FA endorses Nick Caracappa for 4th legislative district: Nick Caracappa is the Republican candidate for the 4th legislative district, which includes the Ammerman Campus, to fill the vacancy left by the unfortunate passing of Tom Muratore. While the Democratic candidate did not respond to our request for a screening, the FA screened Nick on October 1. We learned that two of his children have attended SCCC, Nick has worked at Suffolk County Water Authority for 34 years and he's president of Local 393 Utility Workers Union of America. He also served on the Middle Country Central School District board of education for seven years and spoke passionately about supporting teachers. The Executive Council voted to endorse Nick at our October 12 meeting.



Review state and national endorsements: Be sure to review the endorsements article from our September issue of The WORD if you'd like to keep in mind the input of colleagues in NYSUT, AFT, NEA and the AFL-CIO when voting. The union vetting process focuses not on political party but on candidates' voting records and/or stances on the education and labor issues that matter to us as academic unionists.



NYSUT MAC app lets you use your phone to take important actions quickly and easily: What issues and pieces of legislation do you care about the most? Is it advocating for full funding for higher ed in our state? Pay equity? Fighting the standardized testing obsession? Workplace health and safety? LGBTQ fairness? Solidarity with other unions? Nursing issues? Supporting Dreamers?

The NYSUT Member Action Center (MAC) app makes taking action on these and other issues as easy as 1-2-3. Enter your info and zip code, and it'll determine your elected officials so you can send letters/faxes to them using preset letters that you're welcome to customize. When we see these elected representatives in Albany each spring, they mention how many letters they get from NYSUT members; it really gets their attention, so download today and get clicking!



Did you know? You could lose your Benefit Fund benefits if you're not an active member for ten years before retirement: To address member concerns in our post-Janus environment about the possibility of supporting free riders, the FA Benefit Fund passed the following resolution—and we want to make sure all members are aware:



Eligible members who retire may elect to continue coverage for the package of benefits offered by the Fund for retirees and their eligible family members for as long as the applicable self-pay contributions set by the Fund are paid. The retiree must also have maintained active membership in the Union, as defined by its Constitution, for the ten years preceding retirement. At the time of retirement, the retiree must be an active member in good standing of the Union or if on approved leave, a member in good standing, and thereafter must maintain membership in the Union and pay the required union dues.

• Priority registration begins November 9: The FA and college request your support in sharing information on priority registration with your students. Encourage your students to schedule an appointment with an advisor now and to register during the time frame that is especially designed for them (they'll see their dates when they log in to MySCCC) to ensure that they are not closed out of the courses they need.
  
  
• Doctors' visits 24/7 and on the go: Especially during the current pandemic, and particularly now that case rates seem to be rising in Suffolk County, we remind you that eligible FA members are encouraged to try the telemedicine service provided by our health plan. Board-certified doctors, including pediatricians, can consult with you about a variety of common conditions (non-emergency medical issues) over the phone or by secure video or app—and can send any necessary scripts to your local pharmacy. This helps you avoid the inconvenience of waiting in the doctor's office for relatively minor concerns.
  
  Give it try yourself! Call 800-709-8390. Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

• Check your accruals: The FA reminds members periodically to check the number of their accrued vacation and sick days in MySCCC.