Dozens of union activists from around the state packed a workshop on fighting for a living wage at NYSUT's recent annual School-Related Professionals conference.

 Representing a variety of job titles and responsibilities, they were united in their goals - fair wages, benefits and a stronger voice on the job for them and their co-workers.

The workshop popped with questions about the best ways to unite members around bargaining goals, community and union outreach, and keeping members in the loop with a steady stream of timely information.

Securing a living wage and access to affordable health care for members is front and center on NYSUT's agenda. After years of tackling the issue local by local, the statewide union is looking at a broader, more strategic approach.

NYSUT Vice President Kathleen Donahue noted that delegates to the union's Representative Assembly earlier this year unanimously approved a resolution calling for NYSUT to raise awareness on the issue and work with local, state and national groups to help get members the wages and health care they deserve.

A NYSUT work group is researching the issue, she said.

Success on Long Island

One determined SRP local on Long Island recently set a good example with an aggressive effort that produced good results.

Westbury School-Related Professionals, with 130 teaching assistants and teacher aides, won a contract that will make members' lives better and give the local a stronger voice on the job.

The new six-year deal, which runs through 2013, contains some impressive gains for low-wage workers in one of the highest cost-of-living areas in the country. "It's the start of something for the future," said Rosa Buffolino, president of the Westbury School-Related Professionals.

The new agreement should bring some stability to a workforce that was often transient. For the first time in more than 20 years, salary schedules will be in place, so workers can see the benefits of seniority. Raises for all the members average about 7 percent per year.

Beginning in 2010, members will get their first paid holiday, and a new holiday will be added in each of the remaining two years.

Health insurance benefits were maintained at a 20 percent contribution for active members. The district will pay the full premium for members who retire after 20 years.

Local leaders kept the members informed at lunch and after-school meetings, including a meeting where members voted on the union's bargaining demands.

Buffolino is grateful to parents who spoke up for her members at a school board meeting. "Parents know the schools can't function without us," she said. "We all know each other in this community."

Members are now attending NYSUT trainings and workshops. That information is then spread back into the workplace.

"The more we learn, the more information we give to the members," Buffolino said.

- Bernie Mulligan and Sylvia Saunders