Social Worker and Psychologist Newsletter

Oct 10, 2006 10:40 AM

Dear Colleagues:

Welcome back. I hope that your summer was restful and enjoyable and I hope that the year ahead will bring you professional fulfillment.

As a union, we continue to face many obstacles but our unity is our greatest asset. Get involved in union activities and you will feel less isolated in your struggle for dignity and respect.

Professional Conduct
We are under tremendous pressure from the Department of Education to cut corners in the performance of our jobs. Do not succumb to this pressure. Remember that you are bound by Education Law to follow certain guidelines and procedures and you are also bound by a Code of Ethics. Do not jeopardize your professional license for the sake of a compliance date or a misguided administrative directive. If need be, file a special education complaint form. You can find the form on http://www.uft.org/chapter/psychologist/special_ed_comp/.  

Excessing
This issue has become much more prevalent for our chapter since the reorganization of special education and the recent inclusion of our chapter in the Open Market Hiring System. The unilateral changes the DOE made to the SBST cluster process has also been a contributing factor. There were many errors in identifying people who were in excess and that led to their being unable to access the job site for those in excess.

We were successful in rectifying many of these difficulties. If this continues to be an issue for you, please notify either your borough leader or me. 

Status of Union-Initiated Grievances
The UFT filed two grievances on our behalf. One has to do with our inclusion in the Open Market Hiring System. The other has to do with the unilateral changes that the DOE made to the SBST cluster process. These grievances were heard at Step 3 on May 19. We have not, yet, received the decisions. We made two inquires about the status of these grievances and we are prepared to take them to arbitration, if necessary.

 The UFT will also be filing a U-I grievance on behalf of people whose hardship transfers have not been honored. If you filed for a hardship transfer and it was not granted contact your borough leader. 

The Contract
The UFT is in the process of writing our new contract. In the meantime, you can access the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) of October 2005 at www.uft.org. If you do not see a particular issue in the MOA that means that there has been no change from the previous contract. You can also access the previous contract at www.uft.org/mychapter/socialworkers,psychologists/contract.  The new pay scales are in the MOA.

Professional Development Menu
The menu is out and it has been distributed in several regions. If you have not received it, contact your regional chairperson. Related services providers should check with their SBST. Election Day and Brooklyn/Queens Day are now DOE-mandated professional development days. This year our Clinician Appreciation day will be held on Jan. 25, 2007. You will receive a flier in the mail.

Empowerment Schools
If your school is an “empowerment school”, and your principal is imposing changes that are contrary to our contract, speak to the chapter leader in your school. He or she should direct the problem to the district rep and the network leader. If the issue is not resolved at that level, contact your chapter borough leader. 

Negotiating Committee
The expanded Negotiating Committee continues to meet on a regular basis in preparation for the next round of negotiations.

The newly elected Chapter officers, Borough Leaders and Delegates are as follows:

Officers 
Chapter Leader – Ann Englesbe  1-212-598-7724 aenglesbe@uft.org
Vice Chapter Leader – Judy Goldston
Recording Secretary – Marc Spinrad
Corresponding Secretary – George Kuzar
Manhattan Region I Chairperson - Rick Eisman
Bronx Region II Chairperson – Ann McKie
Brooklyn Region III Chairperson – Antonio Negron
Brooklyn Region IV Chairperson – Valerie Negron
Queens Region V Chairperson – Lester Lehon
Staten Island Region VI Chairperson – Joan Smith

Delegates
Evett Anderson                                     Barbara Arfe
Janet Burak                                            Anthony Coello
Merci Duarte-Blasko                             Rick Eisman
Ann Englesbe                                        Judith Goldston
Iris Kupferstein                                     George Kuzar
Lester Lehon                                         Ruth K. Levine
Barton Lilenfield                                    Joseph LiPuma
Christine Louis                                      Marva Martin
Ann McKie                                               Beatrice Nagby
Antonio Negron                                      Valerie Negron
Dana Ohlmeyer                                      Cecilia Penalo
Vanessa Pressley                                 Jeffrey Rabinowitz
Dan Ronen                                              Joan Smith
Marc Spinrad                                           Pamela Weadick
Carla Woolbright

Borough Leaders

MANHATTAN
RICK EISMAN      1-212-734-7127 x3051 Mon. & Thurs.
                             1-212-737-9774 x4030 Tues.-Wed.-Fri.

BRONX

ANN McKIE 1-718-542-2650 x5510

BKLYN WEST

TONY NEGRON 1-718-833-4436/6114 x114

BKLYN EAST

VALERIE NEGRON 1-718-443-7340

QUEENS

LESTER LEHON 1-718-793-3060

STATEN ISLAND

JOAN SMITH 1-718-981-1321