Vote Yes on Prop 1

ccording to the American Library Association, book bans are at an all-time high. For those who think it couldn’t happen in their community, meet Emilie Bastian, librarian at Clyde-Savannah Junior/Senior High and Kelly O’Brien-Yetto, an English teacher at Galway Junior/Senior High School.

Bastian had been a teacher in the Clyde-Savannah English department for more than 20 years before she became a school librarian. In 2022, she filled a post that had stood empty for many years and took on the difficult job of reviving the secondary school’s dormant library program.

“The library was in pretty significant disarray, and I was trying to fix it up,” said Bastian. “It had not been weeded in some time, there was a lot of older materials. I ordered new books and reconfigured the space.” She also drafted a guidebook to help the district deal with book challenges, based on existing school policies.

It was a project that would prove to be quite prescient.

rganizing isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. A group of nearly 40 school social workers, social work assistants, occupational therapists and physical therapists in the Horseheads School District learned that in August when NYSUT helped them unionize after a nearly year-long struggle.

For decades, the members were part of the Horseheads Support Staff Association, a catchall group of 10-, 11- and 12-month employees. The group encompassed 21 different job titles and negotiated contracts but wasn’t a real union. It didn’t hold officer elections or union meetings. The school superintendent appointed its president. And the HSSA didn’t represent employees in discipline cases or charge members union dues. Trapped under the thumb of school administrators, the employees felt their concerns weren’t being addressed.

“We were frustrated with the contract in 2022,” said physical therapist Alisha Tenbus, who spearheaded the organizing effort. She noted that the flat dollar amount raises approved across the board were minimal for those making close to six figures and since “the contract was voted on and approved by all the 12-month employees before we even saw it” it left the 10- and 11-month employees voiceless.

After unanimously signing cards to affiliate with NYSUT, the group sought voluntary recognition but soon hit a roadblock. The district claimed they were ineligible to join NYSUT because they were already represented by a union — the HSSA.

t was the straw that broke the camel’s back. After decades on the job and unblemished work records, in early spring two Commack School District security guards were let go for a mistake their colleagues considered a minor oversight.

“One guy was in his 80’s and doing overnights and they basically bullied him to resign — it just wasn’t right,” said security guard Joe Hendrickson.

The action accomplished in a matter of weeks what Hendrickson and fellow security guard Tom McFadzen had sought for the last seven years — it convinced the guards to unionize. “A couple of guards were hesitant … but as soon as I mentioned the guards forced out, they signed on,” said Hendrickson.

The group reached out to NYSUT since “they work in schools and are more in line with what we do,” said McFadzen noting that, like educators, the guards’ chief concern is the well-being of students.

The 65-member Commack Security Guards Association provides 24/7 security year-round for the district’s eight schools and one district office building.

omer Teachers Association members notched a big contract win earlier this year, negotiating long-sought maternity language, new stipends for coaching and advisory positions and healthy salary increases. Local leaders credit strong union solidarity, open communication and a positive labor/management relationship with the achievement.

Six months before formal talks began, the local formed committees to hear member concerns. “It gave everyone ownership in the process,” explained Nasiatka.

The early planning paid off. The team reached agreement after only two days of Facilitated Intensive Negotiations, a bargaining model in which both parties bring a targeted list of asks to the table with an eye toward reaching agreement within an intensive three-day negotiation period. The Homer TA’s new three-year contract includes annual raises of 6.5 percent, 5 percent and 4 percent. Negotiators also bargained 11 new paid coach and extracurricular positions. “We have many clubs running without stipends, sports with too few coaches, and we wanted to get stipends for the music and arts department and science extracurriculars,” said Nasiatka.

he application window for the NYSUT Pathways to Leadership program is officially open. Offered through the NYSUT Social Justice department, the new initiative aims to support NYSUT members of color who are interested in taking on leadership roles within their union, workplace or community. The program was introduced at the inaugural meeting of the NYSUT Members of Color Affinity and Action Project, held virtually in September. The MoCAA Project and the Pathways to Leadership program are NYSUT’s latest efforts to highlight racial equity and social justice.

“The NYSUT Pathways to Leadership program is designed to support members as they work toward these goals,” said NYSUT Secretary-Treasurer J. Philippe Abraham, whose office coordinates social justice initiatives for the statewide union. “With a roster of four trainings, including an NEA Minority Leadership Training in Baltimore, it’s a demanding program. However, it’s a unique opportunity for participants to access a wealth of information and learn from experts.”

The project takes participants through a series of meetings, reflections, readings and discussions over the course of the year. Program content will be based on the interests and needs participants identify in their first meeting, so the work is tailored to individual goals.

The NYSUT Pathways to Leadership program will culminate with a leadership project and mentorship opportunities. The program begins Nov. 17–19 with an initial convening at NYSUT headquarters.

or a relatively new organization, the Sweet Home Education Foundation is making a significant impact on the Amherst and Tonawanda communities — including some of the area’s newest residents.

SHEF started in 2019 with a mission to assist families and students in the Western New York community. The founding individuals were all educators, including several in-service and retired teachers and an adminstrator, said Lisa LaBrake, president of the SHEF Board of Directors.

Hunger was one of the many concerns board members shared. Shortly before the pandemic shut school buildings down, SHEF started a weekend backpack food program supporting 20 families. The SHEF backpack program is now a yearround initiative that serves more than 100 students with the support of LaBrake and teacher Bri VanHarrison.

“We provide breakfast, lunch and dinner on the weekends. Students come up with the menus based on what food we have available,” said LaBrake, a veteran English teacher and member of the Sweet Home Education Association.

Tell me about your job and why you love what you do.

There are many facets to what I do throughout a day, from working with my co-workers, with my students and being the president of my union. I am a teaching assistant and I love my job.

The administrators are a great group in my school, whom I not only consider my mentors but my friends. Co-workers are like my family. The students are a diverse group of children who keep me running in all directions and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As the students graduate and move on to their future, many of them still reach out to me and keep me a part of their circle. I feel very blessed to know I have made an impact in their lives.

How are you involved in the union?

I have been the union president for a number of years now. I feel very fortunate to be working with a group of people who voted me in for this important role. They trust me to do what is right for them and to be a sounding board as well as someone who will walk that extra mile for them. I have worked in many areas at the school, I have a broad idea of what everyone’s jobs are and how hard they work. I try to create an atmosphere where they know I am here for them and they have a voice.

How do you make a difference?

First and foremost, I try to make a difference in the lives of our students. We have students who need the extra love and guidance. They know I am available and will always make time for them. I support them academically, and supply them with school supplies.

ducators may find themselves in the difficult position of trying to make sure students have a safe space to process their trauma, while also figuring out how to deal with their own. NYSUT offers several free health and wellness resources for members. Our national affiliates also offer helpful classroom resources.

NYSUT resources
The Peer Support Line is a free service available through NYSUT Member Benefits for all NYSUT members and their families. The confidential helpline is staffed by trained in-service and retired individuals who can provide answers, resources and empathetic support when you need it. For more information or to speak with someone at the Peer Support Line, call toll-free 844-444-0152; to send a private secure message, visit nysut.org/peersupport.

NYSUT members can receive one month free with a licensed BetterHelp therapist through our endorsed Member Benefits Discounts & Deals program. BetterHelp is a mental health platform designed to make professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient. These online counseling and therapy services are provided through web-based interaction along with phone and text communication.

Matt Haynes is a secondary-level English teacher at Tri-Valley Central School in Sullivan County and president of the Tri-Valley Teachers Association. He also serves on the NYSUT Board of Directors.

Over my lifetime I have met many, many people who have had a positive impact on me. Thankfully, two of these people came around exactly at the right time: my high school science and social studies teachers.

Mr. McFee was my science teacher. What I most fondly remember about him was the absolute passion that he taught with. He made every lecture seem meaningful. The way he spoke, the passion he spoke with, was inspiring. I left his class with a newfound determination: to find something I cared that much about.

Mr. Walls was my social studies teacher. Yes, he taught me about history. But he also took an interest in my personal life. He would speak to me outside of class, generally inquiring about how I was doing. Quite simply, his kindness made me feel that I mattered.

he demographics of Suffolk County Community College’s student population are changing. Now, thanks to a joint program launched by the Faculty Association of Suffolk Community College and college administrators, its faculty and staff are learning how to change with them.

“Our students have more needs post pandemic, we have more returning adult learners and nearly 40 percent of our students now identify as Hispanic,” said Cynthia Eaton, FASCC secretary. The FASCC is led by NYSUT Board member Dante Morelli.

To keep pace with student needs, the FASCC and administrators launched the JEDI Institute, a professional development program that explores concrete ways to make the institution more just, equitable, diverse and inclusive — JEDI — for students. The program idea originated in 2021 during an April book discussion focused on equity issues that included the college’s chief diversity officer.

“I suggested developing a summer institute and our chief diversity officer wanted to do it,” said Eaton. “We’d tried establishing a diversity program before but nothing stuck.”

After drafting a program in collaboration with administrators, Eaton and the FASCC applied for and won a $35,000 American Federation of Teachers Back-to-School Grant. A JEDI pilot launched the summer of 2021 with classroom and non-classroom staff. The JEDI Institute incorporates many aspects of NYSUT’s Many Threads, One Fabric diversity, equity and inclusion teachings, such as “looking at issues of race/ethnicity, gender and class,” said Eaton.

s head bus driver for Sandy Creek Central School District, Amanda LaRock’s highest priority is safety, not just during National School Bus Safety Week, but every week.

“My goal is to keep my students safe, and to teach them how to keep themselves safe, too,” said LaRock.

LaRock, a member of Sandy Creek Professional Staff Association, has been driving for the district for nine years, ever since her children were young. Initially, she took the job so she could be at home with her children, but she soon fell in love with it and in time, the passengers on her bus became her kids, too.

Each day, school bus drivers like LaRock transport 2.3 million children to and from school. Many of these School-Related Professionals are out on the road before dawn, and crisscross the state taking students to athletic events and school activities long after night falls.

School bus drivers complete mandatory safety training three times per year, in addition to any training needed to get and renew their commercial driver’s license and endorsements.

group of NYSUT retirees traveled to Dade County Florida in August to encourage United Teachers of Dade members to stick with their union. In early May, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made it illegal for school districts to automatically collect union dues through payroll deduction and required that all locals have at least 60 percent of their members registered as dues payers by the end of October or face automatic dissolution. The NYSUT retiree activists joined volunteers from across the nation to help UT Dade members sign up to pay their dues through their bank accounts. They also encouraged them to vote yes on the union’s new contract. Spearheaded by Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar, and supported by the American Federation of Teachers, both efforts were successful.

Florence McCue, ED 51-53 at-large retiree director; Diane Torstup, RC 16; Caren Levant, RC 15; and Miriam Hanan, RC 43 retiree consultant helped register Florida unionists for automatic dues payments. McCue is pictured at the far right with other volunteers.

5 Questions for…Sara Wadsworth

You teach sixth-grade math and English, but you’re also a mom, EMT and volunteer firefighter. How do you wear so many hats?

Whenever I’m asked how I do it all, I always jokingly say, “badly.” I suppose the real answer is with a lot of support and by figuring out one role before adding another.

Of all these roles, teaching is where I’m most comfortable. I’ve been teaching since 2007, but I’ve wanted to be a teacher since the seventh grade. There are always challenges in education, but I have a strong team of colleagues I can lean on to get me through it.

In 2021, my husband and I started off in the Wallkill Volunteer Ambulance Corps. After we moved to a district where firefighting and EMS was combined (Gardiner Fire and Rescue), we decided to branch out in that direction, too. My 6- and 8-year-olds have become accustomed to the pager going off and either me or my husband dashing off to the station on our designated night. They know it’s not every night and that people out there really need help sometimes.

Why did you choose to become a firefighter?

I always wanted to be a firefighter as a teen, but I suppose I thought as a small (just under 5 feet tall) girl, I wouldn’t meet expectations or requirements. That was silly. My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner.

he pause on student loan payments at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic helped to serve as a financial stimulus for many Americans. Consumers were able to use these additional funds to help meet other expenses such as mortgage/rent, car payments, utility bills, insurance premiums and credit card balances.

Over that time period, credit card balances have increased roughly 17 percent while the average interest rate is now at 22 percent, putting a terrible strain on family budgets. Meanwhile, default rates on many types of loans are rising again and beginning to top pre-pandemic levels — resulting in a perfect storm of sorts.

Union members do not have to face this uncertainty on their own. NYSUT Member Benefits has partnered with Cambridge Credit Counseling to assist NYSUT members with better understanding debt consolidation and student loan repayment options.

Through this partnership, members have the opportunity to pay down their debt in a way that can actually result in significant savings without damaging their credit, which can occur when settling accounts or taking out additional loans. Instead of paying interest rates over 25 percent, Cambridge’s clients have paid down their accounts at an average rate of just 8 percent — creating room in their budgets to meet other expenses.

ervice credit is a core component of your New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System membership. The benefits you are eligible to receive, and the amount of those benefits, are related to your service credit. For most members, your total years of service will directly affect how much your pension will be. Service credit is also a factor in the calculation of death and disability benefits.

Earning service credit

As a member, you receive service credit for paid public employment beginning with your date of membership. That credit is based on the number of days you work, which your employer reports to us. The number of hours in a full-time day is set by your employer (between six and eight hours) and reported to us.

If you’re a school employee working full-time, you receive one year of service per school year, even if you only work 10 months of the year.

For part-time work, your employer calculates days worked by dividing the number of hours worked by the hours in a full-time day. For example, if a 40-hour work week is considered full-time for your position by your employer, and you work 20 hours a week for a given school year, you will receive half a year of service credit.

I’d like to attend a New York State Teachers’ Retirement System Pension & Retirement Education Program (PREP) seminar to plan for my retirement. How do I register?

Smart move. It’s always a good idea to get a jump on financial and retirement planning. Attending a PREP seminar will help you understand your NYSTRS benefits and provide essential retirement planning tips. Topics covered include information about your pension, disability coverage, loans, vesting and death benefits, financial planning and Social Security. The sessions also discuss estate planning and the general retirement process.

Free PREP seminars are held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. statewide, but you must register in advance. For information, or to register, visit nystrs.org and search for “PREP” or call 800-348-7298, ext. 6180. When calling for a reservation you’ll need your EmplID or Social Security Number, email address and home phone number — and the same information for your spouse/companion if they’re a member and plan to come too. When you attend the seminar bring your latest benefit profile with you.

If I don’t want to attend a PREP seminar in-person does NYSTRS offer remote options?

Yes, they do. During the COVID-19 pandemic NYSTRS produced video versions of the PREP seminar modules. These are posted on the PREP page of the NYSTRS website along with the PREP workbook, which is broken into chapters that correspond with the video modules. You can also set up a one-to-one appointment through your MyNYSTRS account. From MyNYSTRS, go to Tools > Schedule a Consultation to book either a phone or video consultation. Since appointments are usually booked several months out, there’s also a special scheduling section if you’re planning to retire this year.

Other online resources include NYSTRS’s Ready to Retire page with links to retirement-planning publications, videos and forms. If you have a MyNYSTRS account, you can also run projected benefit estimates and securely contact system representatives with specific questions. For general questions, email the system’s Information & Communication Center at communit@nystrs.org or call 800-348-7298, ext. 6250.