Workers picket CUNY Research Foundation

Dozens of protesters rallied on May 24 outside the City University of N.Y. Research Foundation headquarters in midtown Manhattan to demand that Professional Staff Congress members at the New York City Tech, LaGuardia Community College and Graduate Center Research Foundations receive a fair first contract.

More than 80 percent of R.F. workers have voted for representation by the PSC. RF-CUNY has offered salary increases of only 1.5 percent while demanding that workers immediately increase the contribution to their health insurance premium from 11 percent to 19 percent.

During the protest, PSC First Vice President Steve London and two members of the union bargaining teams went to the R.F. board of directors meeting on the 8th floor and delivered petitions signed by 700 people to R.F. President Richard Rothbard. Facing camera in photo, LaGuardia unionist Maurice Pinzon tells union members about the delegation’s foray into the board meeting.

The PSC represents 20,000 full- and part-time faculty and other staff at the City University colleges.