(sent April 10, 2014)
Sisters and Brothers:
On behalf of our new team of NYSUT officers, thank you for your record-breaking participation in last week's elections and the NYSUT Representative Assembly. I'm honored to be your president, and to serve with the great team elected at the RA. We promised to be the collective voice for change that public officials can't ignore -- and developments this week suggest that message is already getting through.
I spoke yesterday with Gov. Cuomo, who called to re-establish communications with NYSUT. No, we haven't endorsed Gov. Cuomo and that's not what this is about. We are, however, going to seize every opportunity to be the voice he can't ignore, and this is a step in that direction. We will forcefully and specifically communicate the impact his harmful policies are having on our members and our communities, and push for the changes we are collectively demanding. As I said at the RA, we will defend public education and public service. Period!
In an unprecedented outreach, State Education Commissioner John King called on my first day as your president and asked to meet. That meeting at NYSUT headquarters is coming up. This was a clear response to our unanimous vote of "no confidence" at the RA and opens a channel of communications that we will maximize on your behalf. Our "no confidence" resolution has delivered an unmistakable message.
With great support from NYSUT staff, we are hard at work. In our first week, we began developing NYSUT's next budget with a focus on maximizing resources and minimizing expenses. We are dedicated to ensuring NYSUT's continued financial health, strengthening transparency, and making sure your dues dollars are used wisely. We will be traveling to every corner of the state to meet with you, our members, and every NYSUT constituency so that our collective wisdom and experience can shape the future of NYSUT. Above all, we are committed to serving every member, leader and local.
I'm grateful for all that you have done, and all you will do, as together, we fight the battles that lie ahead and answer the call to "BE THE UNION."
In solidarity,
Karen Magee
NYSUT President
P.S. Our news briefing format will resume next week. Here's more RA news and media coverage.
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