February
Treasurer Report 2/22
SHEA VOICE
Winter Edition
Winter 2021
Nov-Dec
Volume XIV No. 2
Suzanne Rizzo, Editor
Editors
Suzanne Rizzo (Middle School)
Contributors
MaryBeth Bruce
Keri Davis
Maggi McDonald
Paul Szymendera
SHEA VOICE
Sweet Home Education Association
Local #3041
1901 Sweet Home Road
Amherst, NY 14228
President's Message:
Paul Szymendera
Retirement? Are You Ready??
Retirement may seem like a far way off for members, but it is never too early to begin learning about your retirement plans. SHEA will be offering two seminars hosted by our Officers to help members understand two main pieces to retirement: (1) contract benefits that are available in our CBA, and (2) supports offered through NYSTRS.
A few things I've learned as your President: (1) time flies by, retirement will creep up on you when you least expect it; (2) teachers look forward to one day retiring, (3) Members usually do not take advantage of PREP Seminars offered by NYSTRS; (4) February 1 sneaks up on people as they try to decide about retirement; (5) SHEA Members do not know how first eligibility and our contract benefits go hand in hand.
Collectively, SHEA preaches to attend a PREP seminar at least five years before you expect to retire. I hope that you register to attend our seminars (November 15 or January 11) to learn more about planning for your retirement.
Benefits of Being a Union Member: Protection!
As a SHEA member, you are protected by a contract. You have peace of mind knowing your salary, benefits, and working conditions are established and defended. Outside of our professional union, we should support existing unions, current union members, and the growth of new unions.
Did you know: the median weekly earnings of union workers are nearly 30 percent higher than non-union workers? As a union member, you have considerably better access to health care coverage - including vision care and prescription drug benefits - than do non-union workers.
Union workers are more likely to have employer-provided pensions than non-union workers. Meanwhile, in 2012, 77% of union members were covered by defined-benefit pensions, as compared to less than 20% of non-union workers.
Information provided by the Center for American Progress, the Bureau of Labo Statistics, UC Berkely Labor Center, Labor Project for Working Families, the Center for Economic and Policy Research and Employee Benefits Research Institute.
Laugh A Little:)
Starbucks workers vote to unionize right here in Buffalo!
December 2021
On Thursday, December 9, 2021, employees voted to join a union at one store in Buffalo, NY delivering the coffee chain its first unionized company-owned location in the United States. Employees at the Elmwood Avenue Starbucks location voted to join Workers United, an affiliated with the Service Employees International Union.
Workers at a Hamburg location voted to reject the drive to organize.
However, the vote count at the Genesee Stree store in Cheektowaga ended without a definitive result because a number of ballots were still under review, a process that could stretch into early next year, according to Ian Hayes, an attorney for the union.
The closely watched results come as Corporate America eyes new union organizing campaigns amid a US labor shortage that has already led to higher wages at most large retailer and restaurant chains. Experts said the Starbucks results may encourage union activity at other companies.
"Although it's a small number of workers, the result has huge symbolic importance," said John Logan, a labor professor at San Francisco State University.
Follow updates on Twitter:
@SBWorkersUnited
CURRENT UNION NEWS
Get Your Best Buying Power Through Your Union Benefits with "Buyer's Edge"
Thanks to NYSUT, not only can you shop - you can Shop Smart!
If you have a major purchase, we can save you money on Appliances, Cars, Furniture, Kitchens, as well as 20 more benefits! All you have to do is visit www.BuyersEdgeInc.com. ... using login info below.
Your Username/Group #: 215 Password: NYSUT
For the latest NUST Updates visit: https://www.nysut.org/
It's Elementary, My Dear
Calling all elementary teachers...
If you see something noteworthy going on in your building... Shoot me a quick "Shout Out" and I will print it in the SHEA Voice. Pics are always welcome! We all see great things going on daily, yet are often unrecognized for it. Make a colleague feel great by acknowledging something special that they do:)
Contact: srizzo@sweethomeschools.org
Make a Difference
Heading Higher and Higher
Calling all high school teachers...
You guessed it! If you see something noteworthy going on at SHHS, shoot me a quick "Shout Out" and I will print it in the SHEA Voice. Pics are always welcome! We all see great things going on daily, yet are often unrecognized for it. Make a colleague feel great by acknowledging something special that they do:)
Contact: srizzo@sweethomeschools.org
Make a Difference