Union leaders charged with dual focus

Chapter leaders from across the state convened in the mountains of New Paltz on a warm late-summer weekend for updates and discussion on issues ranging from the simple (membership applications) to the complex (gubernatorial politics).

More than 50 chapter presidents and vice presidents joined UUP’s statewide officers last month in preparation for what many consider will be a tough year for SUNY. President William Scheuerman said an anticipated state budget deficit of at least $8 billion would challenge a University already called on to do more with less.

“We need to be vigilant like never before,” Scheuerman said. “Some of the bad times of the past might actually not look so bad when compared to what could be coming.”

Scheuerman reminded the leaders that the governor and chancellor have committed not to lay off any UUP bargaining unit members “for budgetary purposes.”

“They’ll now have to justify any job loss,” Scheuerman said, adding that UUP had already staved off more than 100 layoffs because of the commitment from the state.

To position itself to deal with upcoming challenges, Scheuerman said UUP needs to strengthen its membership-building and political-action activities. To that end, Membership Committee Chair Edward Quinn of SUNY Stony Brook worked with the leaders on the union application pro-cess and introduced an in-depth discussion on chapter plans to identify, recruit and sign up new UUPers.

Meanwhile, Thomas Tucker, chair of the Political Action Committee and UUP’s statewide VOTE/COPE coordinator, discussed the union’s plans for increased political activity. That’s especially important this year, Tucker said, because all seats in the state Legislature as well as the governor’s office will be on the November ballot.

UUP has restructured its political-action apparatus, appointing regional coordinators to oversee political action and VOTE/COPE activities throughout the state. The coordinators are Frederick Floss of Buffalo State and Tucker of SUNY Buffalo, Western New York; William Canning of Oswego and Robert Pompi of Binghamton, Southern Tier/Central New York; Kathleen Southerton and Doris Weisman, both of Stony Brook HSC, Long Island/New York City; Glenn McNitt of New Paltz and Candace Merbler of Albany, Capital District/Mid-Hudson; and Patricia Bentley of Plattsburgh and David Butler of Canton, North Country.

Scheuerman urged chapters to play a more visible role in the state political campaigns at the local level.

“If you go to the party at the last minute, chances are you won’t be asked to dance,” he warned.

— Frank Maurizio