CUNY ALLIANCE           

Shows why

You can't count on the New Caucus to be truthful about its record

In recent e-mail message, the New Caucus defended its "record of real accomplishment" on salary increases and benefits, and cast doubt on our claims of inadequate salary gains under Barbara Bowen's regime. The New Caucus is simply misleading you. Let the record speak for itself.

The Welfare Fund was rescued by a salary giveback

The New Caucus boasts of restoring the Welfare Fund reserve to a healthy $35 million. The record shows, however, that the Barbara Bowen and Steve London contract deal of Spring 2006 required union members to give back $30 million of our retroactive pay to save the Welfare Fund from bankruptcy. (A typical member lost between $1000 and $2000 in retroactive pay, and some gave up as much as $2600.) We, the instructional staff, saved the Welfare Fund with our hard-earned salaries. That loss was imposed on us by New Caucus mismanagement that shrank the reserve from $15.2 million (in 2000 when the New Caucus took office) to less than $2 million in 2006.

Base salary increases failed to keep pace with the cost of living

November 1, 2002 through September 19, 2007

Barbara Bowen negotiated a deal in May 2006 (effective from November 1, 2002 through September 19, 2007) that gave us the following raises in base pay.

For 2003: no raise
Effective May 1, 2004: 2.5%
Effective May 1, 2005: 2.75%
Effective May 1, 2006: 3%

That is a compounded increase in base pay over 5 years of 8.5%. As any online inflation calculator will prove (like this one at inflationdata.com), that increase falls far short of the 15% cost of living increase over the contract period – a loss of 6.5% in real purchasing power.

September 20, 2007 through October 19, 2010

The terms of the next New Caucus contract (effective from September 20, 2007 through October 19, 2010) gave us the following raises in base pay:

Effective September 20, 2007: 3.15%
Effective October 6, 2008: 3%
Effective October 20, 2009: 4%

The base pay increase for contract year one (of 3.15%) fell short of the 3.88% cost of living increase over that period. The base pay increase for the remaining two years will likely exceed the cost of living only because the economy has tanked. Raises that depend on a deep recession to look good are nothing to brag about. Even then, we will not make up for the losses suffered under New Caucus contracts from 2002 to 2008.

Our salary increases were lower than those achieved by other unions

Tellingly, New Caucus management has no response to another sad fact of life under their mismanagement: our sister unions did far better on raises than we did.

Barbara Bowen's contract deal of Spring 2006 (covering 2002-2007) gave us a cumulative 8.5% salary increase over a five-year period (averaging 1.76% per year). At about the same time, our sister unions gained far higher salary increases. In April 2006, District Council 37 (DC 37) agreed to an increase of about 10% over 32 months (an average of 3.75% per year). (DC37 Link) In October 2005, the public school teacher's union (UFT) agreed to a 15% pay increase over 52 months (an average of 3.75% per year). (UFT Link)

The New Caucus contract of 2007-2010 likewise falls short on salaries relative to others. United University Professions (SUNY) reached an agreement for 2007 – 2011 that provides for a total salary package of 18.3% compounded over four years (4.6% per year), with a base salary increase of 13.6%. (UUP Link) Our proposed deal gives us a 10.5% increase compounded over three years (3.5% per year).

We can't afford to re-elect the same New Caucus administration that focuses on global politics, while our sister unions do better by focusing on union business

  The CUNY ALLIANCE believes that it is the duty of union leaders to focus on real and tangible improvements in the working lives of union members.

It's time for CHANGE at the PSC
HAVE THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE PARADIGM

Vote CUNY ALLIANCE
for
PAYCHECK JUSTICE

CUNY ALLIANCE thanks you for your support

President: Frederick Brodzinski

First Vice-President: James Blake

Secretary: Thea Pignataro

Treasurer: Rina Yarmish

To contact us via email write to: ca@cunyalliance.org
www.CUNYALLIANCE.ORG