Schedule for first year wage increases

The implementation schedule for the 1% wage increase in the first year of the new contract is as follows:

· March 9: 1% increase to salary in paycheck for all bargaining unit members with the exception of 34 employees that have special compensation issues (i.e., promotions, leaves of absences, longevity increases, etc.)

· April 6: 1% increase to salary in paycheck for the 34 exceptions

· April 19: Retroactive payments of the 1% increase effective 9/4/2011

Those members who are among the 34 exceptions have been notified by NYU.

UCATS Membership Meeting March 13

UCATS Membership Meeting
When: Tuesday, March 13, 5:30 pm
Where: Vanderbilt Hall, 40 Washington Square South, Rm. 216

We are meeting primarily to elect our delegates to the 2012 American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Convention. This event is where elected delegates from affiliated union locals set the agenda of our national federation.

This year, the convention will be held in Detroit, MI from July 27-30 (Thursday-Monday). All UCATS members are entitled to run for a delegate position and to make nominations of other members to be delegates. UCATS is allotted a total of 12 delegates.

The election will be conducted by secret ballot at the meeting. If you have questions about being a delegate, please contact UCATS president Stephen Rechner at ucatspres3882@hotmail.com.

UCATS Contract Ratified!

We are pleased to report that our contract has been ratified by a vote of 454 to 102.

Thanks to all of you who voted, attended meetings, marched in rallies, spoke out, signed letters and petitions, and shared your thoughts and ideas throughout this process.

Voting Deadline Extended

The deadline for receiving contract ballots has been extended to February 17. We learned just last week that NYU failed to include some of our members in the database they provided to us and from which we generated labels for the ballot mailing. Ballots were sent to those members by overnight mail last Thursday. We also decided to extend the ballot deadline for all of our members.

All ballots received by February 17 will be counted.

Contract ballots in the mail

The contract ratification election is underway and a ballot has been mailed to your home. The ballot will come from the American Arbitration Association (see image above). Follow the enclosed instructions to mark your vote and return it as soon as possible. Your ballot must be received by February 13 to be counted.

If you have not received a ballot by Monday, January 30, call the American Arbitration Association at 1-800-529-5218 to request one.

The tentative agreement only becomes the contract if a majority of members who vote, vote FOR ratification. The UCATS Executive Council recommends that you vote in favor of ratification. A summary of the agreement is included with the ballot. For more information, go to our website, ucats3882.org.

Remember: If you don't vote, you are letting someone else decide for you.