New York State United Teachers

New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) was created in 1972 by the merger of the New York State Teachers Association (NYSTA) and the United Teachers of New York (UTNY). NYSTA had been affiliated with the National Education Association (NEA), and UTNY with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). UTNY was the statewide organization whose United Federation of Teachers (UFT), led by Albert Shanker, was the predominant teachers’ union in New York City. In joining with United Teachers and affiliating with the AFT, NYSUT also became a member union of the AFL-CIO.

In 1976, NYSUT voted to disaffiliate with the NEA. Some locals left NYSUT and created the NYEA (New York Educators Association), which became the state affiliate for the NEA. In the early 1980s, NYEA changed its name to NEA-NY.

NYEA/NEA-NY viewed association with the AFL-CIO’s industrial unions as undermining the professional image and independence of teachers. The two organizations also differed strongly on aspects of the governance structure, particularly with respect to ethnic minority representation, with NYSUT opposed to mandatory minimums. The rivalry between NYSUT and NYEA/NEA-NY in organizing new locals expended a great deal of resources for both labor organizations.

While competition with NYEA/NEA-NY was a constant focus of NYSUT’s organizing efforts for teachers, NYSUT was also organizing college faculty members, nurses, and other non-teaching personnel. Once members were organized, NYSUT continued to advocate for teachers’ and other workers’ rights through contract support and legal services at the local level and political involvement at the state and federal levels, supporting candidates and legislation that protected funding, due process, and working conditions.

NEA-N Y merged with NYSUT in 2006, by which time NYSUT had grown to more than half a million members, becoming the largest union in New York State.

The Division of Research and Educational Services was created in 1974-75 from the merger of three departments, the Research Department, the Professional Services Department, and the Instructional Improvement Department.

The Department of Instructional Improvement was funded in part by a federal grant; when the grant money was discontinued in 1973, it was merged with the Research Department. The Professional Services Department was a small group that worked on policies related to certification and teacher issues and also coordinated statewide teacher conferences mandated by education law, and merged with the Research Department during the same time period. The head of the Research Department, Charles Santelli, became the director of the merged Research and Instructional Improvement Department. The name was changed shortly thereafter, in 1974-75, to the Division of Research and Educational Services.

The division was placed under the purview of the Second Vice President, Antonia Cortese (in 1985, Cortese was elected First Vice President). Charles Santelli remained the director of the division until his retirement in September of 2010. Dan Kinley took over for Santelli and remains head of the department as of 2011.

The department works closely with NYSUT's Field Services, Program Services, and Legislation departments and provides support to NYSUT's committees and task forces. It provides information on salary and contracts, statistics, New York state learning standards, assessments, graduation requirements and accountability systems, special education, professional development, financial support of public education, and higher education. The department regularly designs and analyzes phone and internet surveys of members and the general public. It also prepares Information Bulletins and Briefing Bulletins on emerging educational issues at the state and federal level.

From the guide to the NYSUT Division of Research and Educational Services Files., 1960-1998, (Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library)

New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) was created in 1972 by the merger of the New York State Teachers Association (NYSTA) and the United Teachers of New York (UTNY). NYSTA had been affiliated with the National Education Association (NEA), and UTNY with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). UTNY was the statewide organization whose United Federation of Teachers (UFT), led by Albert Shanker, was the predominant teachers' union in New York City. In joining with United Teachers and affiliating with the AFT, NYSUT also became a member union of the AFL-CIO.

In 1976, NYSUT voted to disaffiliate with the NEA. Some locals left NYSUT and created the NYEA (New York Educators Association), which became the state affiliate for the NEA. In the early 1980s, NYEA changed its name to NEA-NY.

NYEA/NEA-NY viewed association with the AFL-CIO's industrial unions as undermining the professional image and independence of teachers. The two organizations also differed strongly on aspects of the governance structure, particularly with respect to ethnic minority representation, with NYSUT opposed to mandatory minimums. The rivalry between NYSUT and NYEA/NEA-NY in organizing new locals expended a great deal of resources for both labor organizations.

While competition with NYEA/NEA-NY was a constant focus of NYSUT's organizing efforts for teachers, NYSUT was also organizing college faculty members, nurses, and other non-teaching personnel. Once members were organized, NYSUT continued to advocate for teachers' and other workers' rights through contract support and legal services at the local level and political involvement at the state and federal levels, supporting candidates and legislation that protected funding, due process, and working conditions.

NEA-N Y merged with NYSUT in 2006, by which time NYSUT had grown to more than half a million members, becoming the largest union in New York State.

The Vice President's Office directs NYSUT's initiatives on educational policy and is its frontline advocate to the New York State Board of Regents and the State Education Department.

The Vice President's Office oversees the Division of Research and Educational Services, created in 1974, and the Education and Learning Trust (called the Effective Teaching Program until 2005), NYSUT's professional development arm.

Maria Neira was elected First Vice President in 2005 after serving as Second Vice President for six months; she succeeded Antonia Cortese, who had been First Vice President since 1985 after serving as Second Vice President since 1973. Cortese left NYSUT in 2004 to become executive vice president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Maria Neira also serves as a vice president of the AFT.

In 2007, the titles First Vice President and Second Vice President were changed simply to Vice President, with the duties of each carried over to the officers who held the former respective positions. Maria Neira remains the director of the divisions and programs traditionally under the first vice president's purview, and also coordinates NYSUT's fundraising activities for the American Cancer Society.

Vice President Kathleen Donahue, elected second vice president in 2005, oversees Program Services, which addresses the needs of NYSUT's health care professionals, members of small and rural locals, new members and retirees. It also provides training in workplace health and safety issues.

From the guide to the NYSUT Vice President's office files., 1969-2005, (Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library)

New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) was created in 1972 by the merger of the New York State Teachers Association (NYSTA) and the United Teachers of New York (UTNY). NYSTA had been affiliated with the National Education Association (NEA), and UTNY with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). UTNY was the statewide organization whose United Federation of Teachers (UFT), led by Albert Shanker, was the predominant teachers' union in New York City. In joining with United Teachers and affiliating with the AFT, NYSUT also became a member union of the AFL-CIO.

In 1976, NYSUT voted to disaffiliate with the NEA. Some locals left NYSUT and created the NYEA (New York Educators Association), which became the state affiliate for the NEA. In the early 1980s, NYEA changed its name to NEA-NY.

NYEA/NEA-NY viewed association with the AFL-CIO's industrial unions as undermining the professional image and independence of teachers. The two organizations also differed strongly on aspects of the governance structure, particularly with respect to ethnic minority representation, with NYSUT opposed to mandatory minimums. The rivalry between NYSUT and NYEA/NEA-NY in organizing new locals expended a great deal of resources for both labor organizations.

While competition with NYEA/NEA-NY was a constant focus of NYSUT's organizing efforts for teachers, NYSUT was also organizing college faculty members, nurses, and other non-teaching personnel. Once members were organized, NYSUT continued to advocate for teachers' and other workers' rights through contract support and legal services at the local level and political involvement at the state and federal levels, supporting candidates and legislation that protected funding, due process, and working conditions.

NEA-N Y merged with NYSUT in 2006, by which time NYSUT had grown to more than half a million members, becoming the largest union in New York State.

Alan Lubin was elected executive vice-president of NYSUT in September 1993. This was after having been an officer in the United Federation of Teachers for 26 years. Lubin has been on NYSUT's Board of Directors since 1973 and a vice-president of the American Federation of Teachers since 1993.

As a NYSUT VP Lubin oversaw legislative and political action programs and was the secretary-treasurer of NYSUT's political action fund, VOTE-COPE. Other programs he was instrumental in were the permanent cost-of-living adjustment for public retirees (COLA), Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE), and the New York State legal mandate that all schools have defibrillators.

In 2006 Lubin was a co- founder, with Bruce Ventimiglia, of the Business and Labor Coalition of New York (BALCONY). The coalition was formed to foster cooperation and consensus between business and labor communities on public policy. As of 2012, Lubin and Ventimiglia are still co-chairs of the coalition.

Over the years Alan Luben has received numerous awards: In 2008 Lubin received an award as an outstanding partner in the Capital District (Albany, NY) AIDS Walk. In 2004 he was the recipient of the Carolyn Holmes Humanitarian Award from the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the Champion of Labor Award from the New York state Democratic Party, and the "Advocate" Award from the New York state Chapter of the AFT Black Caucus. In 1999 he was awarded the UFT Charles Cogen Teacher Union Award. He won the Congressional Friends of Ellis Island Award in 1998.

Alan Lubin retired from NYSUT in January 2010.

From the guide to the NYSUT. Alan Lubin. Files., 2002-2008, (Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library)