Union members and students marching down Bronx CC stairs
Woman speaking to a reporter in front of crowd art the rally.
Man speaking to the crowd at the rally while press covers his statement
man marches with crowd. His sign reads "Respect"
Woman in red with a blue scarf is chanting What do we want? Contract! Man in crowd behind her has his fist raised.
Students speaks to the reporter with crowd at his back.
marchers headed to the president's office. One woman has her fist raised. She is mid-chant.
More marching. large picket signs say "United for a good contract."
Faculty and Staff at Bronx Community College, Hostos and Lehman Colleges Petition Demand Contract Actions from CUNY College Presidents in the Bronx
PSC CUNY Members Rally for Respect at Bronx Community College
Union’s Bargaining Agenda Supports Raises, Justice, and Community
Thursday, November 9th, more than 50 CUNY faculty and staff rallied at Bronx Community College to demand that BCC President Milton Santiago act on local issues and press the CUNY Chancellor in support of the PSC’s contract demands. Following the rally, the union members marched to President Santiago’s, to deliver petitions (Bronx CC petition), ensuring that CUNY leadership hears their demands. PSC chapters at Hostos Community College (Hostos CC petition) and Lehman College (Lehman petition) organized petition delivery actions on their campuses as well. These actions in the Bronx are part of a series of campus and borough-wide events across New York City to demonstrate broad support for the PSC’s Contract for #APeoplesCUNY campaign.
The 30,000 PSC-CUNY represented faculty and staff have been working w/out a contract since February 2023. 2,100 of those PSC members reside in the Bronx and 2,850 work at CUNY colleges and worksites in the borough. More than 36,000 CUNY students live in the Bronx.
“The unionized faculty and staff of Bronx Community College, Hostos and Lehman are united in their demands for respect on the job, full public investment in their underfunded colleges and a fair union contract with real raises. Everyone in our union stands with them—joins in their call for a better university–and we’re proud to march with them as they deliver their demands to their college presidents,” said Andrea Vásquez, first vice president of the Professional Staff Congress, the CUNY-wide union representing 30,000 faculty and professional staff.
“We are petitioning and rallying for respect, urging BCC and CUNY management to fix the classrooms, hallways, bathrooms, offices, and a cafeteria. To pay faculty and staff in a timely manner. To pay faculty, in full, for teaching our students. It is a basic principle. A person must be paid for the work they do,“ said Peter Kolozi, chair of the Bronx Community College PSC chapter. “Let’s make BCC the shining light of the Bronx. BCC and CUNY management can start by showing us recognition and respect by investing in the college infrastructure, in faculty and staff, and most of all in our students.”
The PSC contract expired last February, and negotiations for a new contract began over the summer. CUNY management’s bargaining agenda would undermine the rights and working conditions of PSC members. The PSC members are fighting to gain a new contract that supports faculty and staff in serving our CUNY students. They are demanding raises that exceed inflation, pay parity and job security for adjunct faculty, better benefits, continued remote and flexible work options for staff, and more.
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Thursday, November 9th, more than 50 CUNY faculty and staff rallied at Bronx Community College to demand that BCC President Milton Santiago act on local issues and press the CUNY Chancellor in support of the PSC’s contract demands.
Published: November 9, 2023 | Last Modified: November 16, 2023
