CUNY workers rally for new contract

Feb 27, 2023

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By Madina Touré

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CUNY union members rally in Manhattan on Feb. 27, 2023 amid contract negotiations.

CUNY union members rally in Manhattan on Feb. 27, 2023 amid contract negotiations. | Madina Toure/POLITICO

The Professional Staff Congress — which represents 30,000 faculty and staff at the City University of New York — rallied outside of the CUNY headquarters in Midtown Manhattan on Monday morning to outline their demands for a new contract as their contract is set to expire.

The union’s demands include raises above the rate of inflation for all of its members, more robust health and safety provisions and improving job security for adjuncts and ameliorating their access to full-time appointments as well as flexible schedules including remote work opportunities, reasonable class sizes and a more diverse faculty. The union’s contract expires on Tuesday.

Hundreds of CUNY faculty and staff marched in front of the office with posters with slogans like “UNITED FOR A GOOD CONTRACT” and various contract demands like “QUALITY EDUCATION” and “JOB SECURITY.”

“What we need is a fair contract, a just contract,” James Davis, PSC’s president, said during the rally. “We need CUNY to come to the bargaining table. We need a contract that supports PSC members and improves the quality of education for our students.”

Joseph Tirella, a CUNY spokesperson, said: “We look forward to negotiating new collective bargaining agreements with the PSC and the other unions representing CUNY employees.”

This comes amid the university instructing colleges to cut budgets and carry out a hiring freeze.

The union is also kicking off a digital and TV ad campaign to push for more funding for higher education in the state budget.

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said the only way for PSC members to get decent pay and benefits is through a fair contract and urged CUNY to negotiate “in good faith.” He also argued a fair contract would help bring more students back into the university system amid enrollment declines.

“To those who say that, ‘Well, enrollment is dropping, we can’t give you a good contract,’ I say that’s B.S.,” Levine said. “The way to attract and retain students is to make CUNY an outstanding institution with well-compensated staff and faculty, with lower student to faculty ratios. If we invest in CUNY, CUNY can succeed. This is an investment in the future of our city.”

IT’S MONDAY: Stay with us each afternoon as we keep you updated on the latest New York news in Albany, City Hall and beyond.

A message from Con Edison:

As part of our Clean Energy Commitment, Con Edison is building a resilient, 22nd-century energy grid that’s primed to provide 100% renewable power. Specifically, we are developing clean energy hubs to connect and deliver up to 6,000 megawatts of offshore wind and investing $800 million into the installation of new transmission lines. Our efforts are expanding access to the renewable sources that will deliver hundreds of megawatts of clean, reliable energy to New Yorkers.

From the Capitol

AARP pamphlets | Getty Images

AARP New York on Monday pushed for the state to better notify New Yorkers on how to access federal and state benefits. | Mike Coppola/Getty Images

MONEY AVAILABLE: There are billions of dollars being untapped by New Yorkers, according to AARP.

The group put out a study Monday from The New School’s Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis that found New York could get at least $2.5 billion in additional federal assistance if state agencies would better alert residents to some benefits programs they qualify for.

“Confusing and burdensome program application processes, stigma around receiving public assistance,” and difficulty navigating the technology required to access benefits are to blame, the report’s author Teresa Ghilarducci said in a statement.

AARP New York, for example, said Gov. Kathy Hochul should require “data matching” by key agencies to ensure older New Yorkers are enrolled in key programs — similar to what is done with benefits programs for children and families.

“This is the $4 billion question for New York — why aren’t we maximizing access to benefits? The short answer is, we can, and we should,” said AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel.

In her budget plan, Hochul said she is looking to modernize a variety of state agency processes to help New Yorkers. — Joseph Spector

A message from Con Edison:

From City Hall

STARBUCKS SETTLEMENT: Adams and Vilda Vera Mayuga, the commissioner of the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, announced a $21,000 wrongful termination settlement with Starbucks.

The money will go to Austin Locke, who filed a complaint with the city in July 2022 after he was fired from one of the coffee chain’s Queens locations. It comes amid a major labor campaign that has resulted in hundreds of newly unionized stores across the country.

Adams touted the settlement as a victory for the working class. In a press release, Locke said, “Let this be an example to all: In New York City, you can’t mess with workers.” — Zachary Schermele

On the beats

Raymond Rivera, head of the Latino Pastoral Action Center in the Bronx, speaks at a news conference in favor of expanding charter schools at the state Capitol in Albany, N.Y, on Feb. 27, 2023.

Raymond Rivera, head of the Latino Pastoral Action Center in the Bronx, speaks at a news conference in favor of expanding charter schools at the state Capitol in Albany, N.Y, on Feb. 27, 2023. | Joseph Spector/POLITICO

CHARTER COLLABORATIVE LOBBIES LAWMAKERS OF COLOR: The Black Latinx Asian Charter Collaborative — a nonprofit representing charter schools founded and led by people of color — addressed the state Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus Monday to push for the adoption of Hochul’s proposal to increase the number of charters that can operate in New York City.

“Whenever the educational system is close to the community and the parent decision making process, changes happen,” said Raymond Rivera, head of the Latino Pastoral Action Center in the Bronx. “I see community empowerment and educational equity directly related to charter schools."

The nonprofit — which includes 20 schools representing more than 12,000 students statewide — also called on lawmakers to embrace new policies that tackle racial inequities. The collaborative spearheaded the Public Education Racial Equity and Diversity Act (READ Act), which would grant 336 new charters to minority-led community-based organizations.

Hochul recommended keeping the statewide cap of 460 but eliminating the regional cap on the number of charters that can be issued in the city. She also called for reauthorizing “zombie charters” — previously approved charters that were later closed down. — Joe Spector and Madina Touré

COMMISSIONER ROSA TESTIFIES FOR SECOND TIME: After more than three hours in the hot seat for her first testimony with the Legislature, Commissioner Betty Rosa testified for the second time at the higher education budget hearing on Monday.

This time around she focused on college and career pathways, opportunity programs, increasing postsecondary for students with disabilities and addressing teacher shortages. She also highlighted the department's opposition to Hochul’s proposal to transfer licensing of healthcare professions to the Department of Health from the education department.

She said making that change would be a disruption to the model in place for licensing as well as a waste of previous multi-million investments into technology for the state’s licensing system. — Katelyn Cordero

OFFICE CONVERSIONS: City Council members are backing state proposals to lift a cap on residential density in New York City and ease barriers to converting office space into housing. Council Members Pierina Sanchez, Gale Brewer, Tiffany Cabán, Oswald Feliz and Marjorie Velázquez are all supporting a slate of legislative changes pushed by a real estate-backed group called the 5 Borough Housing Movement.

The proposals include easing regulatory barriers around office-to-residential conversions, creating a tax incentives so conversions could include affordable housing and lifting the density cap to allow more housing production in Manhattan. — Janaki Chadha

A message from Con Edison:

Our work includes the creation of peak-demand reduction strategies, new substations, and local transmission initiatives like Reliable Clean City projects—a trio of electric transmission projects that will connect all New York City boroughs to a supply of increasingly renewable electricity. All together, these projects help transition New York away from fossil fuels and prepare our grid to deliver 100% clean energy to all customers by 2040. See New York’s energy future here.

Around New York

— The owners of a Saratoga nursing home have to pay back $7.2 million after having deceived regulators and left residents to “suffer deplorable conditions and neglect.” (Times Union)

— A Siena poll reveals that the majority of Republicans and Conservatives in New York want Rep. George Santos to give in his resignation. (POLITICO)

— Lawmakers are pushing a bill to stop gas outages in New York City public housing. (WNYC)

— A Portland Loo toilet pilot will be placed in each of the five New York City boroughs, the city Department of Parks and Recreation announced. (THE CITY)

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