tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post4724932218495219608..comments2024-03-26T11:07:03.496-04:00Comments on Ed Notes Online: UFT Caucus History/Math Lesson: Long Division - Part Ied notes onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-54441600680289130652015-09-05T12:20:24.804-04:002015-09-05T12:20:24.804-04:00Thanks, Norm! Great info and insight. Wish leade...Thanks, Norm! Great info and insight. Wish leadership focused more on saving our contract and less on controlling members. I think the only way for us to get there is to learn how members faught for what we once had. I've read books on our history, but, many leave me with more questions than answers. There's nothing written about recent history. Great work. Can't wait for part II.<br />-NateAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-46195677145240440922015-09-04T23:33:05.319-04:002015-09-04T23:33:05.319-04:00I forgot - it was not turned down at the DA - Unit...I forgot - it was not turned down at the DA - Unity controlled that - this was the membership -whcih was big.<br />But Unity regrouped - they came in with a slightly better deal and spent months selling it this time - and Randi learned a lesson - she was much smarter about how to control the membership after this debacle.ed notes onlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-45125091704696459422015-09-04T23:30:57.065-04:002015-09-04T23:30:57.065-04:00Nate
The 75 strike was the last one and we all wer...Nate<br />The 75 strike was the last one and we all were docked 2 for one. They laid off 15,000 people and the rank and file rose up and forced the leadership to strike - Randi used to damper enthusiasm for strikes by saying Shanker told her that going on strike in 75 was the biggest mistake of his life. In fact his biggest mistake was 68.<br />As for the 95 contract - Randi would leave her school after a few hours and go to negotiate - having no feel for where the membership was at - and with Shanker nearing his end and Sandy Feldman distracted that she would be the new AFT president -- Randi botched it - they didn't bother pushing the contract much and New Action and independents like Bruce Markens who as the only non-Unity District rep led the charge to defeat the contract - and they did. Not being in a caucus I played no role other than in my own school where I debated the District Rep at a UFT meeting where I was the chapter leader.ed notes onlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-49433029643466437002015-09-04T23:25:25.947-04:002015-09-04T23:25:25.947-04:00I will try - but you can find out by reading Geral...I will try - but you can find out by reading Gerald Podair on the 68 strike. In short the UFT closed down the entire school system - along with their hidden partners - the principals and APs who were threatened by community control - for months. It is a long and complicated story - I was teaching at the time and went on strike - and only later when I became active with people who had crossed the lines did I learn a lot more. Still - I maintain that people looking to organize inside the UFT to challenge Unity could not cross the line and should have worked inside the union to try to end the strike. The lesson of TAC was an example - and until memories began to fade after a decade, they had to dodge the scab charge. ed notes onlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-2895089307627021232015-09-04T23:04:38.688-04:002015-09-04T23:04:38.688-04:00This is truly fascinating union history. I'm ...This is truly fascinating union history. I'm amazed at the long, truly long memory of facts and information you have at your fingertips with respect to our union. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-90898161325156405072015-09-04T01:48:40.680-04:002015-09-04T01:48:40.680-04:00This is good stuff. I have been dying to know how...This is good stuff. I have been dying to know how all these parts of our local's puzzle came to be. 2 Questions: 1). There was a strike in '75? What was that about? 2). Randi negotiated a contract in '95. When it got turned back, why? And, how come membership had a spine then? Was it turned down at DA, or was it out to membership?<br /><br />Man, this is important. We need to understand how we did this before. I've been waiting for someone to break it down. Keep it up.<br />-NateAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-6493892380772777792015-09-04T00:04:51.886-04:002015-09-04T00:04:51.886-04:00Oh thank you for this history.. after part 2, woul...Oh thank you for this history.. after part 2, would you do a piece on what happened in the 60s in bed stuy and browmsville amd what role did the uft play? A Brooklyn Teacherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08006070605864609354noreply@blogger.com