President's Message
Winter 2024 RC 43 Newsletter
Greetings! Salutations! Happy Holidays....and condolences or congratulations, depending on whether you are heartbroken by the election outcomes or celebrating. Regardless of your mood, the elections are in our rear view mirror and our challenges are ahead. Let us remain hopeful that we can meet those challenges with strength, fortitude, realistic optimism and most important, TOGETHER in good health and spirit.
As we close 2024 let me 'recap' some of the recent events from our NYSUT events diary. At the ED 51-52-53 Contiguous meeting I forged ahead alone because the other delegates, Lynn and Ross, were facing Hurricane Helene. They were missed! Among the important developments:
I learned to HUSTLE, not the dance, the social media texting effort. And all of the attendees joined me in a 'safety & wellness' check on our NYSUT members facing the storm(great tool for us to learn!)
the newsletters are going ALL DIGITAL in Sept 2025 unless members request otherwise. This has SERIOUS implications for us, our dues, our membership enrollment, etc WATCH for details on the cover of THIS newsletter! PLEASE OPT IN
There are several resolutions and Constitutional amendments as well as By Law changes proposed that we will be asked to co sponsor. We did not author any of them but are being asked to support those initiatives as a show of solidarity. I have sent unit presidents copies, discuss them at your upcoming meetings and vote on whether to support or not please. They will be discussed at upcoming ZOOM meetings Dec 13 & Jan 10.
The hard work of NYSUT'S “Daytime Army” in the elections was recognized and valued even if the outcome did not achieve all the goals set.
Everyone was asked to promote both PEER SUPPORT program and the Legacy Fund in our retiree councils. The new contact for Peer Support is Courtney.hill@nysut.org
The RAC (Retiree Advisory Committee) and its sub committee on Communications (I serve on both) have been hard at work updating the Retiree Handbook and list of services NYSUT provides retirees as well as creating a handbook for both new inservice and retiree council presidents.
November is National Teacher Recognition Month and NYSUT has designated November 18 as Retired Teacher Recognition Day
Interesting trends that create challenges ahead for NYSUT and ALL its members, whether active or retired:
Insurance is the #1 bargaining issue across all 800+ school districts
That puts retiree healthcare coverage at risk everywhere, esp because we are not part of the conversation
There are more than 100 new in service presidents in NYS; 68 of those who responded said 1)they did not expect to be president (therefore no training or prep) AND NONE knew what an ED or RC was !
NYSUT has hired a healthcare specialist to help seniors navigate the complexities in retirement and a lobbyist to negotiate with lawmakers and school districts
NYS lost 400,000 students 2004-2024. As student enrollment declines, so does union membership. The incoming President's plans to turn public education into block grants will only exacerbate the situation.
COMMON GROUND OVER CHAOS is an innovative program to address the growing divisiveness in American politics. NYSUT is leading the way towards reconciliation by demanding any candidate that gets its endorsement must sign a pledge to reach across the aisle and initiate bipartisan cooperation.
There's so much more union news to share from the Fall meetings but too little space to print it all ! Let me end on a JOYOUS note of SOLIDARITY. We are all in this together. We know we are stronger together and that we are all capable of doing amazing things. ACTIVISTS NEVER RETIRE but we do need to take the time to celebrate our friends, families, neighbors and the laurels we rest on. In 2025 let us be united in love, laughter and work towards achieving the Peace and Prosperity every body yearns for across America and around the world.