State federation's lobbying helps win declaration by the governor

Nov. 18, 2003, was a special day for New York state’s 130,000 PSRPs. That was the date lawmakers set aside as School-Related Professionals Recognition Day after Gov. George Pataki signed a resolution approving the special day.

The SRP day, which will be an annual event, grew out of lobbying by New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) members after delegates to the union’s 2002 convention approved a measure supporting the day. Fourteen NYSUT locals from around the state lobbied the Legislature to get the resolution approved and signed.

To help bring more attention to the work of the state’s PSRPs, NYSUT-sponsored public service announcements, featuring president Thomas Y. Hobart Jr., aired on radio stations across the state that week.

“It takes more than teachers to make a school run smoothly,” Hobart said. “Often, professionals like bus drivers, secretaries, food service workers, teacher aides and school nurses are overlooked. Hearing ‘thank you’ can be extremely rewarding at the end of a challenging day.” NYSUT produced two recognition day stickers: One said, “Proud to be an SRP,” and the other, “Proud to work with an SRP.”

In addition to the statewide efforts, many local districts and unions used the day to recognize and honor support staff. In the massive New York City system, with thousands of PSRP members, the United Federation of Teachers gave each paraprofessional a certificate that included a copy of the legislation.

In Williamsville, Patricia Snitzer, president of the Williamsville Association of Education-Related Personnel, was invited to attend the school board meeting. At the meeting, the school board president read the recognition day declaration and explained to members of the public who SRPs are and what they do. Board members wore the NYSUT stickers and presented certificates of appreciation to Snitzer and other SRP presidents.

Frances Ann Gentilin, who chairs NYSUT’s SRP advisory committee, handed carnations to the 200-plus members of her local, the Onteora Non-Teaching Employees Association. “I want to honor those who are the foundation of education of children in my district,” Gentilin says. “And thanks to our statewide union lobbying to get this recognition day, I know just when to do it.”

NYSUT executive vice president Alan Lubin, who directs the union’s legislative department, pointed out that recognition is only one part of giving PSRPs the professional status they deserve. “Of course, the best way to recognize workers for a job well done is with salary or a career program,” he says. “But while we continue to work on negotiating improvements in individual locals, we’ll celebrate with this success the wide variety of our SRP membership having their own day.”