UUP-to-date

Policy-making convention: UUP to celebrate 30th anniversary at winter assembly — The 2003 Winter Delegate Assembly (DA) will be a time for union leaders to celebrate UUP’s 30th anniversary and to remember those women and men who struggled to make the union and the University what it is today.

Delegates to the union’s policy-making convention will be treated to an archive room filled with photographs and memorabilia that depict the history of UUP — from the early struggles to unionize to the contributions of trailblazing union women. Founding members, past presidents and members of the union’s early Executive Boards are invited to attend the DA, where they will be honored for their dedication to academic unionism.

Following a video presentation commemorating 30 years of UUP, keynote speaker Edward McElroy, inset, AFT secretary-treasurer, will acknowledge the contributions of higher education activists in the labor movement and, specifically, UUP’s role in leading the AFT into “the new world.” The federation is preparing a brochure to convey AFT’s unmatched record of advocacy and accomplishments for education. The publication — which will include photos of UUPers in action — will underscore the union’s ongoing commitment to organizing, bargaining, political action, and intellectual and professional leadership.

Delegates will be asked to continue that spirit of union militancy by rallying outside the state Capitol for a better SUNY budget. The rally, scheduled for Friday afternoon, is expected to draw hundreds of UUPers to downtown Albany.

Meanwhile, delegates will recognize two SUNY students for helping to secure passage of anti-sweatshop legislation. The students — Archer Hutchinson, coordinator of NYPIRG’s campaign, and Steve Strong of United Students Against Sweatshops — spearheaded a coalition of college students and higher ed labor activists that pushed for a law allowing SUNY and CUNY campuses to consider labor practices of vendors in the procurement of campus apparel. The governor signed the legislation last summer.

Delegates will also be asked to vote on three constitutional amendments that deal with statewide elections. The full text of the proposed amendments are on page 10.

— Karen L. Mattison

PDQ: UUP prevents deep cut to negotiated grants — When the state’s budget division got too aggressive with recent cost-cutting measures, UUP was there to make sure the scissors got put away.

The state Division of Budget (DOB) attempted to unilaterally reduce the allocation for individual professional development grants — which are contractually negotiated benefits for members — by 25 percent. Once it became aware of the situation, UUP intervened and prevented the cut.

“This brings home the point that chapters must notify us when something smells fishy,” said UUP President William Scheuerman. “DOB tried to pull a fast one and sneak this cut past us. We made sure it didn’t happen.”

Professional development grants provide funding for training to improve job performance; to assist employees in developing their full professional potential; and to prepare for advancement.

For more details and an application, go to http://www.uup.lmc.state.ny.us/pdsumm.htm.

— Lisa Feldman Reich

In memoriam: UUP mourns longtime activist Beulah Link — Beulah Link, the wife of UUP founding member Eugene Link of SUNY Plattsburgh, died Nov. 9 at her home in New Jersey. She was 89.

A former school teacher in Peru, N.Y., Link, right, was a retired member of UUP’s statewide affiliate, NYSUT, and was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Honorary Society. She also served with her husband on UUP’s Link Scholarship Selection Committee, which recommended students for semi-annual scholarship awards. The union’s scholarship program is named after her husband, a professor emeritus of history, and has grown to more than $100,000 thanks to generous donations from the Links and other union members.

“Beulah was a wonderful person and a dedicated labor unionist,” UUP President William Scheuerman said. “She will be sorely missed.”

Memorial contributions may be made to the Eugene P. Link College Scholarship Trust Fund, c/o UUP, P.O. Box 15143, Albany, N.Y. 12212-5143. Donations should be sent to the attention of Katherine Trudeau, UUP comptroller.

— Karen L. Mattison

Link fundraiser: ‘Silent auction’ scheduled for spring — Trustees of the Eugene P. Link College Scholarship Trust Fund are planning another “silent auction” this spring to benefit the union’s successful student scholarship program.

The first silent auction was held in 1998; more than $3,100 was raised for the scholarship, which is named after UUP founding member Eugene Link of SUNY Plattsburgh. UUP awards scholarships of $650 a semester to up to four SUNY undergraduates who share Link’s commitment to social justice and labor ideals.

Gertrude Butera of SUNY Alfred, honorary Link Fund trustee, is coordinating the silent auction; she asks members to donate and/or bid on prizes. All proceeds benefit the scholarship fund.

Butera said chapter leaders will be urged to help solicit prize donations from UUPers on their campuses. Some of the prizes auctioned off the last time included quilts, photographs, paintings, books, gift baskets, boat rides and weekend getaways.

The list of prizes and bid forms will be published in The Voice. Members will be required to mail or fax a separate bid form for each item on which they’ve decided to bid.

Winning bidders will be announced at the 2003 Spring Delegate Assembly, scheduled for May 2-3 at The Desmond in Albany.

— Karen L. Mattison