SEBAC Agreement Passes CT House and Senate

Dear Colleagues,

Today is a historic day! 

After two years of negotiations, countless meetings, and many hours of debate with the UConn Health Administration and the Governor’s office, and a historic vote by the membership, our contract has been voted on by both the House (96 yes to 52 no) and in the Senate (33 yes to 1 no)! 

The current contract is retroactive from July 2021 and will not only provide you with the retroactive raise and bonus you deserve but will also provide additional benefits to help you navigate your work. We are grateful that the Governor and the House and Senate have recognized your dedication and flexibility during these challenging times.

Please refer to the Contract for new proposals.

For those who haven’t joined UCHC-AAUP, the time is now!  Feel free to send in the e-form and become a member today.  The member sign-up form is here. Please email the signed form to Terri Reid (admin@uchc-aaup.org) at your earliest convenience.

Kind regards,

Ibrahim, Ion, and Laura

Testimony by AAUP to the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee

Dr. Ibrahim Elali, President, UCHC-AAUP

Dr. Ion Moraru, Vice President, UCHC-AAUP

Dr. Laura Haynes, Secretary-Treasurer, UCHC-AAUP

Testimonies by AAUP to the Appropriations Committee

Ibrahim Elali, President, UCHC-AAUP

Dr. Ion Moraru, Vice President, UCHC-AAUP

Dr. Laura Haynes, Secretary Treasurer, UCHC-AAUP

Readers Speak: State caused UConn Health’s debt

Readers Speak Anthony Luciano

UCHC-AAUP President responds to Kevin Rennie letter to the Editor in the Hartford Courant

Kevin Rennie wrote a letter to the editor in the Hartford Courant with misinformation about UConn Health.  Please see President Elali’s response, on behalf of UCHC-AAUP,  below.

Let’s Ring in the New Year with Facts!

Kevin Rennie’s January 1 column rang in the New Year with convenient misinformation about UConn Health (UCH) and those of us working for the public good at our state’s only public academic medical center. To be clear, UConn Health would be profitable, with employee fringe rates comparable to neighboring institutions, if the State stopped imposing outrageous surcharges ($53m in FY 21) to cover Connecticut’s historic unfunded liability costs. This is the source of the problem.

UConn Health provides essential public access to world-class clinical care for all of Connecticut’s citizens, including those on Medicaid, the underinsured and the uninsured. UCH ultimately generates more than $2.2 billion in statewide economic impact every year.  

 In addition:

• Our researchers are awarded over $100 million in grants annually.
• UCH houses the state’s only public dental clinic.
• Our medical and dental schools train tomorrow’s physicians, dentists, and researchers; the single largest source of Connecticut’s healthcare professionals living and working in the state. 
• UCH provides opportunities for affordable medical and dental education, reducing healthcare delivery disparity.

UConn Health is a public academic healthcare delivery and bioscience hub, part of a bigger picture, addressing crises such as COVID-19 while providing our residents with equal access to health care. Portraying UCH as a burden to the state and employees as greedy is a false narrative from the few intent on union busting and privatization. Enough already. Let’s move forward together to overcome this pandemic and to continue to provide our residents with the excellent, affordable care they deserve. 

Ibrahim Elali, M.D.

UCHC-AAUP President

(The union representing over 600 UConn Health physicians, scientists, and dentists)

P.S. The data included in this letter was obtained from UConn Health.

Join Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro this Thursday 9.10.20 3pm to 4pm RSVP Here at link:

DeLauro-UConn-AAUP-9.10.20-Virtual-Zoom-Event

UCH and legislative initiatives

There’s a lot going on!

On Monday, representatives from UCH unions addressed the UCH Board of Directors and urged them to support keeping UCH a public hospital. President Kevin Claffey, Dr. Laks, and Dr. Audrey Chapman, Ph.D. spoke on behalf of UCHC-AAUP.  Please click here for text.  Everyone did an excellent job and thank you for making your way to the meeting in spite of the storm!

Tomorrow is the State Appropriations Committee hearing at 5:30pm.  Please let us know if you can attend or send in testimony.

Our suggestion for the content of testimony is that it argue in support of funding our public hospital. The content could focus on the care we provide to the public, our research and educational efforts for the public good.  We also want to support legislative relief for the high unfunded liability fringe cost, specifically as it relates to research.

All are welcome as we are trying to have a good showing.  It will also be a great opportunity for us to meet with our lobbyist to discuss legislative happenings.

On Feb. 21, UCH scientists testified at the Higher Ed Committee seeking relief from the high costs of the unfunded pension liability passed on to research grants. Scientists also submitted testimony online.  If you’d like to see the testimony, please click here.  Thank you to everyone who provided testimony!

If you are not currently a member of UCHC-AAUP, we encourage you to join our advocacy organization. Please click here for a membership form.

Kevin Claffey, Dr. Laks, and Audrey

Chapman after speaking with BOD on Monday.

March Science 2018

This Saturday is the 2018 March for Science in Hartford! While technically not a ‘march’ there will be a gathering with exhibitors and speakers from 12noon-3pm.  

The gathering is at the Minuteman Park (at 328 Capitol Ave, next to the Legislative Office Building) and is hosted by March for Science, Hartford in conjunction with the 2018 March for Science.   

Please see this FAQ for important information if you’re planning to attend. *  

Kind Regards,  

UCHC-AAUP Team  

PS. Here’s an article about the March for Science organization from Science magazine at http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/04/2018-march-science-will-be-far-more-street-protests 

*From the FAQ- The Connecticut Citizens Defense League is holding a pro-gun rally at the Capitol the same date as the March for Science. The Legislative Office building provides a large physical barrier between the two events, and both Capitol and Hartford police will be present at the CCDL rally. We do not anticipate any problems, but please be aware that this is occurring.

Let’s stand together in the face of a possible national ‘right to work’ decision by the Supreme Court!

By Cindy Polinsky, Executive Director

Last week we commemorated the 50th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. (assassinated the day after he supported striking sanitation workers). His words still ring true and wise. The quote in the photo above is about so-called right to work states, the slogan that means that everyone in the union receives the same benefits whether they pay dues or not. Unions are much weaker in the divisive environment of ‘right to work’ states. The upcoming Janus decision threatens to weaken public sector union across the country. We’re asking everyone to stick together by signing new membership forms. The new forms will provide members an annual window in which you can withdraw your membership. Of course, we want to encourage everyone to stay in the union! To see more information about the impact ‘right to work’ legislation, click here. (click here to download a card. After you sign it, contact me at executive.director@uchc-aaup.org and I will come pick it up!)

Why Trump’s N.I.H. Cuts Should Worry Us

Last week I was in London to participate in a scientific symposium. During coffee breaks, many British colleagues asked me and other American visitors to explain the bewildering news that President Trump had announced his intention to cut the budget for the National Institutes of Health by 18.3 percent, about $5.8 billion.