ALBANY, N.Y. June 21, 2019 — New York State United Teachers today released the following statement on the end of the 2019 legislative session:
“The legislative session began with a major victory for public education and is ending with significant progress for working people. Thanks to the tireless advocacy of our members, elected officials finally stood up for what is right and fixed the state’s broken teacher evaluation system right out of the gates. In the months that followed, legislators made significant progress with the passage of bills to allow districts to install school bus stop-arm cameras, institute new workplace violence protections in our schools, provide fair labor protections for School-Related Professionals, aid districts facing punitive financial penalties, help community colleges to attract the best candidates for their criminal justice programs, protect patients from exorbitant surprise emergency room bills, and provide basic labor rights for farmworkers.
“We are thankful for the Legislature’s commitment to addressing so many pressing issues that impact NYSUT members and the working class.
“These legislative victories also are a testament to the hard work of NYSUT members, whom we will continue to fight for in Albany. With school districts forced to make tough budget choices this spring, we will continue the fight for adequate resources for our schools. We will continue the fight to address the TAP Gap that has squeezed our SUNY and CUNY systems. And we will continue the fight to empower hardworking women and men across New York State, working with our elected officials to create a better New York for all.”
Activists took to the Capitol in June as part of NYSUT's #SupportSchoolStaff campaign to promote workplace safety and fairness for School-Related Professionals. Photo by El-Wise Noisette.
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.