(COOPERSTOWN, NEW YORK) - Strong leadership with a solid, unified plan to build Membership and political clout is paramount for a Union like United University Professions UUP).  That’s why more than 60 UUP Members gathered in Cooperstown earlier this month for the Union’s Leadership Training Conference, where they learned about how UUP works, ways to attract more State University of New York (SUNY) Employees to join the Union and the many leadership opportunities available to Members ready to become more involved.

Veteran Chapter Leaders mixed with younger Members - some of them taking their first steps toward leadership positions within the Union, during four workshop sessions, which were led by UUP’s Statewide Officers and facilitated by the Union’s Organizing and Legislative & Political Departments.

UUP President Fred Kowal opened the conference on January 13th with a 90-minute discussion about the difficulties UUP faces when advocating for more State funding for SUNY.

Those tasks aren’t as daunting as they used to be as UUP has become a political force in State politics as Governor Kathy Hochul and a majority of State Legislators know UUP and what the Union stands for.

UUP’s new Higher Education Action Fund, which uses donations to NYSUT’s VOTE-COPE Fund to help elect pro-SUNY State Legislators, has also helped increase UUP’s political clout.

“We are respected,” Kowal said. “What we’re about is trying to improve SUNY and the world-class education our system offers.  We’re arguing for the public good.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: UUP focuses on developing new leaders at conference (uupinfo.org).

WNYLaborToday.com File Photo.