About Labor Relations

Instructional Staff Labor Relations has a broad range of responsibilities in connection with the full-time and part-time Instructional Staff of the University. Applicable law, bylaws and regulations of the Board of Trustees, as well as the collective bargaining agreement with the PSC, mandate many of its functions.

Instructional Staff Labor Relations is responsible for the negotiation of the collective bargaining agreement with the PSC, in fulfillment of the University’s role as a public employer under Section 6208 of the New York State Education Law and Article 14 of the New York State Civil Service Law. Included in the unit’s responsibility for collective bargaining is the development and analysis of collective bargaining proposals and strategies, all labor negotiations with the union, coordination with the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations and the Mayor’s Office of Labor Relations, and developing procedures for, and oversight of, implementation of the collective bargaining agreement.

The unit is also responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of Instructional Staff personnel guidelines and procedures. It monitors the University’s compliance with State regulations, Board of Trustees’ policies, and contractual provisions. Among the specific areas it handles are:

• day-to-day administration of the PSC/CUNY collective bargaining agreement and development of procedures to ensure compliance and a consistent University-wide interpretation of its provisions;
• training of human resources and labor relations staff at the colleges in all aspects of contract interpretation and policy administration through individual guidance and group meetings;
• application of the relevant Board of Trustees’ policies;
• centralized review and tracking of fellowship leaves, faculty workload, and adjunct workload waiver requests;
• supervision of the exclusion of managerial and confidential employees in Instructional Staff titles from collective bargaining representation;
• resolution of payroll issues in consultation with the Office of Human Resources Management and appropriate State and City offices; and
• implementation of the agreement covering Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) employees.

Classified Staff Labor Relations

The major responsibility of this unit is to negotiate and administer labor agreements between the University and the unions representing both the “White Collar” and “Blue Collar” Classified Staff employed by the University, namely, District Council 37; International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237; Service Employees International Union, Local 300; Motion Picture Projectionist, Video Technicians, Theatrical Employees and Allied Crafts, International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees, Local 306; and New York State Nurses Association; and to provide guidance and advice to University and college management in the day-to-day interpretation and administration of the labor agreements covering these employees. The guidance is provided in the form of policy development and dissemination and the issuance of interpretive memoranda.

Moreover, this unit is responsible for negotiating and administering a labor agreement with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Local One, which represents employees in CUNY’s Theatre Technician title series located at the following theatres: The Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, The Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College, The Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture at Hostos Community College, and The Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. This unit provides guidance and contract interpretation to University and College Management relating to this contract. The unit also negotiates labor agreements with District Council 37, Local 384 pertaining to CUNY’s Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs), which are located in the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, as well as with District Council 37, Local 1597, which represents employees at CUNY’s Student Centers located at Baruch College, Queens College and Brooklyn College.

The unit also:

• serves as the University liaison with Classified Staff unions regarding all matters related to the collective bargaining agreements;
• provides training to college human resources directors and management staff in the disciplinary and grievance process, presentation and advocacy skills, and other related areas;
• provides strategic guidance to the college directors of human resources and labor and legal designees in all aspects of contract interpretation for classified staff, including disciplinary and grievance matters;
• collaborates with CUNY’s General Counsel’s Office on case-by-case issues pertaining to disciplinary, grievances, arbitral and PERB related matters pertaining to classified staff;
• oversees compliance with the New York City Comptroller’s Consent Determinations for skilled trade titles; disseminates guidance memoranda on applicable work and salary provisions; and serves as University liaison with the Mayor’s Office of Labor Relations on a myriad of related issues;
• regularly convenes labor management meetings with Classified Staff Unions to promote a more collaborative forum for resolving issues of mutual interest and concern; and
• resolves payroll issues in consultation with the Office of Human Resources Management and appropriate State and City offices.

Labor Hearings and Appeals

Labor Hearings and Appeals is primarily responsible for all grievance and disciplinary proceedings involving the University’s Instructional and Classified Staff employees. More specifically, the unit conducts all Step Two (University level) hearings and appeals, prepares written decisions or, where appropriate, negotiates and prepares settlement agreements.

In addition, the unit assists the University’s Office of the General Counsel in the preparation of cases for arbitration or for appeal to The City University of New York Civil Service Commission. In the instances in which an Instructional Staff grievance is sustained and remanded to a select faculty committee, the unit coordinates the select faculty committee process and oversees the implementation of the select faculty committee decisions.

The unit provides guidance to college labor relations personnel regarding the hearings and appeals processes and regarding matters of contract and bylaw interpretation. The unit also routinely prepares memoranda regarding arbitration decisions and other University labor issues.