UUP Press Releases

CONTACT: Denyce Duncan Lacy or Don Feldstein at (518) 640-6600
Lacy’s cell number is (518) 265-3114

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 23 , 2005

UUP members target legislative priorities

With the 2005-2006 state budget negotiations favorably resolved, UUP’s political action leaders have turned their full focus to fighting for the union’s legislative priorities. And pension equity is at the top of the wish list.

On Tuesday, May 24, nearly two dozen UUP members from around the state will travel to Albany to advocate for five pro-labor and pro-education bills, as part of the New York State United Teachers’ Committee of 100, the union’s grass-roots lobbying committee.

UUP is seeking passage of the Optional Retirement Program Equity bill (S-3524/A-6227), legislation that would eliminate the employee’s pension contribution to the program, provided he or she has at least ten years of service.

“This bill takes the first step towards pension equity for members in the ORP with ten or more years of service,” said UUP President Bill Scheuerman.

“Five years ago, similar legislation was adopted on behalf of members enrolled in the Employees’ Retirement System and the teachers Retirement System, and it’s only fair the same benefit be made available to our members in the ORP.”

Scheuerman said UUP and NYSUT are aggressively lobbying for the ORP Equity bill and the following four others:

Unemployment Insurance Benefits for Part-Time Professional Employees (S-4930/A-8201)  —amends the labor law to allow part-time professionals in instructional, research, or administrative capacities in SUNY, CUNY and community colleges to receive unemployment benefits without having to prove the “…absence of reasonable assurance of continued employment”;

SUNY/CUNY full-time faculty ratios (S-4509/A-6710)—amends the education law to require that a minimum of 70 percent of the courses taught at SUNY, CUNY and community colleges be taught by full-time faculty within seven years of enactment of the legislation;

SUNY/CUNY Boards of Trustees Appointments (S2813/A-4849) — establishes nonpartisan, independent nominating commissions to recruit and screen trustee candidates for appointment to the state’s public higher education institutions; and,

SUNY/CUNY Maintenance of Effort (S-4507/A-6711) — amends the education law to provide a minimum level of state appropriations for operating expenses at SUNY, CUNY and community colleges.

Scheuerman said UUP members are also using the union’s Web site to urge lawmakers to pass the bills before the end of this year’s legislative session on June 23.  By logging on to UUP’s website at www.uupinfo.org and selecting “Fax Your New York State Legislator” on the homepage, members can select from a choice of prepared letters on each proposed measure to fax to their elected representative.

United University Professions is the nation’s largest higher education union. UUP represents more then 34,000 academic and professional faculty on 29 state-operated campuses, and is an affiliate of New York State United Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO.

UUP represents more then 34,000 academic and professional faculty on 29 New York State-operated campuses, and is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT).    

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