Proposal for Merger - LC and UFCT
Item
PROPOSAL FOR MeRceR - LC anp UFCT ae
i The new organization shall be affiliated with NEA, NYSTA, AFT, UTNY, NYS AFL-CIO, and New York City Labor Council.
2. Dues shall be $120 per annum for full-time and $60 per annum for part-time.
3: The new organization will be initially limited to the City University.
4. Debts carried by the new organization shall be on a pro rata basis (number of dollars per member based on membership of each
organization at time of merger).
5; Until officers are elected, there shall be an equal number of officers from LC and UFCT. The chief executive officer from the LC
shall be the President. The chief executive officer from the UFCT shall be the Deputy President. The staff shall be answerable to the
executive officers and the names of both, officers shall be affixed to all written communications. Both officers shall approve any policy
statement between meetings of the Executive Committee/Administrative Committee. In order to assure responsibility of the chief
exect =: officers to the membership, it is the intent of the new organization that the two chief executive officers serve on a full-
time
6. There shall be equal division of the other officers. There shall be provision for equal representation of the two organizations on
the Governing Board/Executive Board. Chapter structure and officers shall be co-equal during the interim period.
oe The respective staffs of each organization shall be retained. The Executive Director of the Legislative Conference shall become the
Executive Director of the new organization. The Director of Organization of the UFCT shall become the Director of Organization of the
new organization. The present staff (secretarial, financial, clerical) of both organizations shall be retained. The appointees shall be
barred from internal organizational politics.
8. The interim arrangement shall extend to nominations and elections which shall not take place earlier than April and May 1973.
Officers elected in May 1973 shall take office September 1, 1973.
9, The constitution and by-laws of the new organization shall be drawn by a committee on which there is equal representation and
must be ratified by the joint membership by secret mail ballot. In the event there is any disagreement concerning the by-laws or the
way in which the new organization shall be governed the matter shall be referred to the two counsel for resolution. If they are unable
to agree, it shall be submitted to an arbitrator selected by them for final determination.
10. The new constitution and by-!aws must provide for the election of officers, members of the Governing Board/Executive Board
and Chapters by secret mail ballot of the membership. Provision shall be made for membership referendum procedures in the new
constitution.
11. The new organization will retain until September 1, 1972 the two law firms now representing LC and UFCT on an equal basis and
the work shall be divided between them.
12. This agreement shall be subject to ratification by secret mail ballot of the respective memberships of the two organizations no
later than April 14, 1972.
13. Upon ratification by memberships, the new organization shall adopt the petition of the UFCT for one bargaining unit in the
case now pending before PERB.
14. Immediately upon ratification, a joint Negotiating Committee of equal representation shall be appointed for the purpose of
planning negotiations for a new agreement with the Board of Higher Education.
15. Deadline for ratification of the initial merger agreement by the Governing Board and the Executive Board (LC and UFCT) shall
be March 28. Ratification shall be followed by a joint communique.
16. This interim agreement is recommended for ratification to the policy making bodies of the LC and UFCT and to their respective
state and national affiliates.
pe ‘a ful UM,
vpae
i The new organization shall be affiliated with NEA, NYSTA, AFT, UTNY, NYS AFL-CIO, and New York City Labor Council.
2. Dues shall be $120 per annum for full-time and $60 per annum for part-time.
3: The new organization will be initially limited to the City University.
4. Debts carried by the new organization shall be on a pro rata basis (number of dollars per member based on membership of each
organization at time of merger).
5; Until officers are elected, there shall be an equal number of officers from LC and UFCT. The chief executive officer from the LC
shall be the President. The chief executive officer from the UFCT shall be the Deputy President. The staff shall be answerable to the
executive officers and the names of both, officers shall be affixed to all written communications. Both officers shall approve any policy
statement between meetings of the Executive Committee/Administrative Committee. In order to assure responsibility of the chief
exect =: officers to the membership, it is the intent of the new organization that the two chief executive officers serve on a full-
time
6. There shall be equal division of the other officers. There shall be provision for equal representation of the two organizations on
the Governing Board/Executive Board. Chapter structure and officers shall be co-equal during the interim period.
oe The respective staffs of each organization shall be retained. The Executive Director of the Legislative Conference shall become the
Executive Director of the new organization. The Director of Organization of the UFCT shall become the Director of Organization of the
new organization. The present staff (secretarial, financial, clerical) of both organizations shall be retained. The appointees shall be
barred from internal organizational politics.
8. The interim arrangement shall extend to nominations and elections which shall not take place earlier than April and May 1973.
Officers elected in May 1973 shall take office September 1, 1973.
9, The constitution and by-laws of the new organization shall be drawn by a committee on which there is equal representation and
must be ratified by the joint membership by secret mail ballot. In the event there is any disagreement concerning the by-laws or the
way in which the new organization shall be governed the matter shall be referred to the two counsel for resolution. If they are unable
to agree, it shall be submitted to an arbitrator selected by them for final determination.
10. The new constitution and by-!aws must provide for the election of officers, members of the Governing Board/Executive Board
and Chapters by secret mail ballot of the membership. Provision shall be made for membership referendum procedures in the new
constitution.
11. The new organization will retain until September 1, 1972 the two law firms now representing LC and UFCT on an equal basis and
the work shall be divided between them.
12. This agreement shall be subject to ratification by secret mail ballot of the respective memberships of the two organizations no
later than April 14, 1972.
13. Upon ratification by memberships, the new organization shall adopt the petition of the UFCT for one bargaining unit in the
case now pending before PERB.
14. Immediately upon ratification, a joint Negotiating Committee of equal representation shall be appointed for the purpose of
planning negotiations for a new agreement with the Board of Higher Education.
15. Deadline for ratification of the initial merger agreement by the Governing Board and the Executive Board (LC and UFCT) shall
be March 28. Ratification shall be followed by a joint communique.
16. This interim agreement is recommended for ratification to the policy making bodies of the LC and UFCT and to their respective
state and national affiliates.
pe ‘a ful UM,
vpae
Title
Proposal for Merger - LC and UFCT
Description
Pending member ratification, this merger proposal, dated March 28, 1972, ended the intense rivalry between the Legislative Conference (LC) and the United Federation of College Teachers (UFCT), resolving the issue of who would be the sole bargaining agent for the instructional staff of CUNY. The document describes the compromises and decisions that needed to take place in order to resolve fiscal, organizational, and staffing issues at the newly formed Professional Staff Congress (PSC).
The parties were reluctant to merge, and only pressure from their affiliates, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) for the UFCT, and the National Education Association (NEA) for the LC, finally pushed the two rival organizations within CUNY to join together. Around this time, the AFT and NEA affiliates in New York State were themselves about to merge, and the two national unions did not want divisions within CUNY to mar that process. In addition, the AFT and NEA had been financially supporting their CUNY affiliates, and the threat of an end of that support was a powerful incentive for leaders of the UFCT and LC.
The parties were reluctant to merge, and only pressure from their affiliates, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) for the UFCT, and the National Education Association (NEA) for the LC, finally pushed the two rival organizations within CUNY to join together. Around this time, the AFT and NEA affiliates in New York State were themselves about to merge, and the two national unions did not want divisions within CUNY to mar that process. In addition, the AFT and NEA had been financially supporting their CUNY affiliates, and the threat of an end of that support was a powerful incentive for leaders of the UFCT and LC.
Creator
Zeller, Belle
Kugler, Israel
Date
March 28, 1972
Language
English
Rights
Obtained from Contributor - Copyright Unknown
Source
Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Original Format
Memorandum
Zeller, Belle, and Kugler, Israel. Letter. “Proposal for Merger - LC and UFCT.”, CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, accessed March 10, 2026, https://stephenz.tailc22a4b.ts.net/s/cdha/item/439