From: Fred Kowal <fkowal@uupmail.org>
Date: Fri, Feb 7, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Subject: Trump Administration Actions/UUP Response
To: Fred Kowal <fkowal@uupmail.org>
Dear Colleagues:
The message below was sent to Chapter Presidents yesterday.
Over the past two weeks, you’ve heard from statewide Vice President Alissa Karl and me concerning the freeze on grants and other funding from the federal government as announced by the Trump Administration.
Despite the fact that several federal judges have put a halt to this unconstitutional step, we are continuing in our efforts to be prepared—should such funding cuts or freezes occur through normal constitutional (i.e., congressional action) means—by gathering information from members who would be impacted by such actions. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Alissa or me. To submit information—which will be used by AFT in its court actions to defend us all—please use this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/UUPFederalFreeze
The purpose of this email is to share information on two other major areas of action taken by the new regime in D.C. over the past couple of weeks that are disturbing and corrosive of our society’s stated commitment to freedom and equality.
First, the attack on agencies of the federal government and institutions across the country—including colleges, hospitals and schools—to end what the regime euphemistically calls “DEI” or “wokeness” is a thinly veiled racist attempt to undue the various steps taken over the past half century to undo de facto and de jure Jim Crow. These attacks are also clearly intended to undo progress towards equality for women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, among others.
Despite what the federal government might say, we at UUP acknowledge and value the range of identities within our LGBTQ+ community. We are committed to the value of diversity, of the importance of sharing different opinions and viewpoints and valuing different cultures. We are committed to the concept of equity as we strive to raise up all of our members.
This union has a long history of standing strong for social justice and we will continue to stand strong. We will raise our voices in defense of our students, our patients and our colleagues regardless of their race, creed, gender identity, sexual preference or ethnicity. The principle of solidarity extends beyond simple economic interests for members of a union. It is also central to what we do to ensure that the communities in which we live and work are founded on the principles of equality and justice for all.
Our efforts to diversify our union, from its leadership to its activist ranks, along with our constant advocacy for a more diverse faculty and professional staff and student body will not waiver or pause, regardless of what is promulgated by the regime in D.C. or actions taken by the unelected billionaires executing government actions.
Second, many of you have reached out to me out of a concern for our colleagues and students who may be targeted by the regime due to their immigration status. Again, regardless of what happens at the national or state level, we in UUP are committed to our students, patients and colleagues regardless of where they come from.
Among the several documents that are attached, there is a shareable/printable card from AFT that details the rights we all have, regardless of citizenship status. Also, there is a 2017 letter issued by the New York State Attorney General that is still relevant today. Lastly, there are three documents that come from SUNY leadership at the system level and at two of the SUNY hospitals. Those of you working at the latter institutions need to pay close attention to those documents. Those at non-hospital campuses should pay attention to the one from the Chancellor.
None of us are in a position to know about or determine the status of our students or colleagues. We also are not to respond with information about students or colleagues if asked to decide the legality of their status. If anyone approaches you with questions about your students, you should contact UPD at your campus immediately. You should also feel free to call your chapter office, or to reach out to my office. If federal agents are on campus, I need to know immediately so I can reach out to Chancellor and the Attorney General to ensure that everyone’s rights are protected.
Third, there is the massive attack on our union siblings working in the federal government. Elon Musk, the unelected billionaire implementer of Project 2025, has “offered” separation inducements that amount to a bribe to slash the federal workforce, destroy the work of federal agencies and will be followed by massive layoffs. Alongside this program (which is exactly what he did at X) specific agencies have received orders to cease their work and/or reply to loyalty questionnaires. As our AFL-CIO president, Liz Shuler, has stated so eloquently in terms of labor’s position on these steps…
Rejecting federal workers’ collective bargaining agreements is union busting, plain and simple. Now more than ever, federal workers need strong collective bargaining agreements so they are protected and can continue to do the essential work we all depend on: delivering Social Security and disability checks, caring for our veterans, or keeping our food and transportation safe. These attempts to break our contracts will not silence our voices.
We will stand in solidarity with our union siblings and all those who labor in the federal government to provide necessary services. Like them, we are public servants. We do the work that makes our state and nation better—healthier, wiser, safer and more equitable. As events unfold, there will certainly be opportunities to stand with them directly and I will share them with you.
I apologize for the length of this email, but much is happening that we must be aware of and respond to. And more will come, including direct attacks on the Department of Education, the Department of Labor and the NLRB, where steps have already been taken to disempower that important agency. But, information is power and our power is vital during this tumultuous and dangerous time for our country and the world. I urge you to stay informed, while also seeking out our natural allies – student groups, the University Faculty Senate, and community groups.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I anticipate that those of you who voted for Donald Trump may find some or much of this disagreeable. All I can say is that it does not matter who is president: When our values as a union are attacked, we will respond. We did so when Governor Cuomo attacked us and our institutions. We have no allegiance to a party, only to the interests and values of our union. This will never change.
In Solidarity – now more than ever…
Fred