UCOMM Media Group

WITA - Investing in education and increasing state aid to schools

birchy82 — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 19:41:03 +0000

WITA - Investing in education and increasing state aid to schools birchy82 Tue, 03/18/2025 - 15:41

The West Islip School District has already held two of the scheduled Budget Workshops, and this year, after utilizing just over $4 million from reserves, it still has a budget shortfall of nearly $4 million. While the retirement incentive helped close this gap, the district has informed WITA that to fully close the shortfall, staff cuts will be made. Part of the reason for this budget gap is a reduction in overall state aid. School districts receive several types of aid from New York State, and while Foundation Aid was increased for the upcoming year, other aid categories were reduced, leading to a loss of over $300,000.

To support our colleagues and help close this budget gap with additional state aid instead of staff cuts, a letter to the state representatives for West Islip, along with their email addresses, has been attached. We ask that you download and send this letter requesting additional state aid to these legislators.

Below is a link to the letter that has been written. It is also posted on the WITA website under the Benefits, Forms, and Information section. Please open the link and copy the body of the text, which can then be pasted into an email to the legislators who represent West Islip.

Please fill out the from below to send a letter to your Legislator.

Cannon & Acosta

birchy82 — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 22:09:40 +0000

Cannon & Acosta birchy82 Wed, 02/16/2022 - 17:09

LECSA

birchy82 — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 22:04:21 +0000

LECSA birchy82 Wed, 02/16/2022 - 17:04

Hempstead Classroom Teachers

birchy82 — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 22:00:14 +0000

Hempstead Classroom Teachers birchy82 Wed, 02/16/2022 - 17:00

AFA 12 Flys with UCOMM

birchy82 — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 21:52:48 +0000

AFA 12 Flys with UCOMM birchy82 Wed, 02/16/2022 - 16:52

Field Tips

birchy82 — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 18:33:13 +0000

Field Tips birchy82 Tue, 01/04/2022 - 13:33

Below are examples of the proper way to conduct interviews for social media. Be sure to hold your camera up and down (portrait style), ask the subject questions about the work they are doing, or have them introduce the crew they are working with. These interviews do not have to be perfect. If the subject introduces others, make sure those being introduced wave back. These video interviews over time will be popular amongst the rank and file.

Suggestion: Have a tagline at the end of the interview prepared, something like. "Local ______: the best union in the world." -or- "Gas Ops, the hardest working gang in the company."

Group Introduction - UWUA 1-2

Individual Video UWUA 1-2

Working Telling a Story - Local 3 IBEW

Group Thumbs Up No Intro - Local 3 IBEW

Shooting Videos for the Website

The work you do day after day is mundane to you, but to others and the public, it is interesting and exciting. So make sure you capture that. Hold your phone sideways, make sure the lighting is good enough and try different angles until you get that perfect shot.

IBEW Local 10

IBEW Local 3

UWUA Local 1-2

CWA Local 1109

Shooting Photos for Website / Social Media

Hold your phone sideways, make sure you are back far enough, consider the rule of thirds. Make sure the sun/lighting is behind you, and that your subject is in their proper safety gear. Notice that with group pictures, make the members fold their arms. Arms to the side is a lazy look.

IBEW Local 10

Local 3 IBEW

UWUA 1-2

IBEW Local 10

Please email byoung@ucommworks.com with any photos or videos you would like posted to your Local's social media or website. Thank you and keep up the good work.

east side access

birchy82 — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 21:59:57 +0000

east side access birchy82 Fri, 03/12/2021 - 16:59

"Innovative folks in labor journalism"

birchy82 — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 21:31:14 +0000

"Innovative folks in labor journalism" birchy82 Fri, 03/12/2021 - 16:31

sta teach

birchy82 — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 21:07:12 +0000

sta teach birchy82 Thu, 03/11/2021 - 16:07

sta.mp4

1-2 welder

birchy82 — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 20:40:06 +0000

1-2 welder birchy82 Thu, 03/11/2021 - 15:40

1-2 welder.mp4