CUNY Labor Agreements: What You Need to Know
The City University of New York (CUNY) is one of the largest public university systems in the United States, serving more than 275,000 students each year. With such a large student body, it`s no surprise that CUNY employs a large number of faculty and staff, all of whom are represented by various labor unions.
Collective bargaining is the process by which unions negotiate agreements with their employers on behalf of their members. In the case of CUNY, there are several labor unions that represent faculty, staff, and graduate employees. These unions negotiate with CUNY and the State of New York to create labor agreements that govern the terms and conditions of employment for their members.
One of the most significant labor agreements for CUNY employees is the Professional Staff Congress (PSC) contract. The PSC represents over 30,000 full-time and part-time faculty and professional staff, including adjunct professors and college laboratory technicians. The current PSC contract, which covers the period from 2017 to 2022, includes provisions on salary increases, health care benefits, workload and job security, and other important issues for CUNY employees.
Another important labor agreement for CUNY employees is the contract between the university and the Graduate Center chapter of the Professional Staff Congress (PSC-CUNY). This contract covers over 1,000 graduate employees, including teaching assistants, research assistants, and adjunct instructors. The current PSC-CUNY contract, which also covers the period from 2017 to 2022, includes provisions on salaries, health care benefits, workload, and job security for graduate employees.
In addition to the PSC and PSC-CUNY contracts, there are several other labor agreements that govern the terms and conditions of employment for other groups of CUNY employees. These include agreements with the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), which represents over 1,000 nurse practitioners and other health care professionals at CUNY, and the District Council 37 (DC 37) contract, which covers over 5,000 clerical and administrative staff.
For those who are interested in keeping up with the latest developments in CUNY labor agreements, there are several resources available. The PSC website includes news and updates on contract negotiations, as well as information on the union`s activities and campaigns. The CUNY Human Resources website provides information on benefits, policies, and procedures for CUNY employees. And the New York State Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) website provides information on labor relations and collective bargaining in New York State.
In conclusion, CUNY labor agreements are crucial to the employment rights and benefits of thousands of faculty, staff, and graduate employees at the university. Negotiations and updates on these agreements are important to keep an eye on for anyone who works at CUNY or is interested in the labor rights of employees in higher education.