COVID-19 Special Announcement: Essential Employee Concerns

Many of our members have raised questions regarding their sudden designation as an essential employee, and are apprehensive about coming to campus in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.  At both the Chapter and Statewide level, UUP is fighting to address our members’ serious and legitimate concerns surrounding these issues. Our collective voice successfully won an extended spring break by a week, and got hot water turned back on in floors 1-5 of Melville Library.

Click here to view statewide President Fred Kowal’s UUP Coronavirus Update.

UUP Statewide has reached an agreement with the State of New York to allow employees to telecommute, or work from an alternate location. The agreement provides that, where it is operationally feasible, telecommuting requests should be granted to the greatest extent possible. This policy is an attempt to strike a balance between protecting our members health and safety while reducing the spread of COVID-19, and ensuring that the essential work that is performed on SUNY campuses continues to the extent practical.

We have many unresolved concerns that we communicated to the administration last week, yet they cancelled our meeting yesterday. We are hoping the administration will quickly reschedule. We are calling on management to allow UUP chapter leadership to be included in the conversation so that we can proactively be part of the planning process.  In the face of resistance, we will continue to make this demand, and in the spirit of transparency, we will update you as soon as new information is received.

Please know in this time of uncertainty we are here to listen and help triage your concerns.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of the following chapter officers:

Click here to view UUP Covid-19 web resources.

Please note that any members with medical issues should call the Human Resources Hotline (631) 632-5000.