n An Online Publication of United University Professions The Nation’s Largest Higher Education Union Working For You THE EchoEcho Vol. 7, No. 1 InsIde — Candidate comparisons, pages 8-15 — nYsUT endorsements, page 16 — UUPers run for office, page 17 — Candidate statements for union posts, WhichWhich candidatecandidate willwill dodo moremore forfor AmericaAmerica andand workingworking families?families? — Election coverage begins on Page 4 THE Echo Volume 7, Number 1 The Echo is an online publication of United University Professions (UUP), bargaining agent for the more than 37,000 academic and professional em- ployees of the State University of New York. Contact UUP at P.O. Box 15143, Albany, New York 12212-5143. Telephone (518) 640-6600 or toll-free at (800) 342-4206. UUP’s internet site is www.uupinfo.org. UUP is Local 2190 of the American Federation of Teachers (AFL-CIO) and is affiliated with NYSUT and the National Education Association. UUP STATEWIDE OFFICERS Use your power—vote! FREDERICK E. KOWAL UUP PRESIDENT FRED KOWAL URGES MEMBERS TO VOTE IN WHAT HE CALLS “THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL President ELECTION IN MODERN AMERICAN HISTORY.” CHECK OUT THE VIDEO HERE. THOMAS J. TUCKER Vice President for Professionals An Online Publication of United University Professions The Nation’s Largest Higher Education Union Working For You THE HATthisS issue INSIDE Vol. 7, No. 1 W ’ Echo JAMIE F. DANGLER Vice President LSO for Academics CoVER DESigN A : INSIDE bY AREN L. MATTiSoN — Candidate K comparisons, pages 8­15 Know Your Rights — NYSUT 3 endorsements, page 16 — UUPers run for office, page 17 — Candidate statements for union posts, 16 NYSUT endorsements for statewide offices JERI O’BRYAN-LOSEE WWhichhich candidate will do more for America and working families? 17 Four with links to UUP vie for state, federal offices Secretary/Treasurer — Election coverage begins on Page 4 18 UUP delegates run for statewide leadership posts Election 2020 34 Labor notes 4—This is setting up to be a U.S. 35 UUPers gain ground with virtual advocacy THOMAS C. HOEY election like no other. Find out what 37 Spotlight shines on UUPers Membership you and your colleagues can do— 38 Virtual Delegate Assembly highlights Development Officer and are doing—before Nov. 3. 39 PEP deadline announced ALSo: Flex Spending Account deadlines announced — Your vote counts, page 6 40 — Side-by-side comparisons, page 8 42 Member benefits UUP MEDIA AND PUBLICATIONS 44 The Last Word: Remembering voter suppression MICHAEL LISI Director of Media and Publications KAREN L. MATTISON Associate Director of Media and Publications FOLLOW UUP DARRYL MCGRATH ON FACEBOOK, Communications Specialist TWITTER AND ANGELL M. VILLAFAÑE Communications Assistant INSTAGRAM! Go to www.UUPinfo.org to sign up today. THE ECHO VOL. 7, NO. 1 2 What Do You Do When They Come For You? KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Disciplinary Rights: Article 19 of the UUP Contract UUP representation is provided to all UUP dues-paying members holding term, permanent or continuing appointment. The first United University Professions PO Box 15143, Albany NY 12212 step UUP members should take with any disciplinary action is 518.640.6600 800.342.4206 to contact their UUP chapter leaders, who will contact your fax: 518.640.6698 www.uupinfo.org UUP/NYSUT representative. Refer to Article 19 of the UUP contract for additional disciplinary and other rights that you have: https://uupinfo.org/contract/pdf/20162022NYSUUPAgreement.pdf KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Interrogation Rights 1) You can only be suspended or reassigned if your If you believe that you are the target of disciplinary continued presence at work represents a danger to persons or property or would severely interrupt action during an investigative interview, ask for a operations. In such case, a written Notice of Discipline representative and invoke the following rights: (NOD) must be served to you no later than 10 days 1) You should ask the subject matter before after suspension or reassignment; or questioning, and have the ability to confer 2) You can be suspended or reassigned if you have been with your representative privately before charged with the commission of a crime. The NOD questioning begins; must be served to you within contractual timelines 2) To have your representative present during (Article 19.7 (a)(2)). the interview to provide assistance; and 3) To offer statements or evidence to prove Disciplinary Rights or support your version of the incident. If you are being disciplined, you have the right to request representation, and: Note: Refusal to answer questions before asserting your 1) Details of charges against you must be outlined in rights to a representative could result in discipline a written NOD; for insubordination. Speak to a UUP chapter 2) You must be served a copy of the NOD by certified representative for details. mail or personal service; and Suspension or Reassignment Rights 3) You have 10 working days to file a disciplinary grievance to challenge the charges outlined in the NOD. If you are about to be suspended without pay or temporarily reassigned, request a UUP representative Note: Additional information may be obtained from your be present, and be aware of the following rights: UUP chapter representative. VOL. 7, NO. 1 THE ECHO 3 Cover story UUPAn members election like no other working right down to the finish line BY DARRYL MCGRATH allies with chants through bull- horns. Ringing a doorbell for a chat about the issues. Crowd- ing into a bus with union col- leagues for a drive to a battleground state. Staffing a table at a Labor Day picnic to talk about union-supported candidates. RThese are the time-honored techniques that UUP has used for years during an election season. They are based on one important premise: that brief but powerful PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CORTLAND CHAPTER connections with voters may make a CORTLAND CHAPTER MEMBERS ANNE WIEGARD, LEFT, AND BEKKIE BRYAN SEND HANDWRITTEN POST- difference, one person and one hand- CARDS TO FELLOW VOTERS IN THE 22ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, URGING THEM TO VOTE NOV. 3. shake at a time. UUP MEMBERS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN PHONE BANKS, WORKSHOPS, SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH, VIRTUAL RALLIES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET OUT AND VOTE. But this year, in the midst of the coron- avirus pandemic, the union had to either abandon most of its traditional get-out- fund public education, health care and cli- MANY WAYS TO REACH VOTERS the-vote techniques or alter them so dras- mate protection—is work that cannot stop, Among the activities UUP has under- tically that they bore little resemblance to not even for a national crisis. It must con- taken and supported: phone-banking with anything familiar. tinue through the pandemic, and adapt to AFT; the mailing of several thousand Rallies became virtual; parades became new ways of reaching members and vot- postcards to voters in key states; social convoys of slow-moving cars, with honking ers, if UUP is going to help ensure that media outreach to voters; and cooperative horns replacing chants and megaphones. such a dereliction of duty by national lead- efforts through coalition-building with Old-fashioned postcards to voters, signed ers never happens again, UUP President like-minded organizations in labor, commu- by a union member and addressed by Fred Kowal has told members. nity activism and environmental advocacy. hand, replaced campaign literature distrib- “This is something that is very different “This year is different,” Kowal told uted at union social events—which also for us at UUP,” Kowal said in a recent vir- members participating in the Oct. 16-17 didn’t happen this year. tual address to members that acknowl- training. “If we don’t vote this year, And phone-banking—one of the few edged the adjustments that they’ve had to we’re betraying our ancestors, we’re techniques that has worked as well during make in how they conduct organizing and betraying everyone who fought for this the pandemic as it did before—has played political engagement. “We’ve had to ex- country.” an especially important role. Phone-bank- plore various ways of organizing.” Those two days of workshops featured ing has been the chat on the front porch Kowal’s remarks came during the Oct. 16 nationally known labor leaders and ac- and the conversation at a get-out-the-vote opening of two days of virtual workshops tivists for political action and social justice, table rolled into one brief outreach, one and training on coalition-building and out- including AFT President Randy Wein- that UUP has relied upon heavily, in coop- reach to voters. garten; the Rev. Terrence Melvin, secre- eration with its national affiliate AFT. “If there was ever a time we need to tary-treasurer of the New York State teach the values of democracy and citizen AFL-CIO; Rob Diamond, the New York PANDEMIC WON’T STOP US engagement, that time is now,” Kowal state director of the Biden-Harris cam- This get-out-the-vote work—and by ex- said. “Citizenship means engagement at paign; and John Ost, the AFT national tension, support for candidates who will all levels.” political director. THE ECHO VOL. 7, NO. 1 4 WORKING WITH AFT Weingarten thanked members for sending nearly 2,500 letters to Congress as part of UUP’s effort to push for pas- sage of the HEROES Act in the Senate. The HEROES Act bill passed the House in the spring but has languished in the Sen- ate despite the fact that hard-hit states have struggled to recover financially from the crash caused by the coronavirus pan- demic. Weingarten also urged members to channel that same activism into the final days of the campaign.