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PROFESSIONAL STAFF CONGRESS CUNY
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 132638049 · Form 990 · FY2023 · Large ($10M-$50M) · psc-cuny.org
revenue
$19.7M
expenses
$20.6M
net assets
$8.6M
employees
49
volunteers
1,000
mission · from form 990

PSC IS A LABOR UNION THAT REPRESENTS NEARLY 30,000 ACTIVE AND RETIRED FACULTY AND STAFF AT CUNY AND THE CUNY RESEARCH FOUNDATION.

profile · synthesized from sources

Professional Staff Congress CUNY is a labor union representing nearly 30,000 active and retired faculty and staff at the City University of New York (CUNY) and the CUNY Research Foundation. The union advances the professional and economic interests of its members through collective bargaining, contract administration, and advocacy on education, research, and worker welfare. It operates with a democratic governance structure including elected officers, an executive council, and a delegate assembly.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Collective Bargaining
Negotiates and administers collective bargaining agreements covering terms and conditions of employment for CUNY faculty, staff, and research foundation employees
Grievance Representation
Provides grievance counseling and representation through a University-wide Grievance Counselor and policy committee to enforce contractual rights
Legislative Advocacy
Advances union policies before legislative bodies through a Legislative Representative and Committee on Legislation, including electoral endorsements and policy lobbying
Pension and Retirement Support
Addresses pension, annuity, and retirement benefit issues through a dedicated Pension Committee for active and retired members
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Faculty & Academic Labor Union Representation 4 activities
    • Advancement of professional and economic interests of CUNY staff
      Advances and secures the professional and economic interests of CUNY instructional and bargaining unit staff, including advocacy on pensions, annuities, retirement benefits, and equitable pay, while considering student and institutional needs.
    • Negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements
      Negotiates, administers, and enforces collective bargaining agreements with the City University of New York and the CUNY Research Foundation on behalf of instructional and bargaining unit staff.
    • Union membership services and enrollment
      Offers union membership to full-time and part-time faculty, professional staff, graduate employees, Research Foundation employees, and retirees; provides online and mailed application options and collects annual dues based on employment status.
    • Union representation for CUNY faculty and staff
      Represents approximately 30,000 active and retired faculty, professional staff, graduate employees, and Research Foundation employees at the City University of New York in matters related to employment rights, working conditions, and collective bargaining.
  • Labor Union Representation & Organizing 1 activity
    • Grievance and arbitration representation
      Reviews grievances filed by members after Step 2 of the grievance process, provides access to grievance counselors, and protects member rights through arbitration and enforcement of contractual terms.
  • Union Member Training & Leadership Development 1 activity
    • Leadership development for adjunct faculty
      Operates the Adjunct Liaison Leadership Program, offering monthly training sessions and mentorship to part-time faculty to build union organizing skills, recruit new members, and engage in contract campaigns.
  • Internal Organizational Elections 1 activity
    • Member participation in union governance
      Provides members with the right to vote in union elections and contract ratifications, run for leadership positions, and participate in shaping union policy and decision-making.
  • Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
    • Public advocacy and political engagement
      Engages in public demonstrations, political action, and community organizing to support CUNY funding, oppose budget cuts and layoffs, and advocate for immigrant solidarity and labor rights; includes rallies, pickets, and workshops.
financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$19.70M
Contributions & grants$30K0%
Program service revenue$19.28M98%
Investment income$377K2%
Other revenue$14K
expenses
Total expenses$20.61M
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$7.41M
Grants paid out$30K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$27.69M
Cash$1.52M
Investments$10.26M
Liabilities$19.09M
Net assets$8.61M
Liquid reserves6.9 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -4.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

paid leadership · 24
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
ANAIS SURKIN INTERIM EXEC. DIRECTOR 35 $219K
ARI PAUL CLARION EDITOR 35 $213K
KENNETH HUBBARD JR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 35 $203K
BETTINA DAMIANI DIRECTOR OF LEGAL AFFAIRS 35 $200K
PETER ZWIEBACH GENERAL COUNSEL 35 $179K
IDA CHENG DIR STRATEGIC RESEARCH 35 $178K
ANDREA VASQUEZ SECRETARY 35 $39K
FELICIA WHARTON TREASURER 35 $39K
JAMES DAVIS PRESIDENT 35 $39K
PENELOPE LEWIS EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER 35 $39K
YOUNGMEIN SEO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER 12 $25K
LYNNE TURNER EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER 12 $25K
LUKE ELLIOTT-NEGRI EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER 12 $14K
DAVID HATCHETT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER (P) 12 $12K
ANGEL MARTINEZ EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER (P) 2 $11K
PAMELA STEMBERG EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER 12 $11K
HEATHER JAMES EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER 2 $10K
CLAUDIA SHACTER-DECHABERT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER 2 $8K
LAWRENCE BOSKET EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER 2 $7K
ZEE DEMPSTER EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER 2 $7K
LUCY MCINTYRE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER 2 $7K
GEOFFREY KURTZ EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER (P) 2 $7K
JANET WINTER EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER (P) 2 $6K
RULISA GALLOWAY-PERRY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER 2 $6K
relationships · 19

Who they work with

  • AAUP Network — Supported the AFT/AAUP Blueprint for Strengthening and Transforming Higher Education.
  • AFT Network — Participated in the AFT convention and supported the AFT/AAUP Blueprint for Strengthening and Transforming Higher Education.
  • CUNY Government — Primary employer and bargaining partner for represented faculty and staff
  • CUNY Government — Primary institutional affiliation for the Professional Staff Congress union membership.
  • CUNY Board of Trustees Government — Protested actions of the Board of Trustees Chair regarding budget cuts and layoffs at Queens College.
  • CUNY Campus HR Departments Partner — Members are directed to contact campus HR or payroll offices as a first step in resolving issues such as retroactive payment.
  • CUNY Research Foundation Partner — Employer of represented staff and subject of collective bargaining
  • CUNY Rising Alliance Partner — Coalition of labor, student, and community organizations advocating for the New Deal for CUNY legislation; PSC-CUNY is a member.
  • Campaign for the Future of Higher Education Partner — Grassroots national campaign to support quality higher education; PSC-CUNY is affiliated with this campaign.
  • City University Research Foundation Partner — Represents staff employed by the City University Research Foundation in collective bargaining.
  • City University of New York Government — Represents instructional staff and bargaining unit members within CUNY.
  • City University of New York Partner — Negotiating party in collective bargaining agreements.
  • Committee for Adjuncts and Part-Timers Coalition — Program participants join meetings of the Committee for Adjuncts and Part-Timers (CAP) as part of their leadership development.
  • Municipal Labor Committee Partner — Represents public-sector workers and negotiates health insurance for New York City employees; PSC-CUNY is part of this coalition.
  • NYSUT Partner — Requires NYSUT ID for retiree membership verification and enrollment.
  • New York City Central Labor Council Partner — Municipal affiliate of the AFL-CIO; PSC-CUNY is affiliated with this labor council.
  • PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund Partner — Provides pension counseling services in collaboration with the Retirement Benefits department
  • Research Foundation of the City University of New York Partner — Negotiating party in collective bargaining agreements.
  • Working Families Party Partner — Progressive grassroots coalition of community organizations, neighborhood activists, and labor unions; PSC-CUNY is affiliated with this party.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Collective Strength Through Membership
    methodology: collective_strength_through_membership
    By increasing union membership, the organization strengthens its collective bargaining power and institutional influence, because larger membership yields greater political leverage and solidarity in negotiations and advocacy.
  • Cross-Constituency Advocacy and Collaboration
    methodology: cross_constituency_collaboration
    By collaborating with CUNY faculty, staff, student, and educational organizations, the union amplifies its advocacy impact on labor and educational issues, because aligned coalitions increase pressure on decision-makers and broaden support for shared goals.
  • Democratic Representative Bargaining
    methodology: democratic-representative-bargaining
    By using elected member representatives to develop and approve contract proposals before negotiations, the union ensures legitimacy and broad buy-in, because democratically shaped demands reflect actual member needs and strengthen unity during bargaining.
  • Member-Led Grassroots Organizing
    methodology: member-led_organizing
    By training and empowering members—especially part-time faculty—to organize their peers, the union builds sustainable, bottom-up power that increases engagement and campaign effectiveness because authentic peer relationships drive trust and mobilization.
  • Targeted Public Pressure Campaigns
    methodology: targeted_public_protest
    By staging visible protests at locations symbolically or institutionally tied to decision-makers, the union increases the political cost of inaction, because public accountability and reputational risk compel leadership responsiveness.