The rights of employees to the presence of a union steward during investigatory interviews was announced by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1975 in NLRB v. J. Weingarten, Inc. Since that case involved a clerk being investigated by the Weingarten Company, these rights have become known as Weingarten Rights.  An investigatory inverview occurs when a supervisor questions an employee to obtain information that could be used as a basis for dicipline or asks an employee to defend his or her conduct.

June 4, 2015

We have come to a critical point in Negotiations. Your voices have been heard! Thank you to those that have sent letters and emails stating your positions on the District’s proposals. The Team has represented all unit members through the proposals we have made to the District. The Team has yet to receive counter-proposals to most of the proposals that were presented, and have yet to receive any proposals we fully agree with. We continue the fight for a salary increase, an increased District contribution to medical benefits, and K-3 preparation time equity.

The June 2015 issue of NYSTRS' Resource newsletter is now available on the NYSUT website. Download the newsletter

RC 23 President Dennis Flamenbaum has provided a link to the Spring 2015 edition of Retiree Organizer, the NYSUT newletter for retiree leaders.

The Comptroller's Office announced that the state is on track to end Fiscal Year 2015 with a $115.9-million deficit.  This reflects a decrease of $49.2 million over last month's projection.   While Fiscal Year 2016 officially began July 1st, a final deficit for Fiscal Year 2015 will be determined later this year after the state’s financial books have been audited and closed.

Click here to read Comptroller Lembo's press release.

 Posted 7/2/2015

http://www.irs.govAny legitimate inquiry from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will only come by mail.  The IRS does not make phone contacts nor use email or text messages.

The Group Insurance Board announced that they had accepted the recommendations of the Segal Consulting Group.  It's clear that the changes will add significantly to the employee's costs.  In addition to newly added deductibles and fixed co-pays instead of co-insurance, it sounds like the dental coverage will be removed and offered as a separate, voluntary program.

Read the Segal Report

FARGO, N.D. - The average salary of a public schoolteacher in North Dakota has risen steadily in recent years, though it still falls below the national average.

A decade ago, North Dakota teachers made an average of $36,695, which was less than what teachers made in 48 other states.

Madison, WI: Responding to the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee’s expected vote to slash $250 million in UW System funding and remove legislative protections for academic freedom and shared governance, union members in the UW System condemned the funding cuts and called on System and campus administrations to protect academic freedom. “Today’s move by JFC Republicans to pay for Scott Walker’s tax breaks for his wealthy donors by slashing public education is shameful,” said Eleni Schirmer, a UW-Madison graduate student and co-president of the Teaching Assistants’ Association, AFT local 3220.