Political Unity: Members of merged union flex political muscle
Members of merged union flex political muscle
Two years into her teaching career, Carol Slotkin returned to her classroom after spring break in 1971 to find out the state Legislature had passed a law that teachers now had to serve five probationary years for tenure instead of three.
At the time, "teachers did not have a voice, did not have any say in what happened in their classrooms," said Slotkin, who still teaches at Jefferson-Youngsville Central Schools.
They would have even less, according to a package of bills that Conservative-Republican Assemblyman Charles Jerabek of Long Island tied to passing the budget.
Then Slotkin saw teachers from two rival unions rally together in record numbers. The rival unions, the New York State Teachers Association and the United Teachers of New York, joined to defeat the Jerabek bills and even repeal the five-year probationary law.
"I began to realize the connection between what happens in Albany, Washington and the rest of the world," Slotkin said. "I began to realize how politically active you had to be."
Politically active arena
Just as a relatively new teacher in rural Sullivan County saw the need for connections, so did the leaders of two rival unions. Merger talks began in earnest and by 1972 NYSTA and UTNY had merged.
The Board of Directors of the combined union, New York State United Teachers, combined the names of the two non-partisan, voluntary political action campaigns in 1973. The name was now VOTE-COPE but its aim was the same - to fight for pro-education, pro-employee rights legislation.
Members like David Pearl of the Port Jefferson schools on Long Island, and Donald Benker of the Kenmore Teachers Association in western New York, continued to give to the political action fund even after the Jerabek bills were defeated. (Jerabek lost the Republican endorsement in 1972 and was defeated that year running as a Conservative.)
"I kept giving because VOTE-COPE became a force for positive change. We sought to improve working conditions and pensions, and we did," Pearl said.
In 1976 alone, VOTE-COPE helped gain the right for teachers to appeal to the courts adverse decisions of the education commissioner; "over-burden relief" providing $28 million to Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers schools; pension increases, including an increase for World War II veterans; and the right for SUNY Buffalo faculty members to join the state health plan.
"I remember I was disappointed with the first time we ran a drive," Benker said. "Those were the times when we avoided using the word 'union.' Activism was a touchy issue." But as people realized the impact of legislation, support grew.
In 1979, the union began recognizing local affiliates where contributions to VOTE-COPE averaged $10 for each member by dubbing them "100 percent locals." The "100 percent locals" award was renamed in 1982 for Abel Blattman, to honor the memory of the first secretary-treasurer of VOTE-COPE. In 1982, four locals achieved the honor.
In the 1980s, legislative gains included:
- the Triborough Amendment (1982). This Taylor Law amendment requires that all terms of an expired contract remain in place until a new one is reached.
- creation of state Teacher Centers (1984), which provide profesional development.
Key to these successes is not being tied to any political party, believes Alan Lubin, NYSUT's executive vice president. He said union members know VOTE-COPE is non-partisan support of a pro-education, pro-employee rights agenda.
Steady Progress
By 1990, 122 locals achieved the 100 percent Abel Blattman distinction.
Alphabetically, the list ran from the Abraham Wing TA in the shadow of the Adirondack mountains to the Wilson TA on the shores of Lake Ontario.
The union recently recognized 39 local affiliates that on average contribute $25 per member. VOTE-COPE fundraising was at an all-time record of $2.7 million in 1997, the third year in a row of double-digit percent increases.
It's that spirit and support from rank-and-file members that make NYSUT's political action system work, Lubin said. "They supply the votes, the workers and the money to support candidates for office. Without them, the endorsement would mean very little."