Mobilizing Monthly – Division 355 members at Higher Education Services Corp gather for a recent meeting attended by Region 8 Coordinator Bill Wurster (standing, far right). The mobilizers meet monthly. — Photo by Lisa Pulver

Under siege, Division 355 is mobilized, ready

By SHERRY HALBROOK
PEF Division 355 at Higher Education Services Corp (HESC) is taking fire from Washington and Albany, but it is fully mobilized and taking on the challenge.

The fiscal blood that keeps HESC’s heart pumping flows from Washington and the state. This year, both sources are in trouble.

HESC guarantees federal student and parent loans, administers the Tuition Assistance Program and other state-specific grants and scholarships, the NY Higher Education Loan Program and offers loan management services and provides guidance for college planning.

However, recent changes in law mean HESC must now successfully bid and compete to continue its role in the federal program or it’s responsibilities will gradually fade away in the next few years.

With significant changes starting July 1, HESC has begun reorganizing its work force.

Division 355 membership has dropped from approximately 320 to 280 in just a year.

“Our members understand the threat very clearly,” said Assistant Council Leader Tina Brooker. “We have our own Yahoo account to communicate with them privately.

“We’ve sent more than 300 letters to Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, and to Congressmen Scott Murphy and Paul Tonko, and they support us.”

“We also reached out to our state legislators,” Brooker added.

Previously, Division 355 members have worked with lawmakers to fend off governors’ attempts to merge HESC with the state Education Department (SED). This year, the state Assembly is proposing it, and the governor is opposed.

Compared with the federal changes, the Assembly proposal is beginning to look like the lesser evil.

“In just two hours, our mobilizers surveyed our members and found a majority don’t oppose the merger if it protects their jobs.”

Council Leader Patricia Spath said she is constantly updating the division’s database of members’ information.

Spath and Brooker meet monthly with the member mobilizers. The steward council meets regularly, membership meetings are held twice each year, and six newsletters are published annually.

Division 355 members are mobilized and committed.

“God helps those who help themselves,” said Keith Pierce, a mobilizer. “No one else volunteered to do it, so I did. It’s not a lot of work, and with the Internet, we find out fast what’s going on.”

“I want to get the word out when something is going on,” said mobilizer Barbara Deese. “If you don’t work for the union, you don’t have a union.