Delegates act on 145 resolutions

April 12, 2005

Delegates presented NYSUT's new leadership with a full agenda of priority issues to pursue during the next year, including all-out support of locals throughout the state that are working - some for more than two years - without a new contract.

PICTURED AT RIGHT: Sandy March, UFT, at a mike.

The resolution was offered by Barbara Bowen, president of the Professional Staff Congress at CUNY, to spotlight longstanding bargaining stalemates at PSC, the United Federation of Teachers and the United College Employees of Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. But it was expanded by acclamation when representatives of locals from Yonkers to the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park rose to speak of their own ongoing struggles with recalcitrant administrations.

"Not only have we been without a contract for two years, 25 percent of our staff has been laid off," said Steve Frey, president of the Yonkers Federation of Teachers.

Delegates worked their way through a record 145 resolutions dealing with concerns ranging from federally mandated testing to preserving Social Security. A cheer rose from the crowd of more than 2,100 delegates as they enthusiastically approved a measure calling on NYSUT and its affiliates to establish a joint task force to develop plans to battle anti-labor and discrimination practices by Wal-Mart.

Teacher retention

Reflecting one of NYSUT's fundamental imperatives, delegates outlined a series of initiatives to recruit and retain the best teachers for the state's classrooms.

In part, the measure calls on NYSUT to lobby state lawmakers for expansion of current incentives such as the Teachers of Tomorrow program; full state funding of mandated mentoring programs; more funding for teacher centers; pension enhancements; and incentives such as tuition assistance and loan forgiveness for those who agree to teach in low-performing and hard-to-staff schools or in subject-shortage areas.

With federal testing in math and English upcoming in grades 3-8 under the latest mandate of No Child Left Behind, delegates called on the union to seek a more gradual introduction to the brand-new standards and performance indicators the State Education Department is introducing in those same subjects.

Among other things, the union will call for a phase-in of newly revised pre-K-8 math standards over the next two school years (pre-K-5 in 2005-06 and grades 6-8 in 2006-07) and development of grade-by-grade curricula in math and English Language Arts as soon as possible.

PICTURED: Conventioneers recognize the efforts of all teachers who go through the National Board Certification process and recognized three attendees who successfully completed the process recently. NYSUT's Richard Iannuzzi and Maria Neira congratulate Lori Megivern, Pat Puleo and Mary Atkinson.

With a recent NYSUT poll showing that fewer than half of all school districts sought teacher input in developing Academic Intervention Services, the union will seek to require teacher involvement in creating the mandated remedial programs. It will also continue to press the state to fund AIS programs and will look to State Ed to identify model programs that other districts can use to help struggling students. Delegates also committed the union to urge State Ed to ensure that students with disabilities have access to the same remedial services as non-disabled students.

Delegates outlined a series of principles the state should follow in developing accountability measures to assure that students receive the "sound, basic education" ordered by the courts in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit over school funding. Among other provisions, the resolution calls for teachers and their local unions to be involved in development and approval of any comprehensive plan to help all students meet Regents standards.

NYSUT was also directed to continue its campaign to assure that school aid is not taken away from some districts to fund others, and to work to ensure that needy, rural and small-city districts as well as New York City schools receive a fair share of any increased state aid under CFE.

As the state looks for ways to fund court-ordered increases in state aid to local districts, delegates called on NYSUT to challenge corporate loopholes and other unfairness in the state tax structure, and threw the union's support to a bill that would make public authorities more accountable. NYSUT is part of a labor coalition that has projected the state could save $290 million by reforming public authorities and ending Empire Zone abuses.

Noting the serious fiscal impact charter schools have had on districts across the state, delegates called for a moratorium on any further charters until their effectiveness is proven and until host school districts are protected from financial disaster.

Delegates recommitted the statewide union to its efforts to address the special issues of small and rural locals.

Higher ed

A series of resolutions call on NYSUT to seek more federal and state support for colleges and universities, including an increase in loan and grant programs. Delegates, who urged NYSUT to work with AFT to bring about a successful reauthorization of the 40-year-old Higher Education Act, used post cards on their seats to urge Congress to act.

PICTURED AT RIGHT: PSC delegate Cecilia McCall speaks against a resolution to extend US trade embargoes to academic documents.

Delegates also committed the union to oppose a plan by the City University's chancellor to extend the tenure clock from five to seven years.

Delegates agreed that NYSUT should work to oppose a so-called "Academic Bill of Rights" that supporters say would increase federal intrusion into such matters as curriculum and teaching.

"It's a wolf in sheeps' clothing," said Patty Bentley of United University Professions. "It sounds good but means something else, like 'right-to-work' and 'family values.'"

Some delegates, above, staged a brief floor demonstration after they lost their attempt to win passage of a resolution calling for immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. After a debate, delegates ultimately refused to support a measure calling on NYSUT and the AFL-CIO to demand an end to the occupation and the return of U.S. troops. PSC delegate Benjamin Carney argued that the war is being fought by the poor and disenfranchised for the rich and powerful. Urging delegates to follow a committee recommendation that no action be taken on the resolution, Leo Casey of UFT told of union activists in Iraq who have been imprisoned, and tortured. "Without our troops to support them, an immediate withdrawal would mean instant death for these people," Casey said.

Health issues

NYSUT will continue to lobby in Albany and Washington to end the use of mandatory overtime as a way for health care facilities to cope with staff shortages, and for institution of mandatory staff levels to ensure patient safety.

With the number of students with special needs continuing to grow in general-education classrooms, delegates called for more use of registered professional nurses working the capacity of school nurse.

Delegates called for legislation that would provide a tax credit for premiums paid on long-term care insurance. Noting that prescription drug prices are rising by an average of 18 percent a year, they ordered NYSUT to work with AFT and the AFL-CIO to urge Congress to institute measures to control drug costs. Delegates also pledged the union's support for universal health care, domestic partner health benefits and a woman's right to reproductive health care.

NYSUT will lobby for training for teachers and paraprofessionals working with the growing population of behaviorally and mentally challenged students in general education classrooms. At the same time, the union will seek an increase in the number of psychologists, counselors and other mental health services providers at all grade levels.

Delegates approved a series of resolutions underscoring the importance of instruction in Languages Other Than English and the need to step up recruiting of LOTE teachers. Other key resolutions reinforce NYSUT's long-time support of full-day kindergarten, General Educational Development programs and teacher centers.

Concerned about California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's effort to dismantle California's defined-benefit pension system for government workers, delegates approved a Special Order of Business calling on NYSUT to work to preserve New York's pension plans for public employees. The measure also calls on NYSUT to work with the AFT to defeat President Bush's efforts to dismantle Social Security.

Delegates approved a series of pension-related measures, including an effort to bring those on Tiers 3 and 4 closer to the retirement benefits available to those on Tiers 1 and 2. Other measures call for improved retirement credits for military veterans.

Thanking NYSUT for its efforts to win a permanent Cost-Of-Living Adjustment, retiree Ruth Dworkin of Retiree Council 15-16, urged the union to embrace a resolution calling for improvements to that landmark legislation. "Many retirees simply need more to live on," she said.

Looking out for NYSUT's 150,000 retirees, delegates approved a series of resolutions aimed at preserving Medicare and its benefits, calling for caps on annual premium adjustments and opposing any effort to privatize Medicare. They also called on NYSUT, working through AFT, to lobby for federal legislation that would allow retirees to contribute to pre-tax medical savings plans now available only to active workers whose employers offer them; and to lobby state lawmakers for continuation of the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage program for seniors who need help paying for prescription drugs.