New York State United Teachers

Nysut field services department includes nearly 125 labor relations specialists (lrs) working out of 16 regional offices throughout New York State. While the local union is the bargaining agent for its members, nysut provides whatever assistance the union may require to carry out its duties. In many instances, a nysut lrs represents the local union at the bargaining table and in the administration of the collective bargaining agreement. The lrs advocates on behalf of the members at the local level in front of impartial arbitrators and at the public employment relations board (perb) and, for private sector members, the national labor relations board (nlrb). The lrs works with the local affiliate in the capacity of consultant, communicator, trainer and facilitator to resolve local issues.

Nysut program services provides a voice to nysut's many constituencies - boces, health care, retirees, school related professionals - providing resources and services designed to meet their unique needs. The department provides technical assistance to staff in the nysut regional offices in health, safety and training. Program services also support nysut's social services program, available to all in-service and retired members.

The nysut legal department consists of the general counsel, three managing attorneys, approximately 32 staff attorneys and their support. It functions as the general counsel for the organization and related organizations. In addition, the general counsel offers representation to affiliates and individual union members in certain matters. As general counsel, it represents the organization in all judicial and administrative proceedings involving the organization. It also gives advice and counsel to the organization in all matters of governance, affiliate relations, statutory and regulatory compliance, and contract negotiation and enforcement, among other things. It also offers representation to affiliates and individual members in a wide variety of matters including disciplinary hearings where tenured union members face dismissal from their employment, licensing hearings where certificated union members face the revocation or suspension of their professional licenses, arbitration enforcement proceedings where the affiliate's corresponding employer refuses to abide by an arbitration agreement or award, as well as in numerous types of judicial and administrative proceedings in employment related matters and in matters of educational or civil service regulation or funding. The general counsel will represent local unions where the local union is alleged to have breached its duty of fair representation or has allegedly engaged in other forms of unlawful discrimination. Upon appropriate request, the general counsel will provide legal opinions to the organization and its affiliates on all matters of legal inquiry. Similarly, it provides training on a variety of legal issues.