To the Point:

Your union is stronger than ever

By William E. Scheuerman
UUP President

Here we are at the end of another academic year. As the fall term began, we expected to face the familiar challenges that confront us all the time. We faced a “bare-bones” budget with more problems than space allows us to list. Nevertheless, we were ready for it.

We generated thousands of rank-and-file letters in our annual battle for a decent SUNY budget: for more faculty lines, for monies to support the UCTs, for financial assistance to our teaching hospitals, and for funds to keep the New York State Theatre Institute — a gem, if there ever was one — alive. We were ready to face the usual problems created by those managerial zealots who tend to overlook contractual and legal realities. And we were primed to address an endless array of other tough but familiar challenges that are a normal part of our lives.

Then Sept. 11 came along and the world we live in changed. Our challenges changed too. But so has our resolve. Never before have UUPers demonstrated such unity and commitment to our cause. We’re a team now. Stronger than ever. That’s why I know we can meet any challenge. So let’s see what these challenges are and where we stand as the academic year winds down.

Much has been said of the economic and political uncertainty wrought by the terrorist acts of Sept. 11. There’s no need to revisit those grim facts here. But just yesterday (April 29), the situation worsened when legislative leaders announced that New York’s budget shortfall is $1 billion more than anticipated. That’s right. We’re an extra $1 billion in the hole! What does this mean? Well, look at it this way: $1 billion is almost the size of SUNY’s entire operating budget. As old Jerry Lee Lewis used to say: “Think about it!”

Are we worried about this? Not exactly, but we’re certainly concerned. Yet we have reason for guarded optimism. We’ve generated more than 10,000 letters to the pols in Albany and meet with them regularly, as do our allies in the Alliance for Excellence at SUNY and the New York State Public Higher Education Conference Board. Our ad campaign was well received across the state. In fact, it was a political home run. Our VOTE/COPE contributions are up and our NYSUT affiliate is working closely with us to promote UUP’s political agenda. All in all, we’re not in bad shape, given the circumstances.

Our legislative agenda addresses one set of challenges. Another challenge we’re about to confront is negotiations. Within the next few weeks, I’ll appoint a Negotiations Team. The Team will then elicit membership input, put together a package based on this input and go to the bargaining table early next year — probably in late January or early February.

So we go to the bargaining table when the state is looking at a budget deficit of more than $6 billion. Where, you ask, does the more-than-$6 billion deficit number come from? It’s from the governor’s calculations last fall, plus the unanticipated revenue shortfall just announced. Our timing is not good on this one. But we’ve been through tough times before and the lesson we’ve learned is a simple one: As long as we all stick together and work hard, Team UUP is unbeatable in the long run!

I thank you all for your hard work and support and wish you all a good summer. Get some rest, take some time off and prepare to roll up your sleeves for what lies ahead. We have a lot to accomplish next fall and I know we’re all up to the challenge.