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Group puts focus on School-Related Professional retirees Feburary 17, 2005 The union is putting a priority on getting more SRP retirees involved. "Retired School-Related Professionals are valued NYSUT members," said Alan Lubin, executive vice president of New York State United Teachers. "It's important that we hear from them so we're aware of their unique concerns." Lubin has led some focus group meetings with that goal. An issue raised on many occasions was the need to gather ideas to encourage diverse participation in retiree meetings. "Workshops and meetings have to be geared not only toward teachers," said Rochester Teachers Association retiree Arlene Hanley, who also serves as a NYSUT consultant for the New York State Employees' Retirement System. "We need to offer choices for all retirees, and we need to keep people in the loop," said Hanley, explaining that many locals excise members from the union list following retirement. Capital Region BOCES retiree Barbara Bishop, a member of the NYSUT Retiree Advisory Committee, believes the key lies in having SRPs assume prominent union roles. "Now that they're putting more SRPs on committees, I think more of us will participate," said the former educational assistant, who is second vice president for Retiree Council 10's board of directors. "I'm trying to organize a luncheon or SRP brainstorm to figure out how to get more people involved." In the Rochester area, said Rochester TA retiree John Rigney, "We're communicating with all the locals and asking them to make sure and include the SRP retirees so we can invite them to the new retiree picnic." Rigney, the co-chairman of the NYSUT Retiree Advisory Committee, is president of Retiree Council 5. "It's important that all union members are actively involved and represented," said Fred Nauman, a retired NYSUT officer who is president of the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans. John Green of the NYSUT Legislative Department is compiling ideas for increasing SRP participation in retiree meetings; if you have an idea, please call Green at (800) 342-9810, ext. 6615, or e-mail to jgreen@nysutmail.org. — Kara E. Smith |
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