CONTRACT '07-08: 1104/GSEU
NEGOTIATIONS WITH NYS UPDATE
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
5:42 AM

While some progress is being made at the heath care sub-committee meeting, the main table remains derailed. Formalities are over. We've had to cancel two (2) bargaining sessions due to the State's lack of readiness to respond meaningfully.

Picture it: the Union gives the State full bargaining proposals with extensive research, creative suggestions, and draft contract language while the State complains about giving us basic data, asks a few questions on our justifications, provides no written proposals, cancels meetings due to a lack of authority and shrugs at it's embarrassment about Spitzer's opprobrium! However, unique this situation is in the State's history, it is having a significant impact on our bargaining process.

Our Union is working diligently to push for a green light to be sent out from the Governor's offices, but it simply is not possible to hold our negotiating process out of the fray. Gov. Paterson has saddled blinders on the Assembly, the Senate, the Division of Budget and the Governor's Staff so that all involved will focus on delivering a State budget this week. Insider gossip in the statehouse anticipates passage of a State budget before the close of business on Friday.

We are not alone. Other State bargaining units (such as the uniformed services) are also dealing with negotiating delays blocking their ability to get to a tentative agreement. Our professors, in the United University Profession (UUP) and our colleagues in the Public Employees Federation (PEF) have both overwhelming approved their Agreements, but are experiencing unexpected delays in the legally necessary passage of a pay bill which authorizes all contract moneys.

Needless to say, this is a very difficult environment within which to attempt to craft a deal we could live with!

This Wednesday (April 8, 2008), the bargaining team will meet to discuss all our options, revise our overall strategy at the table and coordinate our campaign.

Together we will assess the best manner of proceeding. We will keep a watchful eye on the State budget fight and on the pay bill adoption processes of our sister Union's as it unfolds.

One thing is sure however, it will take us all to pull off a contract that does not leave those working this year behind!

Kathleen Sims
Chief Negotiator GSEU,
CWA Local 1104 Education Division