1. New resources to energize elections efforts in targeted congressional
districts
- PLEASE HELP US AT THE PHONE BANKS ON WEDS, OCT 10th from 3:30 on at the Middle Country Teachers' Assoc in SELDEN!!!!
- Email me if you need directions!!! MITA>> Midislta@optonline.net
- Labor Walks: MITA labor walk for Tim Bishop on Saturady October 20th, 2012. 9AM at the MITA office. Political action coordinators are working with Area Labor Federations to organize labor walks. Here's a list of scheduled walks with details and contact information. This weekend look for walks in Lockport, Patchogue, Poughkeepsie, Corning, Johnstown and South Glens Falls. Next weekend, labor will walk in Medina, Shirley, Brewster, Liverpool and Rochester.
- NYSUT's Election Guide will be mailed in the coming weeks directly to every NYSUT member. The guide includes listings of NYSUT's endorsed candidates in both federal and state elections, a comparison of Obama's and Romney's positions on various issues, including education and health care, and why it's important to vote.
- In the coming weeks, the NEA might need NYSUT members to make calls to NEA members in battleground states urging support of endorsed candidates. Watch here for details soon.
- Share with your members this really scary item from The Nation on Romney's desire to silence teachers unions. This is what's at stake. Urge members, friends and family to sign on and support President Obama online: barackobama.com, Educators for Obama, Nurses for Obama.
- Spread the word to unregistered voters: It's only two weeks until the Oct. 12 deadline to register to vote Nov. 6.
2. Chicago provides a valuable lesson
The position of the Chicago Teachers Union was bolstered by nearly two years of work engaging the community and building parental support as a way to better serve the children. When it became necessary to strike, those relationships paid extra dividends. Read this interesting analysis from the American Prospect.
3. Strides walks kick off this weekend
This is NYSUT's 11th year as a flagship sponsor of the non-competitive 5K Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks, which start this weekend at five sites: Syracuse, Binghamton, Buffalo, Waterloo and Rochester. Here's more from NYSUT.org on the events scheduled over the next month. Register online at: makingstrides.acsevents.org/nysut.
Be sure to select "NYSUT" as your company affiliation.
4. Iannuzzi sets the record straight on evaluations
Newsday's Sept. 21 editorial ("Get moving on evaluations") misses the mark so badly, it's hard to know where to begin, responded NYSUT's Dick Iannuzzi in a letter to the editor. The paper questioned the commitment of unions to make evaluations work. Iannuzzi's message will help you handle questions that come up in your own districts.
He points out that NYSUT has worked collaboratively with SED to develop a comprehensive, rigorous and fair teacher-principal evaluation system that will improve overall teacher effectiveness and enhance student learning. Read the letter here.
5. Let us know how you are using the "Getting it Right" tool kit
to boost parent/community involvement
NYSUT United is planning a story on how locals are using the "Getting it Right: Student Assessment" toolkit to engage communities. We'd love to hear how YOUR local is using the toolkit materials. Please email feedback, stories and information to ssaunder@nysutmail.org.
The Getting it Right tool kit is designed to engage parents and other stakeholders in a year-long effort of advocacy. It provides local unions with tools to initiate grassroots efforts that are owned by the community.
6. NYSHIP Empire Plan Medicare Rx change Jan. 1
NYSHIP Empire Plan retirees who have Medicare as their primary insurance will automatically be enrolled in a Part D Medicare prescription plan on Jan. 1, 2013, unless they cancel coverage. The co-pays and list of covered prescriptions will be the same or better than that offered to the in-service members. There is no coverage gap ("donut hole"). The reason for this change is the Empire Plan's ability to benefit from a 50 percent discount for brand-name drugs as part of the Affordable Care Act.
It is important that participants carefully review any information which is mailed to them by the Department of Civil Service or UnitedHealthcare, especially those who may already be enrolled in a Part D plan.
High income retirees ($85,000/ $170,000) with Medicare as their primary insurance will be subject to an Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) for Part D effective Jan. 1. This is in addition to their regular premium contribution to the Empire Plan. At this time, there is no NYSHIP Empire Plan requirement for the employer to reimburse this extra amount to the retiree. A 2012 tax rate chart can be found at www.medicare.gov/cost/. The Federal Government will post a 2013 rate chart soon.
A presentation and other materials can be found at the Department of Civil Service web site. For questions, retirees can call the Empire Plan, 877-769-7447 and press 4 on the main menu.
Short takes
- Local union leaders will undoubtedly field questions about the movie "Won't Back Down." NYSUT has posted talking points that will be helpful. Also see the AFT's response and the NEA's response to it. The movie is receiving a hearty "thumbs down" from the overwhelming majority of critics across the country. One of many reviewers quoted in the Washington Post called the film "Inept and bizarre ... a set of right-wing anti-union talking points disguised (with very limited success) as a mainstream motion-picture-type product." Here's the full Washington Post review.
Urge your members to register now for "Share My Lesson." This is a free digital platform developed by AFT that allows educators to collaborate and share teaching resources and innovative ideas. Tell them to sign up by Oct. 31 to be entered in a drawing for $5,000 to help pay off student loans or a $3,500 VISA cash card. Here are helpful talking points from AFT to help local leaders answer questions about the program.
- At 4 p.m. Oct. 3, NYSUT offers a one-hour webinar on how to clean during communicable disease outbreaks in schools. Register at: http://www.nysut.org/eReg/CIC1012
- Register online for NYSUT's Community College Leadership Conference, Nov. 16-18 in Saratoga Springs. The registration deadline is Oct. 17. For information, call 800-342-9810, ext. 6297.
- NYSUT will send SRP Recognition Day packets only to local leaders who request them for the Nov. 20 celebration this year. Contact Margaret MacCartney, mmaccart@nysutmail.org, by Nov. 1.
- The 2012 annual meeting of the state TRS delegates is Nov. 4-5 in Saratoga Springs. Make sure the union is involved and that board vacancies are filled.
- Here is the National Board Certification application form for the 2012-13 state Albert Shanker Grant and federally funded Candidate Fee Subsidy. Deadline is Nov. 30.
- NYSUT and the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights again sponsor a video contest for students. Entrants create a brief video about a human rights violation and the defender(s) fighting to stop it. The deadline is Jan. 31.
