The general membership meeting for September is due for this Thursday at 6pm at the union office. The timing is good because our negotiating team will be busy talking to the City on that day and perhaps we will have some news by the time of the meeting.

The Mayor seems to be holding the teachers hostage to his election, unfortunately, and this may be a pattern.

We will hope for definite news on the one percent this Thursday. We have now been waiting a couple of months and we were ready to settle back in July. Unfortunately, it takes two to tango, so we may or may not get good news this week.

Anyway, come on down to the membership meeting at 220 East 23rd Street this Thursday and you can hear in person what, if anything, we have learned.

Last week, there was a negotiation on our Department of Education contract and that one went pretty well, so maybe there is reason to hope.

The union has demanded a bargaining session before the end of the month on the matter of the final one percent of the old contract. The City will agree but we do not know if the Mayor is bargaining seriously at this point.

Retirees are calling the union office regarding Medicare Part D. Relax. The union is involved in discussions and information is slowly becoming clear. Most over 65 retirees have enrolled in one or another health plan rider already and each of these plans are offering new versions for next year. The City will be trying to get details out soon, but most retired members will simply remain in their current drug plans.

Our union walked proudly up Fifth Avenue this past Saturday. We had a very good spot in the Labor Day Parade. We were right behind the Professional Staff Congress of CUNY and in front of the Teamsters. The parade ended at 74th Street.

The parade officials allowed us to have a decorated car moving along behind our delegation, so any member who needed a break had transportation available. As it turned out, the weather was fair and even our youngest marcher - who was herself only two years of age - was easily able to complete the entire course. We shared a lunch together after the parade and it was a really nice experience altogether.

The following folks took part in the OSA contingent: Tom Anderson, Bob Croghan, Jim Curry and his wife Pat, Lionel Francois, Frances Fultz and her granddaughter Charisma, Almeta Gadsden, Richie Guarino, Abdel Hamada and his daughter Jasmine, Keith Kelly, Betty Lee, Tony Lee, Bobby Lee, Marvin Lutenberg, Cecelia McCarthy, Al Milton, Hemsley Moe, his wife Judy and daughter Nakiah, Jeanne O'Sullivan, Dale Oliver, Stephen Parker, Paul Peloquin, Helene Price, Nilda Mangual Rivas and her friend Dorothy Lemaire, Brad Smith, Michael Spector, Rob Spencer, Joe Sperling and his wife Earlene, Noreen Fabre Stahl and her daughters Stephanie, Christina and Valerie, Paulette Starks and her 2 year old cousin Anahalya, Delois Stoute, Sallie Stroman, Janice Sweet and her daughter Jonelle Taylor, Ed Tennant, and Carlos Viguera and his wife Idaina and children Victoria and Karlos.

We hope to have photographs of the parade up on this website soon.

On a down note, however, the City has yet to respond to our proposals on the one percent so far. There is an MLC meeting set for this week so we may learn a bit more. We are not sure if the City is negotiating with any of the unions right now.

Tuesday is primary day and all good analysts can and should get out and vote.

Our hearts go out to the citizens of the Gulf Coast – and especially New Orleans. Our union has contributed to the relief efforts and members are encouraged to do so as well.

Negotiations have not yet resumed on the one percent from the old contract, but we hope they will soon. We are awaiting a response from the Mayor's office.

Meanwhile, members are all encouraged to gather for this coming Saturday's Labor Day Parade. You should be fit and well-rested after your vacation and, hopefully, ready and able to walk two miles up Fifth Avenue. We will gather at 11am at the corner of 45th Street and 6th Avenue, just east of 6th Avenue, in front of the Wachovia Bank. Union officers and staff will be there issuing free OSA caps and t-shirts to our marchers.

We've done this in earlier years and it is really rather nice. The company is good and the crowds on the sidewalks cheer us, while they also try to figure out, exactly what on earth our OSA symbol stands for.

As soon as we have passed the reviewing stand and have completed the parade we head for our reserved seats at a restaurant. We then share lunch together, well pleased that we have done our little bit for organized labor.

Come and bring a spouse, friend or offspring. Download a flyer to remind yourself or to tell others where we will meet.