out mentality would solve the problem and create good government that works for everyone.
I am afraid that this way of thinking fundamentally misses the real problems facing us.
To be sure, there are plenty of examples of public officials who work for themselves and not the public. But that’s not what we should be focused on. The discussion should be about putting together a political system that works. Unfortunately, society’s preoccupation with politicians’ individual peccadilloes stops that from happening.
Here’s another fact: There will never be a perfect political system. Never. Fighting for one means we sacrifice a good, workable system on the altar of the unattainably perfect.
An example I use with my economics students may shed some light here. I call this the M&M problem. One individual gets a bag of M&Ms and must strike a deal with another player, or no one gets any candy. The Pareto optimal economic solution states that a trade is optimal if one person is better off without making anyone else worse off. In this case, let’s say the person with the M&Ms offers one M&M to the other player and keeps the rest. In theory, the second player should accept the single M&M because getting one piece is better than getting nothing. Yet most of the time, the player without the M&Ms will settle for nothing less than a 50-50 split. My point here is how that game is set up matters. Note that if the game changes even slightly (for example, if the bag of M&Ms switches between players), the optimal economic solution is a 50-50 split. I will let you think about why this is true.
In New York, many blame Albany’s troubles on the ethical issues that dog a number of our state senators, when the real problem is that the Senate is split down the middle politically. If either the Democrats or the Republicans held a clear majority, I’d bet we would have a timely budget, ethical issues or not. But by worrying about ethical lapses, we are distracted from important budget issues, like what appropriate funding for SUNY should be.
If we are to succeed in fixing our political system, or fixing SUNY, our discussion needs to focus on the system’s rules, not on the people in the system. The M&Ms scenario shows that if we end up with rules people believe are unfair, they will tend to bring everyone down. We are seeing this in our current election cycle, where many low-income voters have argued in favor of cutting the size of government—and therefore are advocating against the very programs that aid them. We need only recall the “don’t let the government get involved with my Medicare” statement to see how confused the process can become.
Like the M&M problem, more is going on here than simply reforming government to make it more efficient. Remember, fairness and how the rules are set up are what matters. Instead of arguing about the fairness of the rules that dictate governmental process, candidates chose to attack each other. So no matter who is elected, the status quo will reign and the problems will remain.
I would argue that in this election, the throw-the-bums out mentality is actually part of the problem because it gives the bums too much credit for creating the political and financial crises New York finds itself in. It is also a cynical reaction to the hard work that needs to be done—namely, striving to put together the best government process we can achieve, imperfections and all.
Here’s what we can do. We can start by talking to our students about how government works and what we should ask our government to do. This is one sure way we can fight and defeat those who are using cynicism to define the rules in their favor instead of using them in the best interest of New Yorkers and the American people.
I was pleased to read of the legislative victory against the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act (PHEEIA) won by UUP and others, but was dismayed supporters might re-submit it. PHEEIA would allow SUNY and CUNY administrators “to lease university land to private corporations” without legislative accountability.
I fear university administrators might broadly interpret “private” to allow, for instance, leasing our public colleges for fracking (natural gas drilling). Since the 2005 Energy Policy Act exempted fracking from the Safe Drinking Water Act, fracking has spread virally across the country, including numerous universities, like the University of Texas at Arlington, and land owned by Penn State. Already New York legislators feel pressured to frack in upstate communities. Millions of dollars are hard to turn down.
Unfortunately, this Halliburton technology has a questionable environmental record. Into millions of gallons of fresh water, tons of toxic carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and neurological inhibitors are added.
Also, radioactive materials, heavy metals and methane are brought up from deep underground. These contaminants tend to leak into the aquifer and air, causing explosions, fish kills and major health problems.
It might be a disaster if PHEEIA opened the possibility of fracking, or any other unintended industry, on SUNY/CUNY campuses. UUP is right to fight its adoption.
— Alice Zinnes, NYC College of Technology, Adjunct Assistant Professor
Bargaining unit members have many sources for obtaining financial advice, but can they be trusted to steer you in the right direction?
Members can trust the advice they’ll receive from the Financial Counseling Program endorsed by the NYSUT Member Benefits Corporation.
Provided by Stacey Braun Associates Inc., an independent investment advisory company, members will receive unbiased, objective advice geared to their financial situation. Stacey Braun’s planners and advisors are fee-based and prohibited from selling investment or insurance products. As a result, they receive no commissions from mutual funds, brokerage firms, insurance companies or any other third party.
The plan provides financial advice on a variety of topics, from pre- and post-retirement planning, mutual fund questions, mortgage and refinancing, estate and inheritance planning, insurance coverage, budgeting, education funding and much more.
Upon enrollment, members are entitled to six hours of toll-free phone consul-tations with a Stacey Braun Certified Financial Planner or Registered Investment Advisor. Members can request customized written summaries and reports on a variety of financial issues. Specific 403(B) advice is also included in the program.
Other benefits include access to the Stacey Braun Associates, Inc. password-protected website and a 24-hour e-mail helpdesk for basic financial questions.
In-person consultations are also an option. If a member meets at Stacey Braun’s office in New York City, the in-person consultation fee of $250 is waived. An in-person consultation is limited to 90 minutes. Note that the information provided in an in-person consultation is the same as what is provided via toll-free phone consultation. This option is available for those who prefer a face-to-face meeting.
The program’s annual fee is $260, reduced to $250 when paid through payroll or pension deduction.
In addition to the full-service program, a 403(B) Limited Financial Counseling Program is available, which carries an annual fee of $185, reduced to $175 when paid through payroll or pension deduction. The limited program includes toll-free phone consultations to discuss 403(B) programs only, with a six-hour limitation.
For more information, contact NYSUT Member Benefits at (800) 626-8101 or visit www.memberbenefits.nysut.org.
(For information about this program or about contractual endorsement arrangements with providers of endorsed programs, please contact NYSUT Member Benefits or refer to your NYSUT Member Benefits Trust Summary Plan Description. Agency fee payers to NYSUT are eligible to participate in NYSUT Member Benefits-endorsed programs.)
It’s the time of year when some of our members need to make that difficult decision on which health care plan to choose.
By now, you should have received your Choices Guide. Included in the guide is a checklist you can use to help you make a decision. Some of you may be adding a young adult this year, which may alter the way you select a health care plan this time around.
To make sure that the plan you chose is tailored to you and your family’s needs, it’s best to compare apples to apples. I suggest you look at coverage vs. non-coverage, copayments, and drug formularies. For example: the Empire Plan only changes its prescription drug list on an annual basis, while HMO changes are more frequent; and the Empire Plan allows out of network services (subject to deductibles and co-insurance), and HMOs do not. Also, the Empire Plan has Centers of Excellence, along with federal reimbursement rates for travel to and from the centers, lodging and meals; HMOs do not.
These are just some of the items you should take into consideration when making your choice.
If you have any questions about any of the plans, you should feel free to call the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) for clarification.
When 2011 rates are approved, you will have 30 days from the date your agency receives the rates. Information about the cost of each option will be sent to your home. The rates will be posted at https://www.cs.state.ny.us — from the home page, choose Benefit Programs then NYSHIP Online and select UUP. Rate information is posted under Health Benefits & Option Transfer.
Please note that there have been some changes in the flex spending account for 2011, such as the Health Care Spending Account (HCSAccount). Before you enroll, carefully review the information on the flex spending account website concerning restrictions on over-the-counter drug reimbursement, as this may affect the amount of money you wish to contribute to your account.
The open enrollment period for the Flex Spending Account runs through Nov. 15, 2010.
As a result of federal health care reform legislation, your young adult child under age 26 who is not eligible for health insurance through his or her employer may be eligible to be enrolled as a dependent under your NYSHIP family coverage, effective Jan. 1, 2011, regardless of his or her student or marital status. NYSHIP will mail a special report with details on eligibility requirements, enrollment instructions and the special enrollment period for young adult children that begins Nov. 1, 2010.
If you have any questions regarding option transfer, you may also contact the UUP Benefit Trust Fund at (800) 887-3863.
— Doreen Bango, manager, UUP Member Benefits and Services
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo took the opportunity to laud state workers in the Labor Day issue of the Daily News.
Yet, in the same editorial, he sent a clear message that the time had come for labor to “make sacrifices for the sake of the state.”
Those are the words of a man who, unless something quite unforeseen occurs, is likely going to be New York’s 56th governor come November.
Mr. Cuomo’s statements aren’t surprising. The attorney general has been talking this way for months—which isn’t exactly the message a labor union wants to hear as it prepares to negotiate a contract.
Yet, that’s the situation we find ourselves in as our Negotiations Team, led by Chief Negotiator Jamie Dangler of Cortland and Associate Chief Negotiator Mike Smiles of Farmingdale, gears up for what’s certain to be a true challenge as they work to hammer out a successor agreement to our 2007-2011 contract with the state.
This one isn’t going to be easy.
For starters, the state’s economy is still reeling from the recession that continues to grip the nation. And, somehow, unions were painted as scapegoats for the state’s budget troubles during the 2010-2011 budget process—which dragged on more than four months past the April 1 budget deadline before the spending plan’s Aug. 3 approval.
Remember Gov. David Paterson’s unsuccessful attempt to furlough state workers. We, along with other public employee unions, put that to rest. In May, a federal judge ruled in favor of our lawsuit and rejected the governor’s proposal.
Remember the calls for givebacks, and potential state worker layoffs over the spring and summer. We fought for our members’ rights and won, and some politicians blamed us for New York’s financial woes.
UUPers merit a fair and equitable contract and we will not settle for less. We are a union of hard-working, committed public employees who, as our slogan says, “make SUNY work.” We are determined to negotiate a new agreement that meets our members’ needs.
When we’ll get that agreement may be another story. We’ll face a new governor in January, by the time we’re ready to negotiate. That likely means delays; the state will need time to pull together its negotiations team and proposals package.
This one isn’t going to be easy. But we’re determined to make it work.
Fortunately, we have a group of talented, dedicated members who have agreed to take on this daunting task. You can learn more about them in this issue of The Voice. They know what they’re in for and they’re ready to handle the challenge. And they want to hear from you.
Each UUP member will have an opportunity to fill out a member suggestion form and a survey. Members will also get a chance to express their thoughts and ideas to the Negotiations Team in person.
Already, chapters in the northern and western regions of the state have had a visit from Dangler, Smiles and Negotiations Team members, who traveled to those areas in September.
The rest of the campus visits are set to take place in October and November.
We need to know what you think. Your concerns and recommendations are important as the committee gathers information and puts together a proposals package that’s reflective of the interests of the union’s membership.
One thing is certain: we’re going to do our best to secure the best possible successor agreement for our members, one that appropriately awards some of the most dedicated public employees in New York.
UUP President Phil Smith is betting on Jamie Dangler’s knowledge and experience—as well as her deliberate, composed and tough-as-nails manner—to go a long way at the negotiations table. That’s why he named the Cortland UUPer as the union’s chief negotiator.
“Jamie did one heck of a job as a member of the Negotiations Team for the current contract,” Smith said. “Her unbridled enthusiasm, limitless energy and years of commitment to UUP members and their goals are just a few of the reasons I chose her to lead UUP in our contract talks with the state.”
In addition to her work on UUP’s 2006-2007 Negotiations Team, Dangler served as chief negotiator for UUP in 2009 contract deliberations with its CWA employees.
Smith chose Mike Smiles of Farmingdale to serve as associate chief negotiator.
“Mike brings valuable experience to UUP’s Negotiations Team,” Smith said. “This will be his fifth time at the bargaining table. He knows UUP’s history of contract talks firsthand, which will be a huge asset for the Team.”
UUP’s bargaining agreement expires July 1, 2011, and Smith is wasting no time putting together a team of academics and professionals—full time and part time from all campus types—to handle the difficult task of negotiating a successor agreement. The Negotiations Team met in August to begin preparations for the negotiations process.
“UUP’s Team is up to the very difficult challenge of hammering out the best deal possible,” Smith said.
And a challenge it will be.
UUP is heading into contract talks at a time when the state economy is in flux and taxpayers are being bombarded with rhetoric that public employee unions are to blame for the state’s budget problems. This well-orchestrated assault on public employees hit harder than ever, with calls for givebacks, furloughs and potential layoffs blanketing the media seemingly every day throughout the state budget process—a process that finally ended Aug. 3, more than four months past the April 1 deadline.
Smiles has a long perspective on the ways political and economic changes affect contract negotiations.
“What I have come to learn is that every round of negotiations is different,” he said. “In our current political climate, with the state in financial straits, it’s impossible to predict what will happen.”
By the time UUP sits down to hammer out a successor agreement, a new governor will be in place.
Dangler knows very well what she’s up against.
“I think our greatest challenges stem from the current economic and political context,” she said. “Conditions in the economy, a new governor who will undoubtedly make changes in the state apparatus we have to negotiate with, and ongoing efforts to transform SUNY in fundamental ways are part of the landscape we’re in.”
“To say these are unprecedented times is an understatement,” Smith said. “The fact that public employees have become the scapegoats for a failed economy is unconscionable—but not impossible to overcome. Our goal now is to demonstrate that UUP members are dedicated, hard-working public servants who deserve a fair and equitable contract.”
UUP’s constitution assigns responsibility for negotiations to the union’s president, as the officer designated to “represent the organization before the public or appropriate bodies.”
UUP President Phil Smith exercises that prerogative by soliciting input and then naming a diverse range of UUP members to three work groups: the Negotiations Team; the Negotiations Committee; and the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee.
It is the Negotiations Team, headed by Jamie Dangler of Cortland, that will meet with the state’s negotiators at the bargaining table.
Smith chose Mike Smiles of Farmingdale to serve as associate chief negotiator and 14 others from various UUP chapters throughout the state to serve on the Negotiations Team.
The Negotiations Committee has a constitutional charge to prepare proposals for negotiations and submit the tentative agreement to the UUP membership for ratification. Dangler serves as chair of the Negotiations Committee, which is composed of one member from each chapter—often the chapter president—and reflects the approximate whole-number ratio of academic and professional members of UUP’s Delegate Assembly. The committee also includes one at-large part-time academic and one at-large part-time professional.
“I’m honored and humbled to be named as chief negotiator,” Dangler said. “I welcome the chance to work with the Negotiations Team and Committee to confront the challenges this round of negotiations will bring.”
The Negotiations Committee will work with the Negotiations Team to develop a package of proposals that incorporates a broad view of the membership at large.
The third group involved in the negotiations process is the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee. Each chapter nominates one professional employee and one academic employee to serve on this committee, which compiles and presents the concerns of the membership at each chapter for consideration as potential UUP proposals. Ad Hoc Advisory Committee members will present oral and written reports to the Negotiations Committee and Negotiations Team in December.
To ensure that every rank-and-file member has an opportunity to tell UUP negotiators what they want in a contract, the union has adopted a complete and thorough process of gathering member input, Smith said.
All members will have an opportunity to complete a member suggestion form, as well as a more in-depth survey. The Negotiations Team will visit every chapter; hearings will be held at upcoming Delegate Assemblies; and Team members will meet with chapter leaders and various UUP committee members.
The Negotiations Team and Negotiations Committee will meet in January to review the tabulated results of the negotiations survey, as well as member comments from the survey, member suggestion forms and other communications. They will also consider member input from Negotiations Team chapter visits and open hearings. The Team and Committee will analyze member input to develop negotiations proposals.
It is the responsibility of the Team to prepare the specific language for the package of proposals that will be presented to the state’s negotiators.
At the conclusion of negotiations with the state, the Negotiations Team presents a tentative agreement to the Negotiations Committee. The Committee then makes a recommendation to the membership regarding ratification. UUP will mail all bargaining unit members a copy of the proposed agreement for their review prior to the ratification vote, which is conducted by the American Arbitration Association.
“The talented people picked for this challenging task know that they will need to give it their full energy and enthusiasm,” Smith said. “All of our members should feel confident in their union negotiators, and in the fact that UUP member concerns form the foundation of our whole effort in this process.”
Chief Negotiator Jamie Dangler—An associate professor of sociology at Cortland, Dangler served on the Negotiations Team for UUP’s current contract and is in her second term on UUP’s statewide Executive Board. She served as chief negotiator for UUP in 2009 contract negotiations with its CWA staff and is currently Cortland Chapter president and chair of UUP’s statewide Family Leave Committee. She represents UUP on New York state’s multi-union Joint Labor/Management Work-Life Services Advisory Board.
Associate Chief Negotiator Mike Smiles—A professor of biology at Farmingdale, Smiles is a five-time Negotiations Team member and is in his sixth term on UUP’s statewide Executive Board. He has served as the assistant to the chief negotiator for multiple contracts. He was Farmingdale Chapter president for 13 years and currently serves on UUP’s Technology Sector Committee. He represents UUP on New York state’s multi-union Joint Labor/Management Work-Life Services Advisory Board.
Mike Behun is the computer discipline officer in academic services at the University at Buffalo. He is currently chapter president and delegate, and serves as a member of the Committee of Chapter Presidents and Task Force on Strategic Planning. He has been at SUNY for 12 years.
Edison Bond is a senior staff associate at Brooklyn HSC. A 22-year member of UUP, he currently serves on the statewide Executive Board and as a member of the HSC Concerns, Affirmative Action, UUP Outreach, and VP for Professionals committees. He is also chapter VP for professionals.
Charles Callahan III is an associate professor of business administration and economics at Brockport. He has been a member of UUP for more than 25 years, and currently serves as a delegate and as a member of the UUP Outreach Committee and the Task Force on Pay Equity Based on Race.
Ray Dannenhoffer is associate dean for support services at Buffalo HSC. He is a third-time Negotiations Team member and has served on the statewide Executive Board. He is currently chapter president, co-chair of the HSC Concerns Committee, and a member of the Outreach Committee and the Task Force on Strategic Planning.
Patricia Ghee is an associate academic advisor at Buffalo State. She is a 17-year member of UUP and currently serves as a delegate and co-chair of the UUP Scholarship Development Committee. She also serves on the UUP Scholarship Selection Committee and the Task Force on Pay Equity Based on Race.
Fran Goldman is a staff associate in Asian and Asian-American Studies at Binghamton University. A UUP member for more than 28 years, she served on the previous Negotiations Committee and is currently chapter VP for professionals and co-chair of the statewide Women’s Rights and Concerns Committee.
Richard Kelder is a senior staff associate in learning resources at New Paltz and has been a UUP member since 1983. He currently serves as chapter president, delegate and a member of the Human and Civil Rights Committee and was formerly chapter VP for professionals.
Carolyn Kube is a clinical lab technologist at Stony Brook HSC. A UUP member for 21 years, she is a second-time Team member and is in her second term on the statewide Executive Board. She served on UUP’s committee set up at the Executive Level to address part-time concerns in Appendix A-47. She co-chairs the statewide Part-Time Concerns Committee and serves on the Nursing Professions Work Group.
Mike Lyon, an associate professor of otolaryngology at Upstate Medical University, has been a SUNY employee for 33 years. He served on the previous Ad Hoc Advisory Committee for Negotiations and is currently chapter VP for academics and grievance officer. He is also a delegate and member of the HSC Concerns Committee.
Pamela Malone is director of student accounts at Empire State College in Saratoga. She is chapter VP for professionals and served on a joint labor/management committee to develop a handbook for professionals. She is on the statewide Professional Concerns Committee and is a UUP delegate.
J McDermott is an adjunct instructor of English at Oneonta. A UUP member for nearly a decade, he served for six years as Oneonta’s part-time concerns officer and is currently a member of the statewide Part-Time Concerns Committee. He served on UUP’s committee set up at the Executive Level to address part-time concerns in Appendix A-47. He received a master’s degree in labor studies from UMass/Amherst in 1994.
Bob Rees is a distinguished service professor of electrical engineering technology at Alfred and a three-time Negotiations Team member. Throughout his 25 years as a UUPer, he has served in several chapter roles, including president. He is currently chapter VP for academics and serves on several statewide committees, including the Technology Sector Committee.
Jason Torre is an associate librarian/ university archivist at Stony Brook and a member of the Academy of Certified Archivists. A UUP member since 2001, he currently serves as a delegate and member of the Librarians Committee. He has been an active participant in the SUNY-wide effort to build a system-wide institutional repository (SUNY DSpace) and has served on his chapter’s Joint Labor/Management Grants Committee.
Anne Wiegard is a full-time lecturer in English at Cortland. She served on the previous Ad Hoc Advisory Committee for Negotiations. She is currently chapter part-time concerns officer and a member of the statewide Part-Time Concerns, and Labor and Higher Education committees. She served on UUP’s special Task Force on Contingent Employees and co-authored its 2010 report.
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