PSC’s Fall ‘24 Union Week was a real success

The PSC’s Fall ‘24 Union Week was a real success.  Read on to hear what our union accomplished these last few days. But first, here are more details about the next mass mobilization of our contract campaign:

Real Raises Now!
Confront the Board of Trustees
October 21, After 4PM
John Jay College

CUNY’s negotiators have made no improvement to their economic offer since March. There can be no business as usual for CUNY management until we get a fair offer. The annual Manhattan hearing is typically attended by Trustees, the chancellery, and college presidents, and other administrators. PSC members have testified before the Board many times since the expiration of our contract, but this hearing will also be a site of peaceful, powerful protest. Hundreds of PSC members will be there. Fill out the RSVP form at this link so we can count you in.

The Board has changed the location and even the modality of recent meetings and hearings with very little notice to avoid being called out for their failures of leadership. We are developing contingency plans if a last-minute site change is needed on the 21st. Sign up, stay flexible, and be ready to gather on October 21st at 4 PM, whatever the location.

RSVP: REAL RAISES NOW, 10/21

More than 50 PSC members walked the picket line this Tuesday, September 24th during a pre-bargaining action outside CUNY Central on 42nd Street. We shamed CUNY management for failing to make a fair economic offer and for not putting another dollar on the bargaining table since March.  Hundreds of New Yorkers (and passing UN diplomats) took fliers about our contract campaign; our online message received helpful boosts from leaders of our statewide affiliate, NYSUT, and our national affiliate, the AFT.

Joined by a crew of member observers and invigorated after chanting on the picket line, the PSC bargaining team met with CUNY’s negotiators for the 32nd time on Tuesday. During the session, President James Davis pushed management to make a stronger economic offer with better raises and more value for PSC members. Remote and flexible work schedules, adjunct job security, and reassigned time for faculty research were among the other  topics of the session. Bargaining updates for the September 19th and 24th sessions will be posted on the website as soon as they are ready and will be emailed in our This Week in the PSC newsletter.

PSC bargaining team and members observers debrief around CUNY’s massive conference table.

Hundreds of PSC members across CUNY wore red to work, in the classroom and at union events throughout the day on Tuesday and throughout the week. We even had retirees email us photos of themselves wearing red in solidarity.   We’ve been sharing and reposting selfies and group photos with the #Red4HigherEd hashtag on Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram. You can still wear red and share your photos. Post them online with the hashtag or email them to [email protected] so we can post them for you. Here are a few members who participated.

PSC chapters have hundreds of round Contract for #APeoplesCUNY signs and stickers, thousands of Union Proud buttons, and handouts on What is the PSC? Who does the PSC represent? and Staying up to date with the PSC.  This week they organized tabling events, chapter meetings and social events to distribute the materials and build local solidarity. If you missed the chance to get your union materials, contact your elected chapter chair.

Forty new PSC members gathered in the Union Hall Wednesday for a meet-up hosted by our One-on-One Conversations Committee. It was a chance for our new colleagues to learn about the union, their rights under the contract, and PSC member activism. We also enjoyed a light dinner together, distributed some new PSC swag, and connected fellow workers from across campuses and titles. They even played a round of icebreaker bingo.

Nearly 300 PSC members have taken this survey created to assist us in developing a grievance arguing that CUNY has violated our contract by failing to provide compensation for Brightspace training. If you didn’t fill it out during Union Week, do so right now. It has just a few short questions. Tell us about your experience with CUNY’s new learning management system.