On Feb. 4, the union leader testified on workforce issues during a joint hearing of the Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees. Smith minced no words in describing UUP’s reaction to the governor’s budget plan to deny members their negotiated, contractually guaranteed 3 percent salary increase this year.

“By unilaterally submitting legislation altering the terms and conditions of our contract, the governor has breached our formally executed and binding agreements,” Smith told the panel. “In effect, the governor is asking you to be a party to a process that is illegal, unconscionable and patently unfair.”

If the governor’s proposal is not changed, Smith predicted that future contracts with the state will have no credibility.

Smith also urged lawmakers to reject a number of other proposals by the governor that would financially harm UUP members including: an additional five-day pay lag; a requirement that retirees and employees over 65 contribute toward their Medicare Part B premiums; and establishing a more restrictive pension plan for newly hired state employees.

“If enacted, these proposals would reduce the annual income of our members by up to 10 percent this coming year and much more in future years,” Smith said.

Smith also explained the union’s opposition to the governor’s proposal to merge the New York State Theatre Institute with The Egg, saying the merger would lead to the end of NYSTI and the loss of educational arts, and that any financial savings from a merger would be limited.

And he urged the legislators to consider enacting measures to raise revenues, such as a progressive income tax.

More problems

Smith also took issue with the proposed denial of the scheduled pay raises at a Jan. 15 hearing conducted by the same legislative panel, but that testimony covered a broader range of higher education issues.

Smith told legislators SUNY could not endure any further reductions in state support.

“Full-time faculty continues to be depleted with the result that courses are being cancelled, class sizes are increasing to unacceptably high levels, and admission is being denied to tens of thousands of qualified high school and community college graduates,” he said.

Smith reminded the lawmakers that SUNY suffered the largest reduction of any state agency in the 2008-09 fiscal year—$148 million—and he urged them to restore some of that amount.

“The issue here is whether SUNY can continue to provide accessible public higher education and quality health care for New Yorkers,” Smith said. “I would argue that even during these difficult times, the state must give SUNY the funding it needs to fulfill its core mission.”

Help for hospitals

Smith urgently sought help for SUNY’s three teaching hospitals in Brooklyn, Stony Brook and Syracuse, which are facing a $25 million slash in their state subsidy in the Executive Budget. He went beyond seeking a reversal of the cut and backed a $40 million increase in the state subsidy.

“The quality of health care provided by these institutions is at great risk,” Smith warned. He noted that as public facilities, SUNY hospitals are required to serve not only underinsured and uninsured patients, but also those referred with medical conditions that require costly treatment.

Positive proposals

Amid the negatives, Smith took note of some positive portions of the Executive Budget. He pointed to the creation of a $75 million supplemental operating aid fund derived from the University’s reserves and uncommitted fund balances. Those funds would be dedicated to prevent any further erosion of academic quality, increased class sizes and cancelled classes. He also commended the proposed restoration of $4.4 million for the Equal Opportunity Programs and Equal Opportunity Centers cut last year.

— Donald Feldstein