Mission
The Professional Staff Congress is the union that represents 30,000 faculty and staff at the City University of New York (CUNY) and the CUNY Research Foundation. It is dedicated to advancing the professional lives of its members, enhancing their terms and conditions of employment, and maintaining the strength of the nation's largest, oldest and most visible urban public university.
In the past decade, unions have become increasingly critical to professional workers and higher education as pressure builds to corporatize the university and allow market forces rather than professional judgment to determine academic policy. With its long history and strong affiliations, the PSC is a forceful advocate for the professional conditions that allow its members to offer a serious education to all New Yorkers.
The union negotiates, administers and enforces collective bargaining agreements; protects the rights of staff through the grievance and arbitration process; engages in political activity on behalf of CUNY and its staff and students; and advocates for the interests of the instructional staff in its various forums. It also provides benefits and services to its members through such related organizations as the PSC/CUNY Welfare fund and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT).
Who We Are
- Officers
- Executive Council
- Delegate Assembly
- Staff
- Grievance Counselors
- Part-time Liaisons
- Chapters
- Committees
- AFT/NYSUT Delegates
- AAUP Delegates
Affiliates and Partners
Like many labor unions, the PSC is affiliated with several larger labor organizations. By affiliating, unions magnify their power and extend their reach in city, state and federal politics. A portion of the dues paid by members helps to support our affiliates, and the PSC plays an energetic role in shaping our affiliates’ policies.
The PSC is a “local” (Local 2334) of one of the largest labor unions in the country, the American Federation of Teachers, which represents more higher education workers than any other union. Through the AFT, the PSC is affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
The PSC is also affiliated with the The American Association of University Professors (AAUP), historically the guardian of academic freedom and tenure.
The PSC is a partner with the Campaign for the Future of Higher Education, a new grassroots national campaign to support quality higher education.
At the state level, the PSC is an affiliate of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), which includes education unions throughout the state and is a major force in Albany, and the Working Families Party, which is a progressive grassroots coalition of community organizations, neighborhood activists, and labor unions. In New York City, we are part of two city labor bodies: the NYC Central Labor Council (CLC), which is the municipal affiliate of the AFL-CIO and represents 1.2 million workers in private and public-sector unions, and the Municipal Labor Committee (MLC), which represents public-sector workers and negotiates the health insurance for New York City employees.
PSC is a Member of the CUNY Rising Alliance
The CUNY Rising Alliance is a broad coalition of member organizations who serve, represent and minister to millions of New Yorkers. The communities and constituencies we work with are the most hurt by policies of austerity and disinvestment from public institutions like CUNY. Living in a city with record income inequality and profound, systemic racial disparities in education, our constituencies depend on a quality CUNY education to begin to level the playing field of opportunity. Learn more about CUNY Rising.
