Two Weeks Left to Get Out the Vote
We need PSC members to help identify and turn out union voters who support Hillary Clinton, AFT’s endorsed candidate for President, along with the PSC’s other priority candidates for Congress and the State Legislature. Phone banks are scheduled for Wednesday, October 26 and Wednesday, November 2 and the union will coordinate a final round of daily turn-out calls Friday, November 4 through Monday, November 7. Click here to volunteer. You can make calls from the PSC office or from home during the weeknight phone banks. On weekends, volunteers will place calls from home. To make calls from home, you need a phone and a computer with an internet connection, and you must pre-register with the union.
Watchdog Health and Safety Clinics
The Health and Safety Watchdogs committee will hold drop-in “clinics” at the main PSC office throughout the remainder of the Fall semester. No appointment is necessary. Just stop by the Watchdog desk at the office (61 Broadway, 15th Floor) ready to discuss a health and safety concern and a committee member will be available to help. Click here for a schedule of the clinics, which will happen from 4:30-6:00 PM before meetings of the PSC chapter chairs, the Delegate Assembly and the HEO chapter. Even if you aren’t coming for a meeting, you’re welcome to use the clinics.
Contact Your College HR Office First with Questions about the Contract Ratification Bonus
Contract ratification bonuses were paid to employees receiving State paychecks (senior colleges and graduate schools) on October 13 and to employees receiving City paychecks (community colleges) on October 21. (Read more in Clarion.) Members with questions or problems should first contact those responsible for payroll in their college HR Office for an explanation of what was paid or not. If you believe there is a problem, then contact the PSC Office armed with responses from HR.
Freedom of Speech and Assembly for All Faculty, Staff and Students at CUNY
The PSC Delegate Assembly (DA) has passed a resolution calling on the CUNY administration, the City and State to treat all accusations of discrimination seriously and equally, and to affirm its support for freedom of speech and assembly for all faculty, staff, and students at CUNY. The resolution reaffirms the union’s unequivocal condemnation of all forms of systemic discrimination. It also states that the PSC opposes any attempt to deny public funding to CUNY based on the constitutionally protected speech or actions of its students, faculty and staff.
Buy Union-made Halloween Candy, but not Peeps
Labor Notes reports that after three weeks on strike, the 400 workers at Just Born Candies who make Mike and Ikes, Hot Tamales, and Peeps, were forced back to work September 28 because of scabbing workers and a looming health care cut—still without a contract. Bakery Workers (BCTGM) Local 6 has asked consumers to not buy Just Born Candies this Halloween and to use social media to tell the company to negotiate in good faith. Click here for a list of candy made by unionized workers from AFL-CIO’s Union Plus.
Visit the online calendar for locations and more information
Hostos HEO Meeting, Oct 26, 1:00pm to 2:00pm
GOTV Phone Bank, Oct 26, 3:00pm to 9:00pm
Laguardia CC Chapter Meeting, Oct 27, 3:30pm
Watchdog Health and Safety Clinic, Oct 27, 4:30pm
Chapter Chairs Meeting, Oct 27, 6:30pm
International Committee Meeting, Oct 28, 4:00pm