The State University of New York faculty union approved a new contract that includes salary raises and increases in location pay, Gov. Hochul announced Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The five-year agreement<\/a> with the United University Professions, or \u201cUUP,\u201d covers 42,000 faculty and professional staff across the SUNY system. The contract was approved by 98% of UUP members who cast ballots.<\/p>\n \u201cThis agreement invests in the hard-working members of the United University Professions, recognizing their contributions to SUNY while also underscoring my administration\u2019s support for New York\u2019s public university system<\/a> and its talented workforce,\u201d Hochul said in a statement.<\/p>\n The ratified contract, which runs through mid-2031, includes annual salary increases of 4.5%, 4%, 3.5%, 3% and 3%. The agreement boosts \u201clocation pay\u201d as well, based on variations in the costs of living where SUNY faculty work.<\/p>\n Apart from pay, the contract has provisions around prenatal and sick leave, offering faculty 20 hours of paid leave before giving birth and increasing a cap on the number of sick days they can accumulate. The agreement also includes health insurance provisions that eliminate some co-pays and encourage union members to use in-network providers \u2014 updates the governor\u2019s office said will reduce service costs and premium increases in the coming years.<\/p>\n