Twelve of us went to the NYSUT Community College Conference at Bolton Landing, New York, on Nov. 8 to Nov 10. Members Kim Ballerini, Ziaullah (“Zia”) Durrani, Leonardo Falcon, Valerie Lagakis, Adeline Mucci, David Pecan, Alex Sanchioli, and Caitlin Thurber along with NCCFT officers Suzanne Kaebnick, Virginia Sanchioli, Faren Siminoff, and David Stern attended. David Stern was also one of three presenters in a session entitled “Relationship with Community College Trustees.”
Saturday’s special guest speaker was AFT President Randi Weingarten, who noted that, based on the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, unions, and particularly public sector workers, can expect to be under attack by the Trump administration. However, Weingarten said, the American Federation of Teachers has more local unions than ever, and unions are also growing in the private sector. The American public knows that unions are key to improving working people’s lives. Weingarten urged locals to support efforts at unionization and to look for alliances with other unions.
NYSUT President Melinda Person noted that 5 of NYSUT’s priority congressional candidates won in Tuesday’s election: Former educator and NYSUT Member John Mannion’s election to Congress is among them. The other four are: Tom Suozzi in NY-3, Laura Gillen in NY-4, long-time education advocate Rep Pat Ryan in NY -18, and Josh Riley in NY -19. In Person’s words, “Even in uncertainty about the future, our mission does not waver. We will continue to find common ground over chaos. We will trust in the strength of collective action. What unites us is stronger than what divides us, and we look forward to fighting alongside our new and old allies in Albany and Washington to protect public education, the labor movement, and the rights of working families across New York.”
We were also surprised and delighted to win an award as the local this year with the most new VOTE-COPE contributors. Thank you, members!!
One Response
We have much work to do during the next 4 years. It is important that we stay strong and united! I am pleased that our NCCFT members stepped up to support VOTE-COPE. We can’t diminish that effort!