Breakpoint Updated For 2017

The Tier2/2A/3 pension breakpoint has been updated for 2017, the breakpoint is now $77,889.

To the advantage of members, the breakpoint has increased by roughly 3.6% for the past 3 years.  This is a huge improvement compared with the first 30 years in which the breakpoint rose by 6% per year.

Tier2/2A/3 has a multiplier of 1.4% times years of service times salary and an increase of .4333% times years of service for salary above the breakpoint.

3/14/17 - A Full Day Off

The Governor closed all 3 shifts on Tuesday March 14.  Therefore, employees do not have to charge time against their accruals for any sick time, PL, or vacation requested for Tuesday 3/14/17.

From the Governor's website:

"...In addition, the Governor is fully activating the state’s Emergency Operations Center starting at 5:00 a.m. He is also directing all nonessential first and second-shift state employees to not report to work on Tuesday."

NYSUT Women's Conference -" Speak Up, Stand Up, Step Up! - March 2017

The conference addressed a wide range of issues important to all NYSUT members, including domestic violence, retirement security, communications, poitical engagemet and more.  Participants also enjoyed a lively open space " un-conference session near the end of the event, where attendees selected their own topics for small group followup discussions that ranged from how to help fearful immigrant students to " The Trump Effect in the Classroom."  Deb Peterson RC 43 President represented the RC 43 /TRIF Units at this Conference.

 

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights remains as relevant today as it was on the day in 1948 that it was proclaimed and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.  The extraordinary vision and resolve of the drafters produced a document that, for the first time, articulated the rights and freedoms to which every human being is equality and inalienable entitled.   

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Contract Update

Posted 3/9/17

1st MEDIATION SESSION HELD
Contract negotiations advanced with the union and the state presenting opening postions before a mediator on Wednesday, March 8th.  A&R continues to maintain that there can be little meaningful progress if the state continues its hard-line stance seeking to gut our contract.  The state has put forward 96 separate proposals which, if all were adopted, would eliminate most of your basic contractual rights.

For example, you may recall that the state proposes the complete elimination of out-of-state travel reimbursements - in their entirety!  Yup.  The state's expectation is that when they assign you out-of-state work that you will pay for the airfare, the hotel, the meals - everything - without any reimbursement.  Obviously we take issue with such nonsensical proposals.  We will continue to bargain in good faith, while insisting that our members be treated with dignity and respect at the bargaining table.  Our next mediation session is scheduled for March 27th, where we expect to delve into specific language issues.

OUR APPROACH TO NEGOTIATIONS
Wage freezes and pay cuts are not the same thing!  It is our contention that no member should take a pay cut as a result of a contract extension agreement.  At issue is the state's insistence that Top Step Payments are to be forfeited while we are negotiating the successor agreement.  This means that those who received the Top Step Payment the prior year are taking a 2.5% pay cut.  Plain and simple it is a pay cut.  This is unjust and not acceptable.  Whatever path contract negotiations take, recovering retroactive payment of the top step payment is and shall remain among our highest priories.

The amazing part is that the State has not come to an agreement with ANY of the unions.  As of July 1st, 2016, near all of the unions, including A&R, were operating under an Extension Agreement.  Extension Agreements are guided by state statute which maintains the status quo until a successor agreement is reached.  Thus our position regarding pay cuts.  Whether through mediation, arbitration, or via agreement, we are and will continue to seek retroactive payments of the Top Step back to July 1st, 2016 and we will continue to seek step increases as well.   This process has been long, but we cannot accept the positions the state has taken.  Further, we will not rush into a settlement which forgoes our short-term and long-term objectives.

Make Your Voice Heard - Learn How to Testify at a Connecticut Legislative Public Hearing

There is going to be a State employee rally at the Legislative Office Building on March 24th.  There are over 60 bills aimed at State employees, many of which are expected to be put to a vote on March 24th.  Attached is the list of bills (many of them are duplicative); the bad bills are highlighted in yellow and the very bad bills are highlighted in red.

State employees must make a show of force to thwart these anti-labor bills.

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