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A Message from Andrew Pallotta, NYSUT President

Here we go again. The charter school industry is pushing to increase the number of charter schools in New York – without requiring any reforms or transparency. This is bad news for New York students. Charters are not accountable to the public they serve. They hold no public votes on their school budgets or board members. Since they're allowed to choose which students to serve, charters do not serve a comparable number of ELLs and students with disabilities – all while draining funds away from traditional public schools. Tell Albany that New York

Political Action in Suffolk County – 3/15/18

We need to keep winning elections

We’re all aware that public education, labor and in particular public employees unions are facing serious threats to their very existence.   What has empowered our enemies is that we lost too many elections in the early part of this decade.  But starting about a year ago we began to see a change -- last May we won a special election with Christine Pellegrino, this fall we demonstrated the clout we could bring to the polls with the overwhelming Con-Con win.  Around the country we’re seeing progressive candidates doing better than we have seen in years.Political Action in Suffolk County – 3/15/18

We need to keep winning elections

We’re all aware that public education, labor and in particular public employees unions are facing serious threats to their very existence.   What has empowered our enemies is that we lost too many elections in the early part of this decade.  But starting about a year ago we began to see a change -- last May we won a special election with Christine Pellegrino, this fall we demonstrated the clout we could bring to the polls with the overwhelming Con-Con win.  Around the country we’re seeing progressive candidates doing better than we have seen in years.
 
If we’re going to defend labor’s rights, we must keep up the momentum.  That means winning more elections.
 
Our next chance is another special election on Long Island on April 24. NYSUT has endorsed former County Legislator Steve Stern for Assembly.  Win this, put another friend in office.
 
We’re not going to ask you to do a lot.  Everybody’s got a lot on their plate.  But with a just a little help we can win an election and continue to turn the tide.  We need only one day (see below), an hour or two from you and a few of your members.
 
As part of this campaign we’re going to be asking local leaders to contact members who live in AD 10, NYSUT will do some mailings, but we also need volunteers to make some calls and do some texting.  Below are the days and times for phones, let us know when you and your local can help either at the regional office, your office, or whatever works.  Please RSVP ASAP
 
Phone banking at regional office:
 
Monday          April 9             3:30 to 6
Tuesday         April 10          Retirees starting at 10:30, everyone else 3:30 to 6
Wednesday   April 11          3:30 to 8 (dinner will be provided)
Thursday       April 12          3:30 to 6
 
Monday          April 16          3:30 to 6
Tuesday         April 17          Retirees starting at 10:30, everyone else 3:30 to 6
Wednesday   April 18          3:30 to 6
Thursday       April 19          3:30 to 6
 
Monday          April 23          3:30 to 6
Tuesday         April 14          Retirees starting at 10:30 to 5

New York State Ballot
Election Day – November 7, 2017

It is vital that the proposal to hold a Constitutional Convention be defeated. Make your vote NO and be counted!

There will be three proposals on the back of the ballot.

Proposal 1 will state “Shall there be a convention to revise the Constitution and amend the same?”

Proposal 2 is an amendment referring to the withholding of public pensions and will state “Allowing the Complete or Partial Forfeiture of a Public Officer’s Pension if He or She is Convicted of a Certain Type of Felony?

Proposal 3 is an amendment referring to the use of forest lands

Only six more Tuesdays until Election Day on November 7. The NYSUT Regional Office in Hauppague invites retirees to volunteer a few hours to work the pre-election phone banks. Take a few hours out of your day to remind fellow NYSUT retirees to vote in November, and the importance of casting a vote against the proposed Constitutional Convention.

Retiree hours are 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
150 Vanderbilt Motor Parkway – Suite 306
(631) 273 – 8822
Peter Verdon, Regional Director

Are you finding it difficult to explain your opposition to the proposed New York State Constitutional Convention to friends and neighbors? Betty Baran of our Retiree Council 23 createed a fact sheet to help. A PDF version of the Fact Sheet can be downloaded HERE.

Proposed Constitutional Convention Talking Points

The convention will use resources better spent elsewhere …
The last convention held in 1967 cost $150 million dollars; the estmate for 2017 is twice that. The delegates each get the salary of a NYS assembly person ($79,500), their staff gets paid (friends and relatives?), they get meals

Thanks to the RC 23 retiree members who participated in the August 22nd phone banks for the November Election. Pictured are Andrea Gladding and Maureen Wood — Kings Park, Barbara Schubert — Sachem, Patti Hughes — Sachem, Harmon Walker — Three Village.

This November the New York State ballot will include a referendum to on whether the state should hold a constitutional convention. Holding such a convention could have far-reaching negative effects on working conditions, our retirement security and our members’ ability to provide a sound and basic education, not to mention the waste of millions

Extending and expanding the Millionaires' Tax would raise $5.6 billion in revenue to support public education, health care and infrastructure improvements. This tax plan would create three new tax rates for New Yorkers making over $5 million annually – a fiscally and social responsible plan that would hardly strain millionaire household budgets.

Take action now at the NYSUT Member Action Center to ask lawmakers to support commonsense revenue proposals that ensure the state's highest earners pay their fair share!