Despite what the anti-labor naysayers love to trumpet, it is evident that union members are quick to dip into their pockets or lend a hand to help those who find themselves in less fortunate situations.

Such was the case during the 2010 Winter DA in Albany, where delegates passed a resolution to support Haiti in its efforts to heal and rebuild following the Jan. 12 earthquake. The resolution also called on UUP to pass the hat—an effort that raised more than $1,700 in a matter of minutes. UUP added $1,000 to the donations collected, bringing the total to $2,755.16.

Delegates also acted on a number of other resolutions, including the following:

• Passed a resolution opposing the governor’s so-called Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act. It calls on UUP to emphasize the danger of establishing a differential tuition plan, through talking points, opinion pieces, letters to editors of mainstream and student newspapers, and face-to-face meetings with lawmakers.

• Adopted a resolution that makes reforming the current regressive state income tax structure a “priority” for the union’s annual legislative agenda, but not the “top priority.”

• OK’d a resolution that calls on UUP to work with all of the state’s public employee unions to fight the governor’s proposal to tax Medicare Part B payments.

• Passed a resolution that calls on UUP to do all in its power to maintain the same retiree health care coverage that is negotiated for active employees.

• Approved a resolution that reaffirms the union’s support for H.R. 676, a bill that promotes a single-payer approach to health care reform. The resolution to reaffirm will also be sent to the AFT to discuss during its annual convention in Seattle this summer. The AFT endorsed H.R. 676 during its 2008 convention.

• Passed a resolution to spread the word of a March 20 anti-war demonstration in Washington, D.C., backed by U.S. Labor Against the War.

• Adopted three special orders of business. The first congratulates Assemblymember Deborah Glick as the 2010 Friend of SUNY Award recipient. A second authorizes “all expenditures necessary” to battle allegations by the Commission on Public Integrity. The last expresses the union’s gratitude to Plattsburgh delegate Patricia Bentley and the other union members who worked on the successful campaign to elect Democrat Bill Owens to the U.S. House of Representatives for the 23rd Congressional District.

• Referred to the statewide Executive Board a resolution that would end UUP’s relationship with the American Association of University Professors.

• Referred to the Membership Committee a resolution to change the nomination procedures for the Fayez Samuel Award for Courageous Service by Part-time Academic and Professional Faculty.

For a complete list of all DA action,

go to www.uupinfo.org and click on DA/Conferences.

— Karen L. Mattison