Cover story: UUPers tell their stories

Nothing speaks to an issue more eloquently than first-person accounts, so UUP has asked its members to tell their own stories about family leave.

The union recently surveyed members who have had some experience with family leave — good, bad or mixed — to learn more about family leave policies and practices at SUNY. The results are being evaluated now, said John Marino, UUP’s vice president for professionals. Marino is also a liaison to the union’s Family Leave Committee, along with Vice President for Academics Phillip Smith.

“What we found out is that the inconsistencies are rampant and there is a need for a policy,” Marino said. “Indications are that family leave is important to our members. The data has been forwarded to our chief negotiator (Smith) for use by the Negotiations Team.”

The survey also indicated that emergencies prompting the need for a leave can affect anyone, and the reasons cited for family leave were “across the board,” Marino noted.

“A family leave is not just the traditional childbearing/adoption issue,” he said. “It could be taking care of a spouse who was ill, or taking care of someone who was in a car accident. It does hit all age groups. And a catastrophic incident in a family can cause financial devastation.”

— Darryl McGrath