Welcome aboard, new faculty and professional staff

To the Editor:

New York State law prescribes that all state employees be unionized. Our union is UUP, for United University Professions.

Your first encounter with UUP is likely to be negative. You will observe that 1 percent of your gross salary is withheld as union fees, whether you join the union as a member or not-agency shop.

In either case, the union will represent you when you need its services for grievances and such. Since you did not join UB with thoughts of grieving (let alone, perish the thought, of striking), but rather in the belief that the university is a team where all work in unison for a common purpose, there is a strong philosophical bias to just pay your fee and let it be.

Sharing these sentiments, I nonetheless urge you to join the union. It gives you the right to vote, and it gives our chapter larger representation at the delegate assembly, where one delegate represents every 75 members.

Currently, our chapter has about 2,150 fee-payers, of which 1,700 are members. If all fee-payers were members, we'd have six more delegates. Your next encounter with UUP will be more rewarding. The union negotiates contracts with the state. Contract negotiations were just concluded, and if the membership votes in favor of the proposed contract, newcomers can expect 3-percent raises early in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Beyond that, you may share in a discretionary wage pool of more than $1 million every September.

The details of this contract will be discussed by UUP President William Scheuerman at a meeting scheduled from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 31 in Harriman Hall on the South Campus.

I urge you to attend this meeting-call 645-2013 if you will be there-and to join the union as a member with some benefit to both you and your chapter, at no (extra) cost.

I would be especially thrilled if you were to take an active part in the union by running for chapter officer or delegate when the occasion arises. In any event, welcome to UB and welcome to UUP.

This invitation to the meeting and to membership also extends to old-timers who have, as yet, not joined. Old-timers also will receive a 3-percent salary raise early in the year 2000, plus a one-time "signing bonus" of up to $500, provided the contract is voted in.