Hobart hailed as NYSUT's 'rock'

April 7, 2005

See also: "A Tribute to Tom Hobart," from the April 14 edition of New York Teacher.

Vice President Dick Iannuzzi found the right metaphor in the words of Thomas Jefferson. "In matters of style, swim with the current," Iannuzzi quoted Jefferson."In matters of principle, stand like a rock."

With that, he introduced "NYSUT's rock," President Tom Hobart, at the opening luncheon for this year's Local and Retiree Council Presidents' Conference. Hobart is not running for re-election this year after more than three decades at the helm of New York State United Teachers.

Hobart said some people have asked why he is stepping down - they sometimes wonder if he is sick. But he insisted," Part of my job is to make sure this organization continues to grow." He noted the union is in sound fiscal shape - if a proposed dues increase is approved - and there are no political "splitters" in the wings."In my mind this is the time to go," he said."This organization is going to grow and flourish."

As a former local president and future rank-and-file member of Retiree Council 1, Hobart shared a bit of advice: He said people have thanked him for always being available and willing to talk. "As a local president, you need to do that too," he said. Iannuzzi is the only person who has tossed his hat in the ring to be the next NYSUT president.

The former president of the Central Islip TA noted that the union's vast success springs from a paradox:"We have autonomous locals, but we use that pluralism to build solidarity. ... I will have respect for your autonomy as a local, but will work very hard to use that pluralism to continue to build the solidarity that has made our union great," Iannuzzi said.

Recalling that just last year he was one of the local presidents attending the conference, he said,"The hardest job in any union, and the hardest job in NYSUT, is to be a local president. I want you to reach out to NYSUT.We can help."

Vice President Maria Neira, who introduced Iannuzzi, described him as "my friend, my fellow officer, and my listening buddy. At the end of the day,we can sit on the sofa and say,'How did we do today?'"

Of Hobart, she said,"I am humbled to have had him as my mentor for the past eight months." Neira took the opportunity to honor Mike Maloy, retiring director of information technology for NYSUT. Local presidents spontaneously leapt to their feet to thank him for 26 years of putting the union at the vanguard of technology.

Maloy made a pitch for 20 local unions to help with a second phase of NYSUT's Electronic Membership Reporting program. The program establishes an electronic link between locals, employers and NYSUT member records, automatically tracking changes from one payroll period to another. To get in the program, contact Kate Arico in NYSUT Member Records.

Hot Off the Presses!

A few advance copies of the April 14 issue of New York Teacher found their way to two enterprising retiree council presidents. They promptly turned them into mementos by finding Tom Hobart at a retiree session at the Local Presidents Conference to get his autograph.

Check a future RA Reporter for more coverage on this session.