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FIRST EVER CUNY-WIDE GENERAL ASSEMBLY!!!!!!!

Alyson S. — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:26:08 +0000

1650 BEDFORD AVE. B/W CROWN & MONTGOMERY
IN COURTYARD BEHIND BUILDING B

Black Student Radicalism at CUNY: Past, Present & Future

Alyson S. — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:14:19 +0000

CUNY’s Black radical traditions will take center stage at this exciting event on Friday, November 11, at the CUNY Graduate Center. In a time where social movements are being revitalized through critical education and direct democracy, these invaluable speakers will discuss the amazing histories, present efforts, and future visions of CUNY. We will apply special attention to past public space occupations at CUNY that catalyzed major institutional and social change—-such as the 1969 CCNY strike achieving Open Admissions–to suggest a bridge between the global “Occupy” movement and how we can transform our own university system. We welcome all CUNY communities to join us.

Speakers:
Louis Reyes Rivera, 1969 CUNY Open Admissions Strike Leader
Prof. Michele Wallace, The Graduate Center
Prof. Barbara Winslow, Brooklyn College
Hank Williams, The Graduate Center
LaMont OyeWale Badru, Lehman College

Co-Sponsors:
Africana Studies Group
The Adjunct Project
IRADAC

Light refreshments will be provided. All are welcome.

General Assembly 11.11.11: #occupyCUNY Graduate Center!!!

Alyson S. — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:02:11 +0000

The first #occupyCUNY Graduate Center General Assembly was a great success!!! So…

Our second GA will be held on Friday November 11th at 6pm in the 8th floor cafeteria of the CUNY Graduate Center.

As we build locally at our individual schools across CUNY, we are preparing for the CUNY-wide General Assembly (at Medgar Evers at 12pm on November 12th). It seems important to meet with folks on a school-to-school basis to plan for the student week of actions Nov 14th-21st (http://studentweekofaction.wordpress.com/), and to work toward CUNY-wide stuff more broadly, including the city-wide day of actions on the 17th and the student mobilization around tuition hikes on the 21st. Working groups will be convening to continue their work and report back. Come with your ideas!!!

#occupyCUNY Graduate Center General Assembly this Friday 11/4 @ 6pm!!!

Alyson S. — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:16:54 +0000

You’re invited to the first-ever Occupy CUNY Graduate Center General Assembly!
Friday November 4th @ 6pm
Grad Center cafeteria on the 8th floor

Meet up with other GC and CUNY folks to plan for the student week of actions Nov 14th-21st, and to work toward CUNY-wide stuff more broadly, including Occupy Wall Street’s city-wide day of action on the 17th and the student mobilization against tuition hikes on the 21st.

Some other dates to mark on your calendar:

Fri 11/11 @ 3-5pm, GC Room 5409: Africana Studies, Adjunct Project, and IRADAC workshop collaboration: “Black Student Radicalism at CUNY: Past, Present, and Future” (speakers: Louis Reyes Rivera, 1969 CUNY Open Admissions Strike Leader; Prof. Michele Wallace, CUNY Graduate Center; Prof. Barbara Winslow, Brooklyn College; Hank Williams, CUNY Graduate Center; LaMont OyeWale Badru, Lehman College…check AP website soon for more info about this rad workshop)

Thurs 11/17: #OWS City-Wide Day of Action (this day also marks the 2-month existence of OWS! more details forthcoming…)

Mon 11/21: CUNY students and teachers will put pressure on the CUNY Board of Trustees to revoke the recent 5-year tuition increases…more details forthcoming…

theadjunctproject@gmail.com

Defending Public Higher Education Conference + AP STRATEGY SESSION SOCIAL TODAY 10/7!!!

Alyson S. — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:10:43 +0000

Hello everyone! If you’re free tomorrow at TODAY, please try to make it to the Defending Public Higher Education Conference at the GC and the AP STRATEGY SESSION/SOCIAL DIRECTLY AFTER AT 3:30PM:

Friday, October 7: Defending Public Higher Education Conference at the Grad Center, 8:30am-3pm
http://defendingpublichighereducation.commons.gc.cuny.edu/

Many GC/CUNY affiliates are endorsing this conference featuring several speakers, including the AP’s own Antonia Levy leading a discussion with Frances Fox Piven and a range of activists in the audience (see attached flyer). Their particular panel is from 1-3pm (free food 12-1pm!!!) Antonia needs us there to radicalize the convo with FFP and it might also be a good place to begin to think about stuff to discuss at the strategizing session later that day…

Right after the conference ends, the Adjunct Project will host a “Strategy Session Social” for undergrad/grad students, teachers, and community members to put the day’s discussions into action. This will be in GC room 5409, 3:30-5:30pm. We hope that the strategy session will directly take up what’s been going on with #OccupyWallStreet. About 45 people all came down to the labor/community rally from the GC yesterday, so let’s figure out how AP folks and other CUNY students, teachers, and other contingent workers can most effectively get involved in the near future!!!

Tomorrow we’ll also be accepting donations at our strategy session for food, clothes, blankets, toiletries etc. for OWS. Some folks will be going to the labor outreach meeting down there that starts at 6pm afterward, so we can deliver stuff then.

Plus, there will be free drinks and snacks for everyone!!!

I really hope to see you all tomorrow, and over the weekend at OWS!!!

xo
Alyson

Adjunct Health Insurance Crisis Meeting on Tues 8/30!!!

adjunctproject — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 05:28:53 +0000

As most of you already know at this point, due to a resolution recently passed by the Welfare Fund, almost 2000 adjuncts may be without health insurance next year at this time. This crisis is complex–it is not entirely obvious where to point the finger. But one thing is certain–CUNY management has made it clear that they are going to attempt to pit their workers against each other, and to place the blame elsewhere, once again devaluing the health and well-being of the majority of its workforce.

PSC leadership recently contacted the AP co-coordinators about meeting to discuss this crisis and how to prevent it. This is truly a time for all of us–members of the AP, CCU, First Friday Committee, and any and all rank and file union members–to come together and commit to working as hard as we can to see that this doesn’t come to pass.

It would be awesome if there could be a really big turnout at this meeting with PSC staff and leadership on Tuesday August 30th from 3:30-6pm in GC Room 5409, to discuss a response. Some of us have different ideas about the how the union fits into this debacle–this meeting would be a good place to ask questions to this effect and also to push for a better contract that puts adjuncts first.

Part of our response may include attending the PSC-proposed protest at the Board of Trustees meeting on September 26th. But we are sure we can come up with lots of other ways to respond to this potential crisis, as well.

Until the 30th, maybe we could begin to throw out some questions/thoughts over this list so that we can have these ready for the meeting on the 30th? Surely there is a range of issues that Adjunct Project members would like to discuss and see addressed.

For more info on this crisis, see Larry Morgan’s email (head of the Welfare Fund) below, Barbara Bowen’s and Marcia Newfield’s response below that, and CUNY’s official response below that.

Hope to see you all at 3:30pm on Tuesday 8/30 in Room 5409!!!

Alyson

*************************************************************************************

A Message from the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund
August 2011

It is with deep concern that I write to you about a possible change in the Adjunct Health Insurance Plan of the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund, a change that may dramatically reduce the level of benefits coverage provided to you and the rest of our adjunct participants as of August 31, 2012—one year from now.

On July 25, 2011, the Trustees of the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund passed a resolution stating that unless sufficient funding or an alternative source of adjunct health insurance is made available by the end of August 2012, the current adjunct health insurance plan will be discontinued and a substantially reduced benefit will be put in its place.

The Welfare Fund Trustees were forced to take this action because the employer, CUNY,has severely underfunded the adjunct insurance plan. Over the period from July 2002 through June 2011, both the number of participating adjuncts and the amount charged by the health insurance companies have skyrocketed, resulting in a total cost increase of 400%. The employer contribution, however, has remained unchanged, regardless of the number of adjuncts participating and the cost per person. In Fiscal Year 2003, CUNY’s contribution met more than 80% of the costs; by Fiscal Year 2012 (which began on July 1of this year) the contribution will cover only 20%.

The cost increase has been especially steep in recent years. Because the Welfare Fundhas been committed to sustaining the adjunct benefit, we have made extraordinary cost saving efforts to keep it in place, including renegotiating contracts with providers for greater service and efficiency, and restructuring the adjunct plan, as well as the benefits of full-time employees and retirees, to reduce costs across the board. While these measures helped to close the gap created by the underfunding, most of the difference has been met by drawing down the Fund’s financial reserves.

Now that the funding gap has reached its current proportions, the Welfare Fund no longer has the financial resources to cover it. Revamping and reducing Welfare Fund benefits and relying on a diminishing reserve will never solve the problem. What is required is a structural solution, one that provides adequate funds or moves adjuncts into an alternative employee health plan.

The employer funding simply does not come near the actual cost of the adjunct health insurance benefit. The Welfare Fund made up the difference as long as we could, but it is no longer financially possible to continue. After much deliberation—considering alternative insurance plans, increased deductibles, lower levels of coverage—the Trustees found nothing available at the current level of funding. Unless the funding problem is resolved, your insurance in its current form will be discontinued as of August 31, 2012 – one year from now. A committee of Welfare Fund Trustees has been formed to investigate other insurance options that may be open to you. If we must face this reduction, we will provide information to assist .you in what we know will be an extremely difficult transition.

As Director of the Welfare Fund and someone who has been working to sustain the adjunct health insurance plan, I am very sorry that the Fund Trustees and I have to communicate such potentially bad news. We will be in communication with you over the course of the year as we gather information on the scope of any diminished benefit and possible alternatives. Meanwhile, the Trustees have urged the PSC and CUNY to work hard for a lasting solution that will preserve adjunct health insurance.

I know that you will have questions about your insurance coverage and the possible changes; please call our Welfare Fund staff at 212-354-5230. You can read the Trustees’ resolution on the adjunct health insurance on the Fund website, psccunywf.org, or request a paper copy by calling our office. And I will notify you immediately if there are developments or a resolution is negotiated.

Sincerely,
Larry Morgan
Executive Director, PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund

***********************************************************************************

Dear Colleague,

Last Friday, the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund sent letters to CUNY adjuncts who receive health insurance through the Welfare Fund with distressing news about their health insurance benefit. For more than ten years CUNY resisted every attempt by the union to negotiate adequate funding or a stable health insurance plan for adjuncts. CUNY has chronically underfunded adjunct health insurance, and now covers only 20% of the total cost. As a result, the Welfare Fund wrote to adjuncts on Friday that one year from now, unless a source of adequate funding is made available, the Fund will have to discontinue adjunct health insurance. If the current benefit were to be discontinued, the Welfare Fund would implement a severely reduced health benefit for participating adjuncts, based on available funding.

As president of the PSC and vice-president for part-timers, we are determined not to let adjunct health insurance end. We know that health insurance is a matter of survival. The Professional Staff Congress is prepared to use every resource at our disposal to maintain adjunct health insurance—and we believe we can win this fight. How can you be part of it? Make a commitment to attend a demonstration on Monday, September 26, at the first CUNY Board meeting of the year. And take action immediately, by sending a letter to the CUNY administration demanding that adjunct health insurance be funded.

CUNY’s responsibility

You may be a participant in adjunct health insurance, and feel shocked or scared by the news of a potential end to the benefit. Or you may not be personally affected. (If you are affected and have questions, call the Welfare Fund at: 212-354-5230.) A relatively small portion of the 13,000 adjuncts working at CUNY qualify for and receive health insurance through the Welfare Fund: roughly 1,700, or 13% of adjuncts, participate in the plan. As you may know, in order to qualify for health insurance through the Welfare Fund, adjuncts must have taught or worked at CUNY for a year, be teaching at least two courses, and have no other primary health insurance.

Although CUNY rarely includes adjuncts in its public image, half of the University’s courses are taught by adjuncts. Underfunded by the City and the State, CUNY survives because of adjunct labor. The University has a responsibility to support this core part of its workforce with access to health insurance. The campaign to protect adjunct health insurance is a campaign about how CUNY values its workforce. As an adjunct, you have a special stake in the campaign’s success.

Why make the decision now?

Adjuncts’ basic health insurance is provided through the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund, while health insurance for full-timers and retirees is provided through the New York City Health Benefits Program. For many years, CUNY has radically underfunded the adjunct health insurance plan. From 2003 through the present, the University’s contribution to the Welfare Fund for the purpose of providing adjunct health insurance has remained unchanged—despite a huge increase in the number of participants and the cost of the benefit. In 2003, CUNY’s contribution covered 80% of the total cost of the benefit; now it covers only 20%. In recent years, the cost increase has been especially steep. Because the Welfare Fund and the union were committed to sustaining the benefit, the Fund made extraordinary efforts to keep adjunct health insurance in place, including spreading the cost over the entire Welfare Fund membership and drawing on the Fund’s financial reserve.

Welfare Fund director Larry Morgan wrote in his letter to adjuncts: “While these measures helped to close the gap created by the underfunding, most of the difference has been met by drawing down the Fund’s financial reserves. Now that the funding gap has reached its current proportions, the Welfare Fund no longer has the financial resources to cover it. Revamping and reducing Welfare Fund benefits and relying on a diminishing reserve will never solve the problem.”

What’s needed is a structural solution: a source of adjunct health insurance that increases support as the number of participants and the costs increase. That’s what the PSC has demanded for more than a decade. In every round of contract negotiations since the current leadership took office, the union has called for increased funds for the Welfare Fund and the transfer of eligible CUNY adjuncts to the same health plan as full-time faculty and staff. While the PSC won modest increases in funding and preserved Welfare Fund benefits through contract negotiations, CUNY has so far not agreed to our demand for a structural solution.

An escalating campaign

The union is committed to solving the problem this year. As the crisis in adjunct health insurance funding became apparent, we met with the CUNY administration and urged them to work with the union for a permanent solution. The PSC leadership has made it clear that we would welcome an opportunity to work with CUNY on a plan for stable and lasting coverage. But with 1,700 colleagues in danger of losing their health insurance, the PSC must also use its collective force. We must make CUNY hear our demand—loud and clear and often—for a permanent, equitable plan for adjunct health insurance. Winning this campaign will require extraordinary and visible effort.

We need every adjunct in this fight. We ask you to take the first step right now: click here to tell CUNY chancellor Matthew Goldstein and chairperson of the Board of Trustees Benno Schmidt that you believe adjunct health insurance is fundamental to the health of the entire University. And mark one date on your calendars: Monday, September 26 at 4:00pm. Every adjunct who receives health insurance and every adjunct who doesn’t should be there, along with our full-time colleagues. September 26 is your chance to tell the entire CUNY Board how critical health insurance is to you personally, and how important it is that the University fulfill its basic responsibility as an employer.

These are just the first steps in a campaign that may escalate. If you want to have a part in shaping the campaign, send a message to bgraf@pscmail.org and we’ll contact you about joining an organizing committee.

The PSC will do everything in our power to protect this essential benefit for CUNY adjuncts. We ask you to join us in this fight for a basic human right—health care—for ourselves and our colleagues. Join us in the fight for respect for adjunct labor, and all labor, at CUNY.

In solidarity,

Marcia Newfield
PSC Vice President, Part-Time Personnel

Barbara Bowen
PSC President

**************************************************************************************

CUNY Newswire – August 17, 2011
Update on the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund
Dear members of the University community,

By now you may have received a letter from the Professional Staff Congress (dated August 15, 2011) or may have read in the media that approximately 1700 adjuncts may be at risk of losing their health insurance, which the union inaccurately asserts is owing to inadequate funding by CUNY.

At the outset, let’s be clear that, contrary to the PSC’s assertion, the University has not underfunded adjunct health insurance. The University has steadfastly lived up to its contractual obligations and provided the mutually agreed-upon funding to the Welfare Fund, which provides the health insurance at issue. The contributions made by the University are negotiated and specified in the collective bargaining agreement between the union and the University. While the union has raised the issue of health benefits for adjuncts in prior rounds of collective bargaining, it has consistently agreed to settle its collective bargaining agreements at the specified funding levels. Despite the fact that the costs have escalated — by the Welfare Fund’s estimates adjunct health insurance will cost about $14 million in the upcoming year — the PSC has over many years and several rounds of bargaining agreed to the specified contributions to the Welfare Fund, and the University has consistently made the mutually agreed-upon payments.

The union, in its August 15th letter, indicates that “Because the Welfare Fund and the union were committed to sustaining the benefit, the Fund made extraordinary efforts to keep adjunct health insurance in place, including spreading the cost over the entire Welfare Fund membership and drawing on the Fund’s financial reserve.” Thus, the union has known that the Welfare Fund has operated by cross-subsidizing the health benefits for about 1700 adjuncts by using the Welfare Fund contributions made by the University on behalf of full-time faculty and staff. The level of benefits and configuration of those benefits are within the sole discretion of the Trustees of the Welfare Fund, the overwhelming majority of whom are appointed by the union; in fact, the University appoints only two out of the 12 Trustees on the Welfare Fund board.

The union’s current campaign, which it indicates it intends to escalate over the upcoming year, is nothing more than an attempt to get the University to unilaterally put up approximately $14 million/year to support these benefits. While the union may characterize its campaign as looking for a “structural solution” and seeks the transfer of adjuncts to the New York City Health Benefits Program, which provides health insurance for the full-time faculty and staff, the core issue is one of funding.

Unfortunately, as the union is well aware, any additional funding that would support these health insurance benefits for about 13% of our adjunct faculty would have to come from other places within CUNY. Thus, during collective bargaining, any available funding – for all employees – would have to be reduced to pay for this enhancement for this cohort of employees. Given these very difficult fiscal times and the contract recently ratified by the State’s largest civil service union — which had three years with no raises followed by two years with two percent increases in each year, coupled with furlough days and significantly increased health insurance premium contributions by employees (http://www.governor.ny.gov/press/081611cseacontract) — we would caution that taking $14 million to support this benefit for 1700 employees is not an action we can recommend.

The University is committed to abiding by our collective bargaining agreement and providing the negotiated amounts of funding. We urge the union to resist inflammatory strategies and work instead to explore alternatives.

Sincerely,

Pamela Silverblatt
Vice Chancellor for Labor Relations

RALLY THIS WEDNESDAY: Stand in Solidarity with other CUNY Workers

SAJ — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:12:31 +0000

32BJ RALLY to Support Security Officers at CUNY Campuses Wednesday, June 8 CUNY Graduate Center 365 Fifth Avenue 3:30 to 5:30 pm

SEIU 32BJ is the union that represents the security officers at CUNY locations; more than 200 of these folks are facing the loss of their jobs this month. From the folks I have spoken to around the Grad Center, it appears that management is hiring new, non-union security officers for cheaper to fill their places. Many of the folks I regularly talk to have been upset about this a while; for them to call a rally is a major action. I believe we really need to demonstrate our solidarity and support for these folks; many of them signed the petition for our four demands in October. PLEASE, if you are not otherwise occupied, come to the Grad Center for a few hours on Wednesday. If you absolutely cannot . . . → Read More: RALLY THIS WEDNESDAY: Stand in Solidarity with other CUNY Workers

Final AP workshop of the semester: “What do you mean I can’t strike?!”: Confronting the Taylor Law

Alyson S. — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 21:32:14 +0000

“What do you mean I can’t strike?!”: Confronting the Taylor Law
Wednesday, May 4th, 6:30pm
CUNY Graduate Center, room 5414
365 Fifth Avenue
B/D/F/M/N/Q/R to 34th St-Herald Square

confirmed speakers:
Marvin Holland, Transit Workers Union executive board, 2005 TWU strike leader
Jeffery B. Perry, independent scholar, 1978 U.S. Postal Workers wildcat strike leader
Cindy Gorn, member of the Adjunct Project
Ajamu Sankofa, member of CUNY Contingents Unite

RSVP/share: ON FACEBOOK !!!

In the wake of inspiring rebellions from Egypt to Wisconsin, a growing number of New Yorkers now demand similar mass action to stop the city & state budget attacks on our communities. But for many of us, our efforts are hobbled by the New York state Taylor Law, which prohibits public sector workers from going on strike. Kindergarten-thru-college educators, transit workers, nurses, bus drivers–all of these workers and more are subject to terrible job contracts, layoffs, and cuts without this ability to withhold our work in order to demand better living conditions. But the Taylor Law is not invincible, and neither are our bosses.

THE ADJUNCT PROJECT welcomes CUNY people, rank-and-file union folks from around NYC, and others who are interested to join us for this crucial and exciting event. Come hear speakers share experiences from the front lines of past strikes, discuss how direct labor actions can improve CUNY working conditions, and learn about how we can together–across NYC’s unions–challenge the Taylor Law. Now’s the time to link up with fellow workers to turn New York’s priorities right-side up ourselves.

For more info about this event, and the Adjunct Project workshop series, contact ConorTomasReed@gmail.com

AND PLEASE PRINT AND DISTRIBUTE THIS AWESOME FLYER FAR AND WIDE!!!

www.CUNYAdjunctProject.org /// TheAdjunctProject@gmail.com

Long-term planning work session

SAJ — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 19:27:35 +0000

Friday, April 8th, 6:30 pm, room 5489: Put on your thinking caps!
What are the long-term goals of the Adjunct Project? How can we best work to end contingency? What should our vision and action be in the next year to five? How can we strategize for long-term interactions with union leadership and the state? What other movements are central to the achievement of our long-term goals? How can we grow our movement and be part of a growing national and international movement for labor rights and social justice?

Come to this work session to offer feedback and perspectives on these and more relevant questions! We’ll use brainstorming and break-out groups to address these issues and more! This is only the beginning of long-term strategizing for the end of contingency!

AP Workshop: Fighting Oppressions in the Heart of Academia!!!

Alyson S. — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:03:41 +0000

AP Workshop Series presents:

Fighting Oppressions in the Heart of Academia

Wednesday, April 13th
6:30 pm
The CUNY Graduate Center, Room 5414

Food and drinks will be provided!
Help grow our movement: bring a friend!

How are racism, sexism, ableism, classism, homophobia, western imperialism, and other oppressions built up and maintained in the academy in general, and at CUNY in particular? What cultural and institutional structures preserve the academy’s oppressive status? How can we challenge and break down these structures? And how can we use our location within academia to fight for social justice?

Panel and discussion!!!

Some of the questions we may discuss include:

How does it feel to be a problem? Why are ethnics studies now only programs? What does an immigrant rights classroom look like? When did CUNY stop enrolling people of color? How do our community colleges use remedial no-credit classes to steal from poor New Yorkers? What’s your imposed and/or chosen identity? What lessons can the Young Lords, Black Panthers, and Gay Liberation Front provide now? What is the history of Medgar Evers College? To whom does CUNY belong? How do we make this a people’s university? Why are you lecturing to us about agency? What does an anti-sexist classroom look like? How does intersectionality help us target multiple oppressions uniquely? Why do CUNY teachers not reflect the make-up of CUNY students? When will doctoral studies reposition the most marginalized to the center? How do we support fellow colleagues’ grievances? What does a LGBTQI-positive classroom look like? What alliances can we create to protect integrationist, separatist, and transformationist visions? What does unity in difference look like? What is the history of Hostos College? Why should our scholarship confront oppressions? When will we reclaim CUNY open admissions? How can we synergize academic and community concerns to make our work socially relevant? What does an anti-racist classroom look like? Who are the radical educators? What kind of CUNY would you like to see? How can we fight for faculty of color and women to gain tenure? What are the specific concerns of international and undocumented students? What does an anti-imperialist classroom look like?

Who wants to help shape a CUNY anti-oppressions movement???