Suffolk Regional Office: Correspondence, 1985

Memo re growing dissatisfaction by non-teaching School-Related Personnel (SRPs) with NYSUT's perceived lack of representation and focus on teachers, October 25; memo re new affiliate, Islip Teacher Aides Association, November 14; memo re difficulties in obtaining a contract at three locals, particularly BOCES 2, potential for strikes, November 4; letter from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to NYCOSH, asserting that higher-than-average mortality rate from breast cancer among teachers at AFT local 1848 (Island Trees, Long Island) was similar to that of a study conducted in Washington State, and could be explained by higher rates among women meeting their demographic profile, concluding that an occupational study of the group would not be warranted, July 26, 1985; letter from NYCOSH to National Cancer Institute Environmental Epidemiology Branch, noting attached interim report indicating higher-than-average cancer mortality rate among Island Trees (Long Island) teachers, requesting study by NCI, May 14; announcement for negotiation workshop, November; letter to Patchogue-Medford Congress of Teachers president from NYSUT general counsel re drug testing of prospective employees, June 20; list of salary increases at various locals/school districts; letter to NYSUT president Tom Hobart from Half Hollow Hills Paraprofessional Association, complaining of lack of help in negotiating contract, short staffing at Suffolk office, low value for high dues, with reply from Hobart, May-June; memo to Hobart from Jim Conti re Half Hollow situation, June 19; memo from Jim Conti to regional office coordinator John DeGregorio asking whether more staff service can be provided to the association, May 29; memo re collective bargaining elections scheduled at Northport and St. John's, June 6; memo from Jim Conti requesting estimate of how much it would cost for meals and housing to hold a conference in New York City per day, May 3; related discussion re speakers, topics for discussion; request to Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to provide a mediator in dispute between Suffolk BOCES II and BOCES II Teachers Association, reply that mediator would not be provided, March 11, 1985; PERB decision in BOCES case re reporting accumulated sick time, November 14, 1984; handwritten notes re meeting with Suffolk staff, June 20, 1985; "Report from the Bay Shore Classroom Teachers Association Committee to Survey NYSUT/AFT Services," with cover letter to NYSUT president Tom Hobart from president of association, noting dissatisfaction with services, May 24; confidential memo to Tom Hobart from regional office coordinator John DeGregorio re interpretation of issues, assertion that rank-and- file do not favor disaffiliation, June 7; letter to Hobart from Bay Shore association president re computer system problems, January 15; reply from Hobart to association president, April 15; survey of Bay Shore teachers re satisfaction with services; complaint by president of Patchogue Medford Congress of Teachers over advice by NYSUT legal staff re urine drug testing, failure to obtain restraining order, June 10; correspondence with Jim Conti including letter from Mount Sinai Medical Center Environmental Sciences Laboratory noting detection of asbestos and chlordane in half the locations tested at Cold Spring Harbor Elementary School, advising contacting the EPA, April 29; letter from NYCOSH re low asbestos air sampling results at Lindenhurst Junior High School library, May 2; arbitration decision finding against a termination grievance brought for teacher Nancy Barton, in the matter of William Floyd United Teachers and William Floyd United Free School District of the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley, and extensive related correspondence, March-April; letter to Jim Conti from NYS Department of Labor Division of Safety and Health re environmental tests at Cold Spring Harbor Elementary School, noting inconclusive, pending, or negative results for water contamination or asbestos, small quantities of chlordane, April 8; related correspondence and full test reports; memo re OSHA problem in district office involving fumes from office equipment, need for exhaust fan, March 20; memos between Jim Conti and regional office coordinator John DeGregorio re staff training, March; memo from Jim Conti to Chuck Santelli re state health insurance rules, March 28; memos re need to investigate possible OSHA violations at various school districts, February-March; memo that Amityville Committee of Educational Secretaries had voted to affiliate with NYSUT, February 22; memo from Jim Conti to Arbitration Committee with attached list of items that should be on forms re arbitrators and arbitrations, February 25; legal opinion by NYSUT general counsel James Sandner to North Babylon Teachers Organization president re arbitration award by Phillip Russo in Globerman & Evario case, February 22; memos between Jim Conti, Tom Hobart, and John DeGregorio re survey by Bay Shore Classroom Teachers Association re satisfaction with NYSUT services, possible disaffiliation vote, strategy, January; letter to NYSUT president Tom Hobart from Brentwood Teachers Association president complaining of poor communication with NYSUT state headquarters in Albany re state insurance plan, with reply, January; summary report of Regional Finance Study of Public Education, County of Suffolk, New York, March 1983, by Regional Planning Board