Stony Brook RA Union

SUNY perks get a trim

By JAMES M. ODATO Capitol Bureau
Published: 12:46 a.m., Saturday, September 25, 2010

ALBANY — Citing a rock ‘n’ roll ballad, the State University of New York’s chancellor on Friday said she is forfeiting her $90,000 housing allowance to pay for three $30,000 raises she arranged for three top lieutenants.

“As the Rolling Stones said: You can’t always get what you want,” Nancy Zimpher told a Senate panel that called her to explain compensation and expenses that some lawmakers had said were out of step with layoffs, cutbacks and a general fiscal austerity sweeping state government.

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Stony Brook RAs protest SUNY board

We’ve had a major breakthrough in the negotiations with the Research Foundation.  The RF has agreed to drastically improve our dental and vision coverage.  We applaud the RF for agreeing to do this.  On each of these PDFs, there is a comparison of the old plans with the new plans:  Dental, Vision.

These plans went into effect on August 15th, 2010.

On Wedensday July 14th, five members of the United States Congress sent a letter to the Research Foundation “regarding the fair settlement of a contract with the Stony Brook University Research Assistants.”  Four of the Congresspeople sit on the powerful Appropriations Committee that allocates tax dollars to funding agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institute of Health, and the National Science Foundation.  The fifth signature is from Tim Bishop, who sits on the Education & Labor Committee and represents the Stony Brook area.

On April 29th, 2010, the Workers’ Rights Board, an organization comprised of community leaders who provide a community based forum where workplace grievances can be heard, convened a hearing at Stony Brook University.  The purpose of the hearing was to investigate the negotiation strategies of the Research Foundation.  Below is their official report, including their recommendations.

Stony Brook locks out leaders, union

by Claude Solnik
Published: April 30, 2010

Stony Brook University on Thursday locked out a group of high-profile Long Islanders and a local union from a meeting they had scheduled on campus to discuss a contract being negotiated with the SUNY Research Foundation.

The Communications Workers of America local 1104 was scheduled to present its views regarding a stalled contract for SUNY Research Foundation research assistants to a panel of Long Island leaders. The panelists were organized by the Workers’ Rights Board, a project of the nonprofit Long Island Jobs With Justice.

The panel included Suffolk County Legislator Jon Cooper, Father Bill Brisotti of Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Church in Wyandanch, Victor Fusco of law firm Fusco, Brandenstein & Rada and economist Michael Crowell of the New York State Department of Labor.

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On Monday April 26th, 2010, representatives of the Stony Brook RA Union spoke with New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo at his fundraiser in Lloyd Harbor, LI. We informed the powerful elected official of how the RF has been dragging its feet in settling a fair contract with us while wasting hundreds of thousands of tax payer dollars in various ways.  It is anticipated that Cuomo will soon announce his candidacy for Governor and that he will win by a landslide.

On Thursday March 4th, 2010 representatives of the Stony Brook RA Union spoke with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and Congressman Tim Bishop at the Long Island Federation of Labor annual dinner in Woodbury, LI. We informed the powerful elected officials of how the RF has been dragging its feet in settling a fair contract with us while wasting hundreds of thousands of tax payer dollars in various ways.  We provided them with this handbill.