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They will blame higher costs, budget cuts, the 9/11 tragedy, the collapse of the stock market and of course the previous administration of the PSC, which was in power three years ago. What they will not tell you, though, is the following:
1) "Babbling Barb" Bowen, Steve "Foggy" London and the incompetent
New Caucus negotiating team failed to negotiate for the Welfare Fund in these past contract negotiations. They did not secure additional money from the City for Welfare Fund benefits. Under the previous leadership of Irwin Polishook (the "Woody Alan" of the PSC), our union negotiated and secured additional money for benefits in each and every contract from the time of the inception of the Fund. This time around -nothing!
They will say that a few dollars were directed from the union's Stabilization Fund to the Welfare Fund. This is NOT extra money from the City. Don't be fooled.
2)
The current PSC "leadership" inherited a Welfare Fund with many
millions of dollars in its "reserves". The previous PSC leaders
were prudent, spent our money wisely, and put funds aside for
"rainy days". Rapid depletion of the Welfare Fund reserves began
as soon as Babbling Barb took over the leadership in April of
2000. From that day on, money was rapidly drained. Now, only three
years later, they have managed to bring us to the point at which
the Fund has no money, and benefits have to be slashed. So they
will come to the campuses to "discuss" what types of cuts we'd
prefer (would you rather lose an arm or a leg?). Then, when they
make the cuts, they'll say "we asked the membership, and this
is what they wanted". But this is not what we chose. This is what
you did to us 'adjuncts, they are only talking about slashing
benefits of full time instructional staff and retirees! Why?????
Aren't we all supposed to be in this together? Why do adjuncts
pay only $10 for a prescription drug, no matter how expensive
it is, while full-timers and retirees pay 20% of the cost, which
could amount to hundreds of dollars? WHY????? Why are they still
worshiping at the Holy Grail of the adjuncts? (Oh, yeah, we forgot.
Adjuncts who were forced to join because of the new agency shop
have votes.)
3)
So they will come to the campuses and say that the City will "eventually" take over ttte adjunct coverage. But in the meantime, that isn't happening. So, again: Aren't we all supposed to be in this together? Adjuncts should share the burden of the cuts.
4)
With all the discussion of slashing benefits, there is one strange happening: a new benefit! Birth control is now covered. Doesn't this cost money? How is this justified? Is there a social agenda at play here? Why is birth control being covered at the expense of heart medication and insulin?
A DISMAL RECORD AND A DISGRACE!
With "Babbling Barb" and "Foggy" London at the PSC helm; with Susan O'Malley ("Queen of Released Time") not only reigning at the University Faculty Senate but also crowned as a member of the PSC Executive Committee; with Marxist Guru, "Laughing Stock" Stanley Aronowitz controlling the PSC Executive Committee; with "Lady Chattery" Norah Chase, a graduate of the Union Institute which someconsider to be a mail-order school ( KCC faculty recently learned (hat she does not know the difference between the word "very" and the word "enormous") handling grievances; you can rest assured that our future is in very bad hands, our salaries and job security in extreme jeopardy.
In the past year, we have all watched and listened as New York City teachers got 16 to 20 percent salary increases; firemen/women got 11 percent salary increases; and librarians secured 16 percent salary increases. And what did we get? Seven percent! How do Barb and "Foggy" not hang their heads in shame?!
Why did the PSC fail so dismally? From the Governor to the Mayor and the Chancellor, the political leadership of the State and the City do not give a hoot about the clowns at the PSC. Babbling Barb, "Foggy" London and "Laughing Stock" Aronowitz are well-known to the political leadership as crazy radicals who have never grown up. They think we are still in the 1960's, and the political leadership knows it.
The Governor, the Mayor and the
Chancellor also know that our current "leaders" don't really care
about salary and workload. If they really cared, they would have
gone to the wire negotiating for salary increases that were comparable
to what other unions got. Instead, they keep talking about "building"
the University. As though they could. Besides, we have news for
you guys! Building the University is management's job. Your job
is to get us a great salary, decreased workload ("promises, promises",
as New York City Tech knows), and improved working conditions
and job security. And you didn't!
The consensus among the political establishment is that there is no need to pay attention to the PSC clowns. For example: two CUNY college presidents and Randy Weingarten of the UFT were invited to participate on the Bloomberg Transition Team. But the higher education union's Babbling Barb was not invited. Let's understand why.
Randy Weingarten of the UFT is
supporting Republican George Pataki for the New York State governorship,
because she knows that Pataki is going to win. It was he who gave
her constituency that fantastic salary raise in their last contract,
and it is he who will be in power to dole out more in the future
for her membership. Randy is committed to the flexible political
ideology which brings real benefits to her membership.
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Are Babbling Barb, "Foggy" London, and "Laughing Stock" Aronowitz
going to abandon their far-left ideology and endorse Pataki? We don't think so. They will probably sacrifice our interests for their radical ideology, and will endorse a loser: either Carl McCall (former husband of a PSC officer) or Aronowitz, the PSC Executive Committee guru who should really be running for political office in Marxist Cuba. Aronowitz is now, unfortunately, a behind-the-scenes decision-maker at the PSC, planning our bleak bread-and-butter future. When he declared his candidacy for the governorship, he made a hig fool of himself, besides being a university laughing stock. (By the way, Stanley, governors usually shower and tie their shoe laces).
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In our recent
contract, Babbling Barb and "Foggy" London sold out our most
experienced instructional staff by negotiating the first contract
ever that did not provide even a single extra step at the top
of the salary scale on any rank! The librarians were totally
ignored. Both groups are mad as hell. You think they will do
better in the new contract? Don't hold your breath! By putting
loads of resources (our dues!) into promoting her agenda of
supporting social causes around the globe, Babbling Barb and
her gang are going to bankrupt our Union, our Welfare Fund and
our future! She has already sent $5000 of our money to Lori
Berenson, alleged Marxist terrorist in Peru. The PSC spends
hours and hours and hours during Delegate Assembly meetings
discussing their anti-war agenda, and passing resolution after
resolution supporting every radical cause under the sun. What
guarantees do you have that our union will not send your dues
money to Saddam Hussein for him to fight Americans?
When they come to your campus, confront them.
And we'd all do well to remember, come election time.
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Editor: Sharad
Karkhanis,
Kingsborough Community College,
Brooklyn, N. Y. 11235
patr@patriotreturns.com
Sharad
Karkhanis
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