UUP marks start of contract negotiations with state
n early February, United University Professions gathered to mark the start of contract negotiations with New York state. A hybrid kick-off event on Feb. 3, hosted by UUP President Fred Kowal and the union’s negotiations team, drew strong attendance in person and online — with 800 members joining virtually — demonstrating membership strength and a high level of optimism for this round of negotiations.
UUP leaders noted that the February start was the earliest in recent memory and emphasized the importance of reaching an agreement before the current four-year contract expires in July.
Kowal described the negotiations team as highly motivated. “We want to work hard and get the best possible contract done before our current contract expires.”
Before the first negotiation session on Feb. 4, Alissa Karl, statewide vice president for academics at UUP and an associate professor of English at SUNY Brockport, stressed the importance of a strong contract for the union’s 41,000 members, who work at campuses across the state as well as academic medical centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse.
“We’ve got a really diverse bargaining unit — all kinds of titles, all kinds of situations — so we need to have an agreement that speaks to everyone.”
Key issues for members include fair compensation, job security, maintaining accessible and affordable healthcare, concerns related to artificial intelligence, and protections from federal overreach.