Leadership workshops: UUP’s new class gets union primer

They piled into the Cooperstown meeting room; new UUP activists eager to learn the ins and outs of their union. By the end of the session — dubbed “UUP 101” by President William Scheuerman — more than 30 members from across the state had a grounding in the basics and a charge to return to their campuses to work on behalf of their colleagues.

“We’re all about addressing problems,” Scheuerman said. “This union makes a difference and you are the union.”

These 30 or so new activists were first-time participants in UUP’s Fall Leadership Work-shop, held in late October at The Otesaga and attracting a total of more than 70 members looking for training to become more effective chapter leaders.

The programs — offered in three sections during the academic year by UUP/NYSUT labor relations specialists — focused on workplace violence; collective bargaining and the Taylor Law; and grievance and problem solving.

But easily the most popular offering among the new activists was a primer on UUP, the organization. The 30 newcomers heard presentations on the union’s history and its role in the larger labor movement. UUP department heads were also on hand to discuss the services and programs available through the union’s headquarters in Albany.

The weekend event also gave Scheuerman and other officers an opportunity to provide participants with an overview of the major issues with which the union is currently dealing, including contract negotiations, the impact of the state budget on SUNY, and political action.

“UUP has a reputation in New York state for being an effective and responsive organization,” Scheuerman said, calling the union’s approach to issues “rational militancy.”

“Just think about what SUNY would look like without a union,” Scheuerman added. “That’s what makes being here this weekend, and what we do every day, worth it.”

— Frank Maurizio