Embodying this year's RA credo "We are NYSUT," delegates tackled a series of resolutions designed to strengthen education - from pre-K through post-grad - and health care across New York.

In one of the key issues they addressed over two intense days of setting priorities for the statewide union, delegates passed a resolution asking NYSUT to work with its national affiliates to reform the No Child Left Behind Act to correct its misguided mandates.

They want: teachers to have more say in NCLB implementation; Supplemental Education Services providers to meet quality standards; English language learners not be subjected to unreasonable tests; and time, funding and measurement problems with testing requirements to be fixed.

NYSUT will seek improvements to the Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act - Project SAVE - to prevent school districts from under-reporting violent incidents, provide protections for "whistleblowers" on safety concerns and seek training for teachers on their rights in removing disruptive students.

NYSUT was directed to continue efforts to limit the proliferation of charter schools and to seek more state funding for communities like Albany and Buffalo, both dealing with a proliferation of charter schools.

Delegates asked NYSUT to support legislative efforts to reduce class size and to set reasonable teacher-student ratios as a step toward closing the achievement gap.

They also passed a resolution urging NYSUT to seek legislation that would extend seniority rights to long-serving part-time faculty in K-12 schools.

Delegates showed their support for non-tested subject areas such as health, physical education and family and consumer sciences by approving measures to support learning standards in these subjects, to ensure teachers from these subject areas are represented in NYSUT and statewide education discussions and that Academic Intervention Services do not deprive students of these important courses.

For the teachers of tomorrow, NYSUT will push for diversity training as part of the teacher preparation and certification processes.

Delegates asked NYSUT to lobby for increases in school library materials and systems aid; uncap aid tied to special ed students so they can receive the full services they need; and for reforms to the state Taylor Law, to make it more difficult for school districts to stall negotiations and bargain in bad faith.

NYSUT will seek reforms to the Help America Vote Act to ensure all votes can be properly accounted for; and reforms to national labor law, to ensure that union rights are not eroded.

The union will push for a stand-alone course in parenting education and for more shared decision-making between teachers and administrators.

NYSUT will encourage reforms that make it more difficult for Special Act schools, which often serve severely disabled students, to receive class-size variances that result in diminished care for students.

Delegates urged NYSUT to seek legislation that would let districts know their state aid figures for two years at a time, to avoid cost-cutting moves, such as layoffs, that can occur when districts are unsure of how to budget for state aid.

They passed a resolution asking NYSUT to support legislation that would provide refunds for members who were forced to make 3 percent contributions to the state Teachers' Retirement System even though they had completed 10 years of contributions to the separate system that covers most School-Related Professionals. This affects many teacher aides who have been promoted to teaching assistants.

Delegates asked NYSUT to ramp up New York Teacher reporting on school budget votes and school board elections, and called on the union to designate employees regionally who can consult with local unions on health insurance issues.

Special ed

Delegates showed their commitment to New York's special education students by approving resolutions designed to improve educational opportunities. NYSUT will seek to establish special education delivery models in general education settings.

NYSUT also will push for improvements to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Among other things, the recently reauthorized federal act allows school districts and parents to keep teachers from Individualized Education Program Team meetings; IDEA also allows school districts to change IEPs without consultation from teachers or other service providers.

Higher ed

Delegates resoundingly passed a resolution from United University Professions opposing privatization of SUNY hospitals. UUP was responding to a Berger Commission recommendation that threatens to merge SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse with the private Crouse Hospital, possibly creating a non-SUNY entity (see page 5).

Delegates called on NYSUT to work with TIAA-CREF, which manages retirement portfolios for many NYSUT higher ed members, to better focus its fund with socially responsible companies.

Health & safety

Showing their commitment to creating healthy and safe working environments, delegates urged NYSUT to lobby State Ed for guidelines reducing toxic chemicals in schools.

They have also directed the statewide union to seek legislation to penalize prescription drug makers for delays in bringing generic drugs to market.

NYSUT will seek an increase in the maximum workers' compensation benefit, and pursue legislation that would protect workers from bullying and hostile work environments.

Finally, NYSUT was instructed to seek statewide implementation of home tele-health technology, which has been shown to reduce hospitalization rates; and legislation to provide financial incentives to school districts to build sustainable school buildings that enhance the educational environment and facilitate learning.

Pension and retirement

Delegates urged continued NYSUT support for "55/25" legislation, which would allow members of Tiers 2, 3 and 4 to retire at age 55 with no reduction in benefits if they have at least 25 years of service.

Delegates helped shape NYSUT's advocacy for retirees, urging the union to press for improvements to pension Cost-Of-Living-Adjustment legislation.

They passed a resolution seeking a full cost-of-living increase on the first $12,500 of a retiree's pension, with the current COLA formula being applied after that.

NYSUT will seek legislation that would enact a permanent health insurance moratorium to protect retirees from unilateral reductions of their health benefits; and a repeal of "means-testing," which makes Medicare Part B less affordable to middle-income retirees.

Delegates called for NYSUT to seek legislation that would allow Tier 2, 3 and 4 members to opt out of their death benefits.

NYSUT will pursue a greater federal mileage reimbursement rate for volunteers.

Many NYSUT retirees are involved in volunteer work, and the mileage reimbursement rate for volunteers is much lower than the IRS-approved employee reimbursement rate.

Delegates urged NYSUT to seek legislation that would allow bulk buying of prescription drugs for all Medicaid recipients, as a cost-control measure.

They also called for an increase in the personal needs allowance in Supplemental Security Income from $50 to $100.

Jay Broad, a retiree delegate and nursing home ombudsman, talked about how many of his clients have been receiving just $50 a month "for years," saying it was not enough for them to meet their needs, such as getting their hair cut or purchasing personal supplies.

NYSUT will seek legislation that would require New York adult homes and assisted-living facilities to have alternate power sources in case of outages.

And, NYSUT will support efforts to make adult day health care eligible for Medicaid reimbursement.

Social justice

Recognizing the importance of providing protections and rights for same-sex couples, delegates approved a resolution urging NYSUT to press for legal protections that would be identical for same-sex and married couples.

Delegates asked NYSUT to join groups like Amnesty International in opposing a deal struck last year between President Bush and Republican senators that would lead the U.S. to revert to an outdated definition of sexual abuse and rape.

NYSUT was instructed to lobby New York's Congressional delegation for repeal of the Military Commissions Act. The act allows for suspension of habeas corpus, which is "central to our civil rights and civil liberties," said Leo Casey of the United Federation of Teachers.

Delegates encouraged NYSUT to join the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition and support legislation that would curtail human trafficking worldwide.