Transcript NYSUT - Washingtonville Teachers' Association | Stateweb

Unions Rebel against second-class status
 When Lou Cammarosano
started teaching in 1956,
members of the profession
barely met second-class citizen
status. "Forget having any
preparation time. Teachers did
not have time off for lunch.
Principals could call a meeting at
any time in the morning or
evening and, to keep your job,
you had to go," said
Cammarosano, who taught for
40 years in the Harrison district
in Westchester County. "We
were to be seen and not heard."
Original Unions
Thomas Hobart
Al Shanker
 NYSTA – an NEA affiliate
 United Teachers of NY – an AFT affiliate
Unions Merge
 NYSTA and UTNY
agree to merge
creating a new
union NYSUT.
 Part of the
agreement was to
disaffiliate with the
NEA.
NEA NY
NEA set up a
rival
organization in
NYS but it did
not grow like
NYSUT
NYSUT Grows
 NYSUT membership continues to grow as it looks to
organize professionals in and out of the field of
education.
 SRPs – School Related Professionals
 UUP – United University Profesors
 School Nurses
NEA Merger
 Reunited
 In 2006 NEA NY
and NYSUT agree
to merge
 NYSUT agrees to
affiliate with the
NEA
Challenges
 When NYSUT was formed in the early 1970s, the
political climate was treacherous for teachers.
 A three-year freeze in state aid led to severe budget
cuts. Striking teachers were being jeered and jailed;
the Legislature had imposed a 2-for-1 pay loss penalty
and one-year probation for striking public employees.
 In 1970, the state Legislature overwhelmingly approved
a bill freezing district budgets and teaching salaries in
those districts defeating school budgets.
Wake-up Call
 Although Gov. Rockefeller vetoed the bill because it
negated teachers' rights under the Taylor Law, it was a
preview of things to come. In 1971, the Legislature
approved the Jerabek bills - which jumped teachers'
probation to five years, abolished the minimum salary
law, mandated urinalysis testing and prohibited school
districts from granting sabbatical leaves to teachers.
 For many, that was the wake-up call for a radical idea:
political action
VOTE-COPE
 NYSTS – VOTE: Voice of
Teachers in Education
 UTNY – COPE: Committee
on Political Education
 Both political arms were
funded by voluntary
contributions - not dues and both supported voter
registration drives and proeducation candidates in
local and state elections.
VOTE-COPE
VOTE/COPE makes NYSUT one of the most
powerful political forces in the state of New York.
NYSUT’s Accomplishments
 In 1975, passage of a law guaranteeing tenure transfer rights and a maximum
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two-year probation period for teachers who switched districts
In 1977, a law providing for significantly enhanced enforcement powers for the
state Public Employment Relations Board
In1978, repeal of the Taylor Law's mandatory penalty of one year's probation for
any public employee who went on strike.
In1982, the state legislature passed the Triborough Amendment to the Taylor
Law. The Triborough Amendment required school districts to honor the entire
contract until a new agreement was reached
Permanent annual COLA in TRS & ERS pensions
Pension Equity – a half-dozen early retirement incentives; pension
supplementation and health insurance protection for retirees.
Creation of teacher centers (1984) and the mentor-intern program (1986)
VOTE-COPE
provides rebates to locals
Of all the VOTE/COPE monies
collected:
►
20% gets rebated for local assistance programs
Rebates may be used for:
 School Budget Vote Campaigns
 Support Candidates for Local School
Board
 General local union political action
activities
(voter registration, voter education, etc.)
A VOTE-COPE contribution
to fit all budgets…
Based on payroll deduction over 26 paychecks
Per Paycheck
$2.00 *
$4.00
$5.00
$6.00
Total Contribution
$ 52.00 *
$104.00
$130.00
$156.00
*New Teachers
Don’t be the
weak link…
 Support our political action fund.
 Donate to
VOTE/COPE