Announcements & Events

Announcements

• VOTE-COPE: Building VOTE-COPE coordinators recently, or will soon be, contacting you. I hope that each of you will consider increasing your VOTE-COPE contributions to $100 annually. It is our most effective means of supporting children, education and the rights of workers. Your VOTE-COPE coordinators are listed on the website's VOTE-COPE page..
• The gap between the rich and the poor is getting bigger each year in the US. Wall Street would have us believe that the rich must get richer for the US to compete—I guess their mamas never taught them not to lie! Read the Article: “Greater Equality; The Hidden Key to Better Health and Higher Scores” http://www.aft.org/pdfs/americaneducator/spring2011/Wilkinson.pdf. This article demonstrates that nations with a more even distribution of wealth are superior to those with a greater disparity. “Health and social problems are more common in countries with bigger income inequalities.”
• VCTA Budget Meeting: Our annual VCTA Budget Meeting will take place at 4:00 in the Union Office on April 4, 2011.
• Local Rally on April 4, 2011; 4:30pm; Corner of Union Avenue and Route 17K, Newburgh, NY: On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, where he was supporting sanitation workers demanding their dream: the right to bargain collectively for a voice at work and a better life. Today, that same demand is electrifying people across America. It's the demand of all people—black, white, Latino and Asian American: the right to join together for our common dreams. Join us April 4, 2011 to STAND IN SOLIDARITY with working people in Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana and across this nation where well-funded, right-wing corporate politicians are trying to take away the rights Dr. King sacrificed his life to protect. It's time to show WE ARE ONE! [Rally Flyer]
• Times Square, NYC Rally; April 9, 2011; 12:00pm: The NYS AFL-CIO has secured permits for a mass rally in Times Square for noon Saturday, April 9th. The rally will culminate the national AFL-CIO's We Are One Week of Action. NYSUT was taking the lead in organizing a rally as part of its upcoming Representative Assembly, when it reached out and asked the AFL-CIO to join them. That grew into the joint rally. We will now show solidarity and join our 3,000 RA delegates and guests with thousands of AFL-CIO members expected from around the state. The RA will be suspended at 11 a.m. on the 9th and the entire body will march en masse from the Hilton NY to Times Square, where they will stand as one with our sisters and brothers from public and private-sector unions. The rally will build on the momentum generated by the events in Wisconsin, focusing on protecting our right to bargain collectively and the right of unions even to exist. All of you are welcome to join this rally. Hopefully a nice spring day in the city will provide you with a nice getaway as well while together, we will defend our unions, our professions and our members. [Rally Flyer]
• Check Pay Stubs: Please be sure to double check your paycheck for accuracy each pay period.
• Dental/Vision/College Verification:  Fax your information to:

  • Maggie Rosado

  • FAX # 516-396-5588
• Dental/Vision―Use of SS#:  Written requests to stop using your social security number and start using "Valley Central 1234" (i.e., last 4 digits of SS#) should be mailed to:

• Member Services

• SIDS/ASO

• P.O. Box 9005

• Lynbrook, New York  11563

• Claims Reimbursements:  Due to fiscal restrictions on school districts regarding reimbursements from the State Auditor's Office, please submit all claim forms from September to January by the end of January and all claim forms from February to June by the end of June. If you were given verbal instructions in the past that differ from this, disregard those instructions. NOTE: If reimbursements are due to grant work, the claim form must be submitted while the grant is active. Please discuss this with CO to ensure that submissions for grant work are timely.

• AFL-CIO Do Buy List:  There are companies that play naughty and some that play nice. As you compose your holiday list and make vacation plans, be a good union shopper. Reward merchants who are included on the AFL-CIO's "do buy" list for their good-faith bargaining and fair labor practices. Below are just a few "do buy" companies from the list, with emphasis given to those located in New York and surrounding states. Go to http://www.unionlabel org to locate many more.

• Auto & Home Insurance Discount:  View our Member Discounts and Savings page to receive additional savings on your auto and home insurance premiums from a local vendor.

• Do Not Call Registry:  It is recommended that members register with the Do Not Call Registry to prevent unwanted phone solicitations. Many of our members have been receiving annoying phone calls from First Investors out of Newburgh. First Investors was able to access your telephone numbers by coordinating your name on the VCSD website with the 411.com search engine. One of their representatives also bad-mouthed teacher unions in his conversation with one of our members. Needless to say First Investors will no longer have access to our members through payroll deduction.

Old Announcements

• One Nation Rally at Washington, DC, October 2nd: Select this link to view information on NYSUT's website about this event. NYSUT has buses to the event leaving from the Tarrytown Office and from the Palisades Mall. The VCTA is willing to pay the $20 cost for the bus for any member who would like to attend this important historic event. For more information and to register email Tim Brown.

• Richard H. Aderson "Make a Difference" 2010 Award:  Nominations due by November 15

• Defensive Driver Course: The VCTA is willing to sponsor a Defensive Driver Course on either October 19 and 21 or October 26 and 28 from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at the HS. The cost will be $40 and we will need at least 10 participants to run the course. If you would like to attend this course, email Tim Brown ASAP so he can make the arrangements. Let Tim know if you cannot attend one of the dates. This will be used to determine which dates are selected.

• Fall Fest October 29:  Osiris Country Club.
  Art Work Needed: Anyone interested in working on some art work/drawings for the Echoes and/or website, please contact Tim Brown or Meghan Rilley.

• Phone Height: If there is an issue with the height of a recently installed classroom phone, follow your building procedure to bring it to Chris Mohr’s attention.

• Lynn Ciganek:  Lynne, wife of Bob Ciganek, a retired English teacher and HS Department Chair has passed away after losing her battle to cancer. Our sympathies go out to Bob and his family. Select this link to view the obituary from the Daily Star:  http://thedailystar.com/obituaries/x2035757261/Lynn-Haring-Ciganek