The American Federation of Teachers, PSC’s national affiliate, has adopted a resolution in support of the PSC’s campaign for $7,000 per course minimum pay for CUNY adjuncts. It resolves “that the AFT supports PSC’s campaign for $7K and all other AFT locals’ campaigns for fair adjunct pay, and that the AFT leadership will call on AFT members to support the PSC in actions, demonstrations and advocacy for $7K, because a victory on $7K at CUNY would be a victory for every teacher, professor, education worker and student in the country.” Click here to read the resolution, which was adopted July 16 at the union’s 2018 national convention in Pittsburgh, PA.
News & Events
By now, you've probably seen or heard about emails from Besty DeVos and her billionaire friends trying to convince people like us to leave our union. The latest wave comes from Bob Bellafiore and the out-of-state billionaires backing his front group, New Choice NY.
Don't be fooled by the false innocence of Bellafiore's email. His message is just what we expected in the weeks following the Supreme Court's Janus decision. It probably won't be the last such message you receive. Their aim is to change the law and the balance of power in the U.S. so that working people own less and less wealth, and the public sector is destroyed-or turned into a source of private profit. They are part of the same network of groups that funded the Janus case.
What they don't want you to know is that the PSC has become stronger than ever, in defiance of their challenge. As of today, we have the highest percentage of membership in our history, 96% of full-time faculty and staff, and among the highest percentages of adjunct membership in the country. More than 500 people contacted the PSC in the week after the Janus decision to join or reaffirm their membership. If you have not yet reaffirmed your PSC membership by filling out the new, stronger membership card, click here now to do so.
Bob Bellafiore and those who pay him think you will be fooled into believing that you would be better off if you kept the modest amount you pay in union dues (about 1% of salary) than if you continued to pool that amount for the significant gains we achieve together. Download Union Membership Matters, a brochure about the gains we've made together as a union.
Dental and hearing benefits provided to CUNY employees by the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund have been significantly improved. Beginning on July 1, 2018, the Fund’s reimbursement schedule for many common but expensive dental procedures—when provided by participating, in-network Guardian dentists—have been enhanced. Beginning on July 1, 2018, the Fund has also doubled the per-ear, in-network subsidy for hearing aids from $750 to $1,500, for a total subsidy of $3,000 once every 36 months. Visit the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund website to read more about the benefit enhancements.
PSC Research Foundation activists at City Tech, LaGuardia and the Graduate Center organized a petition campaign in less than a week and ensured that they and their colleagues would receive their pay increases on time. Members ratified a new three-year contract on May 29 with salary increases effective July, 1, 2018. As of June 27 the RF Board of Directors had not approved the contract.
President Barbara Bowen, Professional Staff Congress (PSC/CUNY), AFT #2334
The Janus decision is not about the First Amendment. It is about consolidating wealth, power and even health in the hands of the few while imposing permanent economic austerity on everyone else. The majority decision helps to advance an agenda that has been planned and lavishly funded by billionaires and far-right organizations. Its goal is to undo every gain made by workers, people of color, immigrants, women, the middle class and the poor during the last half-century.
The Executive Council of the PSC has passed a resolution in support of the Fordham Faculty United contract campaign. Fordham Faculty United (affiliated with SEIU Local 200) represents approximately 800 non tenure track faculty who voted overwhelmingly to form a union in November 2017. The union is now bargaining for its first contract. The resolution resolves that the PSC declares its solidarity with the FFU’s effort to win a strong contract and encourages its members to support the FFU’s contract campaign. Read the full resolution.
