CUNY ALLIANCE
Barbara Bowen and Steve London cost you money and tried to hide it
Protecting the salaries and benefits of members is one essential responsibility of union leaders. Being honest with its members is another. As the following history illustrates, Barbara Bowen's New Caucus fell short on both.
2000-2005: The Welfare Fund nearly goes bankrupt under New Caucus management
- In 2000, when Barbara Bowen took office, the Welfare Fund Reserve (our benefits fund) stood at $15 million (see page 26 of the NYC Comptroller's report <PDF Link 1>, or the complete report <PDF Link 2>)
- By fiscal year 2005, the reserve had decreased to $3.7 million, a level that the NYC Comptroller warned was at short-term risk of insolvency (see page 36 of the NYC Comptroller's report <PDF Link 3>)
- By October 2005 (i.e., after five years of New Caucus mismanagement) the Welfare Fund Reserve was even closer to bankruptcy at $2 million. (See Board minutes <PDF Link 4>)
2006: Members are forced to give back salaries to save the Welfare Fund
In Spring 2006, Barbara Bowen reached a contract deal that required union members to give back about $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.) Specifically, members were forced to give up all of our retroactive pay in year one ($800 in cash) and 80% of our retroactive pay in year two (i.e., 2% of our 2.5% raise). (See E-mail from NC VP Steve London) Both our calculation and the Chancellor's report on the agreement put the total rescue package at around $30 million.
2009: The New Caucus tries to hide its mismanagement of the Welfare Fund
After nearly bankrupting the Welfare Fund, and then agreeing to a contract that forced members to give back $30 million in retroactive pay, the New Caucus has the nerve to proclaim that “New Caucus leadership has restored a fiscally sound Welfare Fund.”
Union leaders who almost drive the Welfare Fund to bankruptcy, require members to rescue it by sacrificing back pay, and then portray that as competent management are neither competent nor honest. We deserve better.
The solution: Elect leaders who put union business first
The CUNY ALLIANCE believes that Barbara Bowen and Steve London mismanaged the Welfare Fund and negotiated bad contracts because of their unrelenting focus on global politics to the detriment of union business. Our focus will be different: We believe that union leaders should focus on protecting our rights in job-related matters, like wages, benefits, job security and working conditions.
We can't afford to re-elect the same New Caucus administration that focuses on global politics, while our benefits shrink.
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
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