Read the NYT article , which reports that the union representing scientists and technicians at NASA criticizes the NASA administrator for giving misleading testimony about an air safety report at a Congressional hearing. –Suzanne Verderber

From an email sent from Kye Carbone to the membership, November 29, 2007 Dear UFCT Member: This is the second in a series of emails to UFCT members regarding our recently concluded contract negotiations. Hopefully, these emails will serve to explain in more detail the "how" and "why" of negotiations. Once a 'Memorandum of Understanding' (MOU) is vetted by the negotiating team and signed, copies will be distributed to all voting members of the UFCT. At that time, a meeting wi

LOCAL NEWS Dear UFCT Member: I am pleased to announce that on Tuesday, November 20th, at about 10PM, the UFCT and Pratt Administration reached agreement on what would be (upon ratification) a four year contract effective September 1, 2007 thru August 31, 2011. Although there remain some small items and details in need of clarification and resolution, the heart of this settlement is a considerable win for our entire bargaining unit. Shortly, a 'Settlement Agreement' (as yet

The process of evaluating faculty at Pratt for retention and promotion is called the "ARPT" process. ARPT stands for Appointment, Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure. Article XVI of the CBA enumerates the procedures for ARPT. Each department has an ARPT or so-called: "PART", "CART" or [Faculty] ‘Peer Review Committee.' When a faculty member applies for any "action", i.e. reappointment, status change, promotion and/or tenure, their application package is first submitted to t

Read Max Fraser's piece from The Nation on how the latest UAW negotiations for the top three American auto makers are eroding the union from within. This provides insight on the challenges of unions within the context of globalization (and "reverse globalization," that is, foreign firms like Toyota and Nissan setting up shop in the U.S. and establishing low wages and undermining unions in areas of the country that have a weak union tradition). –Suzanne Verderber

Local News Dear UFCT Members: The following members have volunteered to serve on the UFCT's Elections Committee: (1) Kathryn Filla (ID,...

GLOBAL NEWS The following article raises key issues related to academic freedom. What is the meaning of “academic freedom” in the current, highly politicized environment in which we teach? Can restrictions be placed upon teachers in terms of their right to speak out about political issues like the Iraq War? Isn’t informing students about the current political environment an important part of “teaching”? Can any subject matter really be politically or ideologically neutra

Global News On November 26, 2007, I attended a candlelight vigil organized by the United Federation of Teachers held outside the Department of Education headquarters at 52 Chambers Street. Despite a steady drizzle (the UFT provided candles and rain ponchos), hundreds of New York City public school teachers turned out, as did the police and the local media. At issue is the status of tenure for K-12 teachers. –Suzanne Verderber The UFT website cites a November 15, 2007 New Y

Global News On November 20, 2007, the New York Times published a front-page story with the headline “Decline of the Tenure Track Raises Concerns.” We are pleased that the Times has finally seen fit to give prominent coverage to a longstanding problem in hiring practices in higher education that should be of major concern to not only faculty, but to parents and students paying the exorbitant cost of a college education, incurring loans that will last decades. The Pratt facul

Global News An interesting split appears to be developing within the AFL-CIO between the leadership and the locals concerning presidential endorsements and for-profit, employer-based plans and a national, single-payer, not-for-profit plan. Read the article at Commondreams.org. –Suzanne Verderber