CUNY Students’ DACA Fees Will Be Covered
Undocumented CUNY students participating in the DACA program targeted by President Trump will now have the $495 DACA-renewal application fee covered on the spot if they attend DACA-renewal events held by CUNY’s Citizenship Now program. They face a strict deadline of October 5 for applications for renewal. Funds are provided by a non-profit organization. Read more here and inform your students. Congratulations to Citizenship Now and to the CUNY DREAMers for their courageous advocacy, and to the hundreds of faculty and staff who have organized on campuses since November to press for sanctuary protections at CUNY.
Keep Calling to Defend Our Health Care
Graham-Cassidy isn’t dead yet. Senate Republicans have until September 30 to pass it with just 51 votes. The bill’s sponsors are revising it to win over hold-out Senators Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine). Call Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today and tell them to fight tooth and nail against this bill. And urge any friends and family in Alaska and Maine to make a call too.
Opposing the Constitutional Convention
Help Get Out the “NO!” Vote
In the November voters will decide whether or not New York should hold a convention to change our state constitution. The PSC is one of many unions urging a “NO!” vote on the constitutional convention (Con Con). A convention would be a taxpayer-funded boondoggle for special interests and corporate lobbyist—a chance to take away workers’ rights and undermine public pension protections. Join the campaign to beat back the Con Con and help the PSC to re-elect Mayor de Blasio and support other candidates who know the value of CUNY.
Pension Clinics for Teachers’ Retirement System Members
Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) is offering pension clinics for PSC members during the next five months. If your retirement investments are through TRS, one or more of the programs will be relevant to you whether you’re a new employee, at mid-career or planning to retire soon. Visit this page of the TRS website to learn how to register online. Click here for a flyer/registration form.
Phased Retirement Application Deadline: Nov. 15
The phased retirement benefit won by the PSC in a previous round of contract bargaining allows full-time instructional staff members to ease into retirement. Full-time faculty who are 65 and older, have at least 15 years of pensionable service and are members of the Optional Retirement Program are eligible to apply to “phase” for up to three years, and receive 50% of their salary for continuing 50% of their workload. HEOs and CLTs are eligible to phase for up to one year with a 20% workload reduction (one day per week) for 80% pay, if they meet the same eligibility criteria as a faculty member. Faculty and staff must irrevocably commit to retiring at the end of the phasing period. To begin phased retirement in Fall 2018 applicants must develop a plan with their chair/supervisor and submit an application to their college human resources office by November 15, 2017. The application form is available in the Retirement Benefits section of the CUNY website and on college websites. Read more.
Catastrophic Sick Leave Bank Open Enrollment Period: Oct. 1-31
CUNY’s Catastrophic Sick Leave Bank is a pool of voluntarily donated sick leave and annual leave available for potential use as sick leave by full-time employees who are also donors to the bank. The Sick Leave Bank, which arose out of a PSC contract campaign, exemplifies worker solidarity and mutual support. It gives CUNY workers a way to offer aid to colleagues dealing with a catastrophic illness and provides a place to turn for help if they face a similar need. The open enrollment period for the Sick Leave Bank will be held from October 1 to October 31. Workers must donate leave in a program year to be eligible to receive leave in that year (up to 90 days). Click here for program requirements and to learn how to donate and receive leave from the bank.
Notice: Resolution on PSC Constitutional Amendment
The Delegate Assembly will consider a resolution to amend the PSC constitution in relation to members’ eligibility to vote in union elections and run for PSC office after leaving payroll and returning to payroll. The PSC Constitution requires that the text of any proposed amendment to be voted upon by the Delegate Assembly be submitted to the Delegates and to the entire membership at least two weeks prior to a vote of the Delegate Assembly. See the text of the amendment here. Amendments to the constitution shall be effective when ratified by a three-fourths vote of the Delegate Assembly at either of the next two regular meetings of the body following notification of the membership.
