Quote of the Month

"The silent person is often worth listening to."
- Proverb

Darien Lake would like to invite you to NYSUT Days. Please contact your chapter office for order forms for tickets valid any one operating day July 12-19, 2013 for just $19.99 per person. That's a savings of over $25 off the regular main gate admission! Be sure to check out Blast Off the new launch ride and Ignite the Night.

New Info on Health Insurance Benefits of Tentative Contract

www.uupinfo.org has been updated to include new information about the impact of the tentative contract on health insurance benefits.

Included are:
- New health insurance rates for HMOs;
- Actuarial table change for 200 sick day credit for retiree health insurance (two documents); and
- Drugs subject to "New to You" provision.

To see all the documents go to http://uupinfo.org/negotiations/index.php

Tentative Agreement Updates: April 30, 2013

Contract Documents, Calculator, Ballots Available this Week

UUP's contract mailing-which includes a detailed Q & A, contract language with new provision highlighted in gray, and other information related to the Tentative Agreement and ratification process-will arrive at members' home addresses this week.

An economic calculator has been posted on the UUP website (www.uupinfo.org).

Ratification ballots will be mailed May 1 to every member by the American Arbitration Association. Returned ballots must be received by 5 p.m. June 3.

Ballots will be counted June 4.

Members can continue to email UUP at contract@uupmail.org if they have additional questions.

Extra Service Pay Shielded from Deficit Reduction Plan

We have a very positive new development with regard to the contract.

The Q & A mailed to you by UUP indicated that the Deficit Reduction extraction will not affect extra service pay during July and August (e.g., summer school, orientation/advisement, and other activities).

This was all the state had agreed to when we went to press. Fortunately, the state finally agreed that ALL extra service pay will be excluded through the entire two-year period of the Deficit Reduction. All overtime, clinical practice income, and extra service pay will be shielded.

Other bargaining units had extra service pay included, but UUP continued to press the state to consider the unique situation of our bargaining unit as implementation details have been developed.

UUP and State Reach Tentative Agreement

A tentative agreement between UUP and New York State was reached on February 13, 2013. In a day-long meeting on February 15 UUP’s Negotiations Committee and Executive Board reviewed the tentative contract with President Phil Smith and the Negotiations Team and voted unanimously to send it to the membership for a ratification vote.

The full text of the contract proposal—with an article-by-article comparison of major changes— is being prepared and will be mailed to members’ addresses of record. Included in the mailing will be information on the ratification vote.

Highlights of the Tentative Agreement:

• Salary increases starting in 2013 and in all subsequent contract years
• Service Awards for reaching career milestones (subject to continuation under Triborough)
• Maintenance of health benefits with employee premium share increase
• Increases in deductibles and co-insurance for out-of-network services under the Empire Plan beginning as soon as practicable after ratification
• Maintenance of drug co-pays for Tier 1 drugs; increases for Tier 2 and 3 drugs
• Elimination of co-pays for many yearly preventive care physical exams, screenings, tests, counseling, and vaccines
• Higher income eligibility level for Productivity Enhancement Program (exchange of vacation days for credit toward health insurance premium)
• Reinstitution of Labor-Management grant and other benefit programs
• Part-time employee time to term appointment reduced from 6 semesters to 4 semesters
• Expansion of eligibility for on-call/recall
• Procedural steps for Evaluation of Professionals put into Article 7 (Grievance Procedure)
• Additions to Appendix A-28 regarding performance programs and evaluations
• New class action grievance provision
• Ability to use 15 family sick days for adoption and foster care
• Deficit Reduction Plan for 9 days with 7 repaid at the end of the contract period
• Employee right to see unsolicited, signed letters in Personnel file
• Elimination of salary rank restrictions on eligibility for early permanent appointment
• Labor-Management commitment to discuss professionals titles and other issues, beginning with Information Technology

UUP/State Tentative Agreement 2011-2016 Details

UUP Job Board

We are pleased to announce a new feature available on the UUP Web site http://uupinfo.org. It's called the "UUP Job Board" and is accessible from the NavBar at the top of the page under "Links." The direct link is: http://www.uuphost.org/sunyjobs/choice.php. The "UUP Job Board" is a result of negotiations with SUNY on how they transmit to UUP statewide postings about position openings.