IF YOU NEED HELP
If you need union representation or would like help with any work related issue you can speak with your area steward or contact UCATS for help from one of our experienced organizers:
Email: [email protected] (recommended)
Telephone: 646-602-1485
*All calls are confidential. No action is taken on your behalf without your consent.
Bulletin Board
ELECTION RESULTS
The election results provided of Friday, April 4 have been finalized. No protests of the preliminary results were received.
The following UCATS members will constitute the Executive Council for the 2025-2027 term beginning on May 1, 2025.
President: Kate Conroy (Gallatin)
Treasurer: Diana Corzen (Univ. Student Affairs – SHC)
Vice Presidents:
Sharmaine Griffin (SPS)
Ary Reich (SPS)
Secretary: Robert Lesko (SPS)
District Shop Stewards:
District 1
LaQuanda Hillery (RMCN), Melonie Jones-Cumming (COD), Eddie Rosario (COD), Vanessa, Sejourne (COD), Jason Singleton (COD)
District 2
Marty Correia (A&S), Kerianne Donnelly (Stern), Johanna Fortescue (Stern), David Hall (A&S), Haeun Ro (Stern), Jared Weber (A&S)
District 3
Tameka Hipp (UDAR), Felicia McCoy (Div. of Libraries), Robert Platt (Div. of Libraries), Johanna Tyson (Univ. Student Affairs – SHC)
District 4
Ashley Bisono (SPS), Atitya Chhor (Wagner), Peggy Dadaille (Steinhardt), Joshua Murray (SPS), Destiny Rodriguez (Wagner), Miriam Romero (GPH)
District 5
Ashara Bell (SVP Finance & Budget/CFO), Michael Jackson (Capital Projects), Jalisa Williams (Capital Projects)
District 6
Molly Brown (Tisch), Kamille Claudel-Bronson (Law), Trena Crockett (Law), Ivy Garcia (Gallatin) Daniella Joseph (Tisch), Jenna Kass (Law), Madison Kelts (Law), David Warlock-Peer (Law), Joel Wynn (Law)
DIGITAL UNION MEMBERSHIP CARDS
Digital union membership cards are provided by our state federation, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT). They are available approximately three months after you have completed your UCATS membership form. We provide updated membership lists to NYSUT monthly and it can take them a couple of weeks after that to upload our file into their database. To obtain your digital membership card you must first go to nysut.org and create your login.
BECOME A DIGITAL UNION ACTIVITIST
Our state and national federations, The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) are on the front lines fighting for academic freedom, advocating for public education, and defending our social safety net programs.
YOU can support the cause(s) from your phone or computer! Visit their member action websites, find the issues and write/call your members of Congress.
NYSUT Member Action Center
AFT Take Action
NEW YORK IS A UNION TOWN!
The New York City Central Labor Council is your resource for labor news and actions throughout the city. When you see a union action in your neighborhood take a flyer, spend some time on a picket line, sign a petition, and let the workers know that they have your support.
NYU CYBERSECURITY BREACH HOTLINE
NYU has established a hotline (855-549-2511) to receive and respond to questions about the incident. Once the investigation is complete, the University will provide notice, in accordance with applicable law, with respect to personal information that was subject to unauthorized access in connection with this incident, and the hotline will continue to be available as a resource to answer questions.
CREDIT COUNSELING & DEBT MANAGEMENT
Cambridge Credit Counseling (endorsed by the New York State United Teachers Member Benefits Corporation*) has been assisting consumers with credit and debt resolution issues for more than 25 years.
Cambridge features nationally-certified counselors who can help with determining the most appropriate course of action for your specific situation.
To speak with a Cambridge Certified Counselor, call toll-free
888-254-0398 or click here to learn more.
*As a member of UCATS you are also a member of NYSUT and eligible for all NYSUT Member Benefits.
STUDENT LOAN CENTER
New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Student Loan Center provides help managing your student loan debt.
The NYSUT Member Benefits Corporation-endorsed Cambridge Credit Counseling program can assist NYSUT members with better understanding their student loan re-payment options and/or debt consolidation. Cambridge has been assisting consumers with eliminating debt for more than 20 years and features nationally-certified counselors who will work with you to determine the most appropriate course of action for your specific debt situation.
NYSUT members are eligible to receive free, no-obligation, debt and student loan consultations with one of Cambridge’s certified counselors.
BUY UNION MADE in AMERICA!
Every year the AFL-CIO updates shopping lists and suggested products around holidays and other major events that are made in America and union-made.
Working people in unions value the hard work and craftsmanship that goes into the products and services we make and provide.
That’s why buying “Made in America” products is an important act of solidarity that promotes good jobs in the United States.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT
between
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
and
UNION OF CLERICAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL STAFF AT NYU
LOCAL 3882, NYSUT, AFT, NEA, AFL-CIO
November 1, 2023 – October 31, 2029
Appendix D courses are non-credit courses for which NYU has agreed to reimburse our members for the usual 20% copayment upon completion of the course.Appendix D courses are updated each semester based on course availability and member requests.
What every member needs to know.
Officers
Kate Conroy
President
For entire leadership team please click on button below.
Members are the Union!
Every 2 years UCATS members elect Shop Stewards and Officers to form our Executive Council (EC). The EC is the governing body of UCATS and meets once a month on the 2nd Monday of each month. The current term runs from January 1, 2023 to April 30, 2025, because our Collective Bargaining Agreement with NYU expired October 31, 2023 and the EC recently voted to hold early elections in September 2022 so that our team was in place by January 2023 to begin bargaining team development. The upcoming EC term will be May 1, 2025-April 30, 2027.
The election process begins with an announcement of the election to our members and the publication of the responsibilities of council members. That will be followed by a membership meeting where members nominate the people they wish to represent them on the EC. An Election Committee will follow up with each nominee to confirm that they wish to serve on the council if elected.
The election will conclude in April. All UCATS members are eligible to run for shop steward positions; members running for officer positions must be employed by NYU for at least 6 months. Notice of meetings/elections are currently posted to our website and will be sent by email and USPS mail in February.
UCATS History of Achievement
In 1979 clerical and technical workers at NYU voted to form their own union. We were chartered by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) as The United Staff Association at NYU, Local 3882. In 2003, we rebranded ourselves as The Union of Clerical, Administrative & Technical Staff at NYU – UCATS, Local 3882. Since 1979, we have steadily improved the wages, benefits and working conditions for all UCATS members.
Our success is due to the participation, strength and resolve of UCATS members. Our rights, protections, wages and benefits are spelled out in our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) often referred to as the union contract. Unlike personnel policy manuals or employee handbooks, our CBA is legally enforceable because it is a contract.
UCATS has successfully negotiated wage increases for members every year since 1979 while there have been a number of years when non-union NYU employees have received no raise at all.
The UCATS CBA guarantees that all members receive equal pay for equal work. In unionized workplaces, women earn on average 23.8% more, Black workers earn 26% more and Latino workers earn 39.2% more than in non-unionized workplaces. Even brand-new employees hired into UCATS Local 3882-represented positions earn thousands of dollars more each year because the starting salaries include every raise UCATS has negotiated since it was formed in 1979.
UCATS members have protection from unjust discipline, discharge, and arbitrary treatment – something non-union workers never have.
UCATS Local 3882 is run by the members―you and your coworkers. Your shop stewards, officers, and even the president of the UCATS, are NYU employees like yourself who volunteer their free time to work for you. Your UCATS elected leaders know first-hand what it is like to work for NYU. For many years now, we also have hired professional staff to assist us in representing members in grievances, issues of concern, contract bargaining and the day-to-day administration of the Local.
All the rights, wages and benefits in our CBA have been won at the negotiating table by the determination, strength, and participation of UCATS members like you. Nothing was given freely by NYU out of kindness. Your elected shop stewards and officers ensure that NYU respects our contract and you.
What does a union do for its members?
Being a part of a union and having a union contract provides all members with legally enforceable rights, protections, wages, and benefits. A union is also your trusted source for accurate information about everything related to your employment.
Without a union:
– there is no protection from unfair discipline, discharge or arbitrary treatment:
– the boss can pay one worker less than another for doing the same work;
– wages, annual wage increases and benefits are not guaranteed;
– you have to trust the boss for information about your rights and benefits.
UCATS members have 51 pages of rights, protections, and guaranteed wages and benefits in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). In addition, UCATS hires professional staff who help us negotiate the CBA and who support and represent members with enforcing our contractual rights and addressing workplace concerns.
Why is it important for me to be a member of UCATS?
Our union is as strong as our membership.
The union is our organization – the 1300 clerical and technical employees at NYU are UCATS. As a union, we have the legal right to negotiate with NYU over our wages, benefits and working conditions.
By working and standing together, we are able to make significant gains when we negotiate our Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) periodically and when we are addressing issues of concern in the workplace.
UCATS members democratically decide on bargaining priorities; elect members to serve as our officers, stewards, and bargaining team members; vote on contracts, and make all the major decisions about our union.
Union Dues: How much are they and why do we pay them?
UCATS Member Dues:
One week of your base wage x .0625 per month, deducted from the first paycheck of the month.
Unions are self-funded organizations. Without all of us paying union dues, we couldn’t have our own organization.
Union dues pay for the professional staff we hire to oversee the daily business of our union and who represent members in grievances and investigatory meetings.
Dues also pay for our union office, telephones, computers, office equipment and supplies in the UCATS office, the cost of arbitrations to enforce our rights, the fees for bookkeeping and required annual audits; and much more.
Each year UCATS conducts an annual audit as required by our national union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), which is sent to each member when completed.
There is a huge union advantage. Union employees on average earn 11.2% more than non-union employees. All 51 pages in our CBA reflect all the things we have gained as a result of having our union since 1979.
Why am I getting mail from NYSUT/AFT/NEA/AFL-CIO?
As a member of UCATS, you are also a member of:
NYSUT – New York State United Teachers
AFT – American Federation of Teachers
NEA – National Education Association
AFL-CIO – American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations.
What this means for you is that you can take advantage of the benefits each of these affiliates offer to their members. Links to their member benefits websites are in the Member Benefits section of our website. What these organizations do for our leadership team is they provide us with training and assistance when issues arise that are beyond the scope of our
expertise.
Why should I sign up for UCATS email?
Email is the fastest and most efficient means we have to communicate with all members. Many of our communications, such as notices of membership meeting and elections, we are required by law to send to every UCATS member (the Landrum-Griffin Law). We also use email to alert members to new benefits when they are offered by NYSUT/AFT/NEA/AFL-CIO. Email saves time and trees.
MEMBER BENEFITS
The benefits you receive from your employment at NYU are negotiated for you by UCATS and are articulated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
As a member of UCATS, however, you are also a member of New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the American Federation of teachers (AFT), the National Education Association (NEA), and the AFL-CIO. Each of these labor federations has a member benefits website and as a UCATS member you are entitled to take advantage of the benefits they offer.
- NYSUT Member Benefits
- AFT Member Benefits
- NEA Member Benefits
- AFL-CIO Member Benefits
- FREE Life Insurance from NEA
- NYU $50,000 Life Insurance Plan Description
- NYU $50,000 Life Insurance Claim Form
- NYU $50.000 Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation Form
- NYU Planning for Retirement
In some cases there may be a notation that a particular benefit is not available to members in New York State; all that means is that a comparable or better version of that benefit is available from NYSUT Member Benefits. For most NYSUT/AFT/NEA benefits you will need your NYSUT member ID number which is on your NYSUT Membership card. If you don’t have your NYSUT membership card you can call NYSUT toll-free at 800-342-9810; press 0 for the operator and ask to be connected to the Membership Records Department.
RIGHT NOW! – You should click the FREE Life Insurance from NEA and name your beneficiary to ensure a prompt payout in the event of your death.
PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT
NYU’s Planning for Retirement webpage has information on all of your benefits as an NYU retiree, including RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE.
Employees Hired After 12/31/2020
Benefit Plan Rates (Medical/Dental/Vision)
Be sure to click on the MORE BENEFITS link.
Here are some retiree benefits you may not be aware of:
VSP Retiree Discount Vision Plan – FREE for retirees
Health Advocate – FREE for retirees
$30,000 Basic Life Insurance – FREE for retirees
MetLife Dental for retirees – Rates vary depending on where you live.
Currently (2020) $24.50-$34.75 monthly.
UNION NEGOTIATED NYU STAFF PENSION PLAN
The Summary Plan Description for the NYU Staff Pension Plan will answer most questions about our defined benefit pension plan;
Aon is the administrator of the NYU Staff Pension Plan. On their website you can estimate your pension and learn how to apply for your pension when you are ready to retire.
How is my union-negotiated NYU Staff Pension calculated?
The math for determining your union-negotiated defined benefit pension can be found on page 15 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Article 20. If, having applied for your pension, you believe that Aon has miscalculated your benefit, you should first contact Aon for an explanation/resolution. If they do not explain/resolve the issue to your satisfaction then you should contact PeopleLink, NYU’s benefits and payroll service center, at [email protected] or 212-992-5465.
Effective November 1, 2024:
US Bank will become the payor of pension benefits for the NYU Staff Pension Plan (SPP). This change is the result of the current pension benefit payor, Vanguard, discontinuing its pension payment services at the end of 2024.
Aon will remain the SPP pension plan administrator.
Individuals receiving monthly pension payments will receive two notifications:
1. From Aon/NYU: A letter will be sent at the end of September advising pensioners of the change in payor. The form of benefit payment previously elected by the pensioners (direct deposit, check, etc.) will continue with US Bank. Pensioners will be provided with phone numbers to call AON or NYU if they have questions, and will be advised that they will receive a direct communication from US Bank in the next few weeks.
2. From US Bank: A letter will be sent in mid-October by US Bank introducing themselves to pensioners as their new pension paying agent. Pensioners will be provided with an FAQ document, instructions on how to register on US Bank’s online portal, as well as a Retirement Services hotline number they can call with questions.
What happens if I am vested in the NYU Staff Pension Plan but leave NYU before retirement age?
You are vested if you have worked at NYU at least 5 years. Your participation in the Plan ends on your last day of employment. Vested balances below $5,000 will be distributed as a lump sum payment. You may elect lump sum payment if the present value of your benefit is more than $7,000 but less than $50,000. It is recommended that you seek professional tax advice before receiving a distribution. For more information or to request a distribution, contact Aon at 855-632-5016. If the present value is greater than $50,000 you will have to wait until retirement age and apply to receive your pension then; see the Summary Plan Description for details when you can apply.
TIAA-CREF
If you are enrolled in the TIAA-CREF Supplemental Tax Deferred Annuity Plan, contact NYU Retirement Plans Helpline at TIAA at 844-NYU-TIAA (844-698-8422) to learn how to start receiving withdrawals in retirement. You will probably want to schedule an appointment with a TIAA-CREF advisor.
SOCIAL SECURITY/MEDICARE:
CLICK HERE to apply for Social Security Retirement benefits and Medicare.
Location
UCATS, Local 3882
636 Broadway, Room 520
New York, NY 10012
Tel.: 646-602-1485
Fax: 646-602-9554
Email: [email protected]
