PSC News
and Updates

weekly calendar.  

Chapter Meetings:  None scheduled

Go to calendar for details and more information on upcoming events.

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[1/19/11 UPDATE;The PSC and CUNY will hold their first bargaining session to discuss the new contract on Wednesday, January 26. The old contract expired on October 20, 2010 but under State law all its protections remain in place.]

In a packed meeting attended by more than 200 people, the PSC Delegate Assembly voted on Nov. 4 to adopt a bargaining agenda for negotiations on a new contract. Delegates approved the proposal from the union’s Executive Council by a wide margin. Its main themes, which follow the union’s strategic priorities, include:

• maintaining progress on salaries;
• creating a process for advancement for employees in Higher Education Officer-series titles;
• achieving substantial movement toward parity and job stability for adjuncts;
• restructuring full-time faculty workload to allow more time for students and research.

The demands approved by the DA include other initiatives such as tuition waivers at CUNY for members’ children and additional support for department chairs. In addition to the 115 delegates and alternates, more than 100 other PSC members attended, most of whom came to voice their support for the urgency of winning gains on adjunct parity. The main focus of the evening’s energetic discussion was on the best strategy to reach that goal.

Click here for the full text of the demands in a special supplement of the December 2010 Clarion.

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Grassroots action by the PSC and other unions helped elect a number of pro-union, pro-CUNY candidates in a year when Republicans racked up electoral gains with calls for cuts in public spending.

“I believe in movement politics,” said Attorney General-elect Eric Schneiderman. “This was a campaign of activists – and boy, did we show what activists can do.” Schneiderman’s 55%-44% victory came with strong backing from the PSC and other unions, tenant organizations and groups dedicated to equal rights for all. Comptroller Tom DiNapoli won by 50%-47% with a campaign that hit hard at his main opponent’s cozy relationship with Wall Street. Get-out-the-vote organizing by unions was a big reason that candidates hostile to public workers lost both races.

Efforts by the PSC and other unions also made the difference in a State Senate upset in Queens, where Tony Avella, a strong advocate for public education, defeated anti-immigrant State Sen. Frank Padavan.

Avella was one of several elected officials who attended a reception that the PSC held on Thursday, December 16th to honor union volunteers in these key campaigns.

Joined by a green, furry friend, RF workers and supporters picket 12/22/11 RF Board meeting. Details and photos.

Click image to play video

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Click the image above to read January '11 Clarion.

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CUNY and the PSC have finalized agreement on new guidelines for PSC-CUNY Research Awards. The CUNY Research Foundation website has the full text of the guidelines, which will govern a three-year pilot program beginning this year.

The application deadline for this cycle of awards is January 28, 2011. In future years, the deadline will be January 15, but it was extended this year due to the time it took to work out all the details of the pilot program. All applications, as in the past, must be submitted electronically; details are online here.

Under the new guidelines, applications must now be submitted for one of three categories of awards:

• Traditional A Awards, of up to $3,500.
• Traditional B Awards, of more than $3,500 and up to $6,000.
• Enhanced Awards, of more than $6,000 and up to $12,000.

Last year the average award was about $3,400, and this year the largest number of awards will be in the Traditional A category. The most competitive category is expected to be the Enhanced Awards, of up to $12,000. In a change from the past, selection panels will not reduce requested budgets; if an award in any category is granted, it will be funded in full.

“I want to thank members for their patience; I know many of you have been eager to see the new guidelines so you can prepare applications,” said PSC President Barbara Bowen. “By extending the deadline to the end of January, we hoped to create enough time for you to prepare.” Further details will be in the next issue of Clarion, and on this website.

(The January Clarion has an in-depth article  which provides more details.

 [Posted 12/21/10]

[An earlier story was posted on 8/23/10].  The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York are pleased to announce a three-year pilot program to streamline the selection process and enhance the PSC-CUNY Research Awards.  As part of the restructured program, faculty retain responsibility for the selection process; a new category of awards of up to $12,000 has been introduced; and the application deadline has been changed to January 15.  In reaching the agreement with the University, the PSC leadership worked closely with the chair of the University Faculty Senate and current members of the University Committee on Research Awards.   Details.  

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PSC theater evening is Jan. 23 

By Steve Leberstein, Retirees Chapter 

The Retirees Chapter and the PSC Women’s Committee are sponsoring the union’s fourth winter theater event, with the Working Theater’s production of “Honey Brown Eyes” on Sunday, January 23 at 3:00 pm. Last year’s event, André De Shields’s one-person show about the life of Frederick Douglass, drew 60 PSC members, who were wildly enthusiastic about the play and De Shields’ performance.

This year the feature is “Honey Brown Eyes,” a play set during the Bosnian War in 1992. It tells the story of two friends and former bandmates who find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. Interestingly enough for a play about war, most of the violence takes place off-stage, with the action set entirely within the confines of two separate kitchens.

“It certainly brings home the message that war happens to people, families,” says playwright Stefanie Zadravec. “I can separate myself from war if I think of tanks on a battlefield, big ships and missiles, but empty cupboards in a kitchen, that means something to me.”

“The play is a theatrical powerhouse taking an unflinching look at the lengths ordinary people will go to survive a brutal war,” said the Working Theater’s artistic director Mark Plesent. “When I first read Stefanie’s play...I was struck with the sensation that if, god forbid, the events of the play were taking place in New York City, it would be taking place in the kitchens of Working Theater’s constituency. These are people who didn’t ask for this war, but now that it is happening find themselves challenged in the most extraordinary ways.” The playwright, Stefanie Zadravec will join us for a question and answer session following the play.

The event will be at Clurman Theater at Theater Row, on W. 42nd St. between 9th & 10th Aves. Tickets for PSC members are $20. Reserve your seats today – last year’s event was sold out! Send your checks, payable to “Working Theater,” to Steve Leberstein at the PSC, 61 Broadway, 15th floor, NY 10006, as soon as possible. For more information, e-mail me at sleberstein@pscmail.org.

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The PSC and CUNY entered into an important settlement agreement affecting the use of substitutes by the University that will end the abuse of the substitute title and establish new rights for PSC members who serve in substitute titles.  Details. 

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Clarion Wins 4 National Labor Media Awards.

 Clarion garnered four first-place awards for excellence at the November 19 International Labor Communicators Association annual awards event. Competing against local union newspapers from across the United States and Canada, the PSC’s newspaper took the top prize for Best Profile, Best Analysis, Best Editorial or Column, and Best Photo.

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“The union leadership appreciates how hard it is for adjuncts who rely on their CUNY employment to make a living wage, and how hard it is for department chairs to staff their courses given the inadequate funding they receive for full-time faculty positions,” said PSC President Barbara Bowen. “I hope this agreement provides some relief; it recognizes the fact that almost all CUNY colleges now offer a significant winter session with courses for full credit.” 

MLC PRESS CONFEFRENCE

Barbara Bowen  speaking at Municipal Labor Committee press conference on Thursday, 12/16 on the steps of City Hall protesting the city's wasting millions of dollars on private contractors while CUNY is being cut, firehouses are being closed, and low-paid City workers are losing their jobs.  Click here for NY1 coverage.  Photo credit: Dave Sanders

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THE BUDGET CRISIS:

PSC Tells the City Council: Hike Funding, Not Tuition.  PSC President Barbara Bowen told the City Council Higher Education Committee on Thursday that CUNY’s planned reliance on tuition hikes would reduce students’ access to college and undermine public funding for higher education.

Bowen argued that increased public investment rather than tuition increases is the way to fund CUNY. She called for the restoration of progressive tax policy to make such investment possible. She also debunked a popular myth that financial aid protects the poorest students from tuition hikes and called for targeted financial aid reforms.

PSC to Join in February Lobbying Pushback Against Cuomo’s Austerity Agenda; Please Get Involved Now.  Given the signals of severe budget cuts, wage freezes, tax caps, and other austerity measures coming from the Cuomo Administration, NYSUT has scheduled two important statewide events.

An extraordinary lobby day to be held February 15 at the Capitol will bring in grassroots lobbyists early to speak up on bedrock issues: budget, revenues, jobs and defending union rights. Unprecedented statewide home district lobby days are being planned for February 3 and 4 to turn out members in full force from one end of the state to another, carrying our messages to legislators in their district offices. "We must fight back now to preserve a quality education for our students and hard-won benefits and labor rights," said Steve London, PSC First Vice President. Please contact Amanda Magalhaes to learn more and sign up to participate.

City Council Restores $4 Million to CUNY Community Colleges.  On January 6 the City Council restored $4 million to CUNY community colleges out of a $11.8 million cut proposed by Mayor Bloomberg in his mid-year reductions. The bulk of the $4 million restoration will be targeted to instruction.

“Members' actions, advocacy, and voluntary contributions to PSC-CUNY COPE [Committee on Political Education] made possible this important gain,” said PSC First Vice President Steve London. “The PSC partnered with City Council members and Speaker Quinn to win these restorations. And it was our PSC-CUNY COPE contributions that helped us elect City Council members who understand the importance of funding CUNY.”

LABOR PUTS OUT ALTERNATIVES TO GOVERNOR'S PLANNED BUDGET CUTS & TAX CAPS.  Gov. Andrew Cuomo outlined his plans for budget cuts and tax caps in his State of the State speech on January 4.  Cuomo wants to end the "millionaire's tax" income tax surcharge when it expires later this year, a position opposed by a broad range of unions & community organizations. 

Labor groups have advocated an alternative strategy.  A new labor/community coalition, Strong Economy for All, is running radio ads that call for Wall Street and New York's wealthy to pay their fair share.  An article in the January Clarion, by James Parrott of the Fiscal Policy Institute, outlines a range of alternatives to deep budget cuts.

testimony on next year's STATE budget. PSC President Barbara Bowen testified on next year's CUNY budget at the Board of Trustees public hearing on November 15.  Bowen spoke in support of CUNY's request for funds to create 275 additional full-time faculty positions and improve student services, but did not support the administration's proposed tuition increase.  Click here for Bowen's testimony and here to read more about why a tuition increase is not the answer to CUNY's budget needs.

FACULTY & STUDENTS SPEAK OUT VS MAYOR'S CC Budget Cuts. [Posted 12/8/10]  Faculty members and college students gathered at City Hall at noon on Wednesday, December 8th to speak out on the impact of Mayor Bloomberg’s 5.4% cut in City funding for CUNY’s community colleges. The midyear reduction of $13 million will mean a loss of hundreds of class sections and adjunct faculty positions. Increased class size and decreased support services will harm students’ education and hurt graduation rates.   More.

3,000 Against CUNY Budget Cuts.  [Posted 11/29/10]  A PSC petition against Mayor Bloomberg’s planned midyear cut in City funding for CUNY community colleges was delivered to the City Council on Nov. 22. Signed by 3,000 faculty, staff and students, the petition was accepted by Ydanis Rodriguez, chair of the Council’s Higher Education Committee. Rodriguez said he would argue for CUNY as a priority in discussions with Speaker Christine Quinn and other Council members.

“Our classrooms are already overcrowded,” said Geoff Kurtz, an assistant professor at BMCC who helped deliver the petitions. “The budget cuts the mayor is proposing could lead to more than a 20% increase in class sizes by next year at BMCC.” The mayor’s plan would reduce City support for CUNY community college operations by 5.4%, or $13 million this year and $16.5 million next year.

The CUNY reductions were among a range of cuts to public services that Bloomberg announced Nov. 18, in a plan that was immediately criticized by City Council leaders. “CUNY, libraries, after-school programs, those are services that our middle class utilizes every day,” Quinn said to Gotham Gazette. She vowed that the Council would have a voice in decisions on the midyear reductions, even if Bloomberg structures the package of cuts to avoid a Council vote.

If you haven’t already signed the PSC petition, it’s not too late to add your name. You can sign online here.

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B.O.T. VOTES "YES" ON Early Retirement Incentive.

The CUNY BOT voted on Monday (6/28) to allow all fulltime members of the instructional staff who have at least 10 years of service and are at least 50 years old as of January 27, 2011 to consider taking the state sponsored early retirement incentive.

Two separate PSC information brochures on CUNY’s 2010 Early Retirement Incentive (ERI) are now available.

• TRS brochure for members of the Teachers Retirement System.
• ORP brochure is for members of TIAA-CREF and other plans in CUNY’s Optional Retirement Program (ORP). 

ERI information is also available on the CUNY website.

The incentive will provide for members of the NYC Teachers Retirement System additional service credit of one month for each year of service to a maximum of 36 months for 36 years of service.  Members of TIAA/CREF will receive 1/12xyears of servicex15% salary to a maximum of 45% of salary with 36 years of service. This lump sum will go directly into the TIAA/CREF pension plan in late spring of 2011.  Travia and annual payments will be spread out over 3 payments in late spring of 2011, 2012 and 2013. There will be January, 2011 deadline dates by which forms will have to be filed with both the university and the retirement system. The PSC will be setting up meetings in the fall on each campus for those interested. CUNY will also be holding meetings in all 5 boroughs and TIAA/CREF individual counselors will be on campus continuously to meet with instructional staff.  For those interested in making an appointment with a TIAA/CREF counselor please call 1-800-732-8353.

Clarissa Weiss, PSC Pension and Welfare Benefits Director, is visiting campuses to talk about ERI.  Click here for a calendar of her visits.

(Click here for the joint PSC-CUNY announcement of the ERI.)

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Dedicated Sick Leave Program at CUNY Announced

[Posted 5/3/10]  The PSC is proud to announce that CUNY now has a Dedicated Sick Leave program allowing eligible participants to donate and receive sick days in cases of serious injury or illness.  The program arises from a PSC contract demand and fulfills a commitment made in the current contract to negotiate a Dedicated Sick Leave program modeled on the City of New York’s program.  Negotiations continue on allowing part-time employees to receive donated sick days, and to create a Sick Day Bank, on which individuals could also draw.  The new program covers full-time instructional and classified staff at CUNY and, in a first, was jointly bargained by all the unions representing affected staff at CUNY.  Full-time faculty and staff can donate and receive leave from their PSC colleagues, and also from department secretaries and custodial workers.

The program’s eligibility requirements are based on the City’s program, and are specified in the full text of the agreement.  To receive dedicated sick leave, a full-time employee has to have been employed at least 2 years at CUNY and have an illness or injury requiring an absence of at least 30 continuous working days. Employees with fewer than 5 years of service may donate only annual leave.  Employees with 5 years or more may also donate up to 10 sick leave days per year.  Annual leave is credited to a recipient as a full day; sick leave is credited to a recipient as a half day.

Program details and the applications to donate and receive leave will be posted on the PSC website shortly.  College HR Offices are responsible for implementing this benefit; contact your HR Office for more details.

Click here for a PDF of the agreement.

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ELECTION NOTICE

Click here for a schedule and list of chapters up for election in April (and election and nomination procedures).

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ADJUNCT PAY DATES

Click here for the Spring 2011 pay dates.

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Click here for an analysis of the issues raised by 80th Street's plans for a new community college.

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RACE & EMPLOYMENT AT CUNY. 

More than six years ago, CUNY college presidents called for a “revitalization” of the University’s affirmative action programs. Progress since then has been uneven: A few steps forward and some notable steps backward.  Click here for Clarion article.

Click image to send an "Act Now" letter to Albany urging passage of a bill for adjunct unemployment benefits.

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◄As the PSC continues its fight for a fair budget for CUNY, we are pressing to remedy the serious inequity in the state unemployment insurance program. Current law is unfairly exploited to prevent part-time faculty from claiming the benefits due them, the same benefits to which all other seasonal workers are entitled. Please join the push for fairness now by signing the letter to Albany lawmakers here.

Click here for more information.

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PSC, UUP, NYSUT Leaders Reject Regents’ Proposed “Reforms” 

This Fall, the New York State Board of Regents proposed sweeping changes to teacher preparation that, if enacted, could affect thousands of PSC and UUP members who teach in departments of education, and, of course, future teachers. Schools of education are already subject to national accreditation and the Regents’ proposals are largely untested and, in many respects, clearly unwise,” said PSC First Vice President Steve London, who has worked on the union’s position, which was informed by extensive discussions with the education faculty. Last week, PSC President Barbara Bowen, UUP President Phil Smith and NYUST First Vice President Maria Neira wrote Education Commissioner David Steiner rebutting the proposals. “The proposal would have been strengthened by involving faculty in these discussions,” Bowen, Smith, and Neira wrote before arguing each point in detail. (See the letter here).

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April 2010 saw the implementation of the final phase of the legislative victory on pension equity spearheaded by the PSC.  The pension equity legislation, passed in 2008 as a result of intense advocacy in Albany, increases take-home pay for employees in the Optional Retirement Programs (primarily TIAA-CREF) who have 10 years of full-time service.  Details. 

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More than 1,200 PSC members returned an affordable housing survey that the union sent out this summer. The survey was an initial step toward assessing what role the union might play in addressing members’ housing needs. Details.

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Overtime pay and compensatory time have been crucial issues for HEOs and the union has pursued a multi-pronged strategy to address it. More than a year ago an arbitration ruling definitively declared that the PSC contract bars CUNY from regularly scheduling HEOs for more than 35 hours a week. The arbitrator also ruled that the contract allows CUNY to grant compensatory time off to HEOs. In May 2007, the union also won a legal settlement, based on the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that established time-and-a-half overtime pay for eligible HEO series employees for time worked beyond 40 hours in a week. The union and the University have now worked out an implementation agreement in response to these rulings. The August 24 deadline for filing comp. time claims comes from that agreement.

HEOs who have questions about the agreement after reading the mailing should call the Contract Enforcement Department at the PSC to speak with a HEO grievance counselor. (Please read the letter and enclosed Q&A sheet first…it might answer your questions without the need for a call.)

HEOs can read the overtime implementation agreement by clicking here.

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The American Federation of Teachers (AFT, our parent union) announced a campaign to collect one million signatures on a petition calling on the new president and Congress to pass the federal Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). EFCA would reform our national labor law to protect the right of workers to form unions. Current labor law is tilted in favor of the employer and fails to guarantee that workers who try to form unions will not face vicious anti-union campaigns by their employers. The result is that fewer workers are able to join unions, which means fewer workers have the power to bargain for better wages and work conditions. This dynamic means that there is a downward pull on the pay and quality of all jobs. Click here to add your name to the petition -- or click the button below.

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For information and application materials for HEO-CLT grants and the new series of Adjunct/CET grants click here.
 

The minutes for the PSC Delegate Assembly, beginning with the 2006-2007 academic year, are now online (click here).

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PSC MODIFIES AGENCY FEE REBATE POLICY

On April 3, 2008, the PSC modified its agency fee rebate notice and procedure for consistency with existing rulings on the subject and a decision of the Second Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals. Details.

New Court Ruling on Agency Fee Withholdings.  In October, 2009, the US Court of Appeals upheld the PSC’s right to charge non-members for political activities aimed at securing a new contract and for lobbying efforts related to collective bargaining, but remanded to the Second District Court for further review the bases of the union’s actual apportionment of charges in four categories of expense and one category of expense of the PSC’s national affiliate. Details

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