They'll be Gone Soon

In out post on City Sue's "coming out of the closet" (and make sure to read our updated version below) she uses the "BloomKlein will be gone" argument. The UFT has used the "they'll be out of office" excuse forever starting with Koch. Remember how they had a campaign of following Giuliani around? We know the UFT has enabled Bloomberg and to now argue they'll be gone as a way to try to give the impression all will be well is part of their usual tactics of obfuscation and misdirection.

I got an email recently from someone who has been somewhat screwed by the union but who wanted me to publish something with the following caveat because of my association with ICE.

"I'm uncomfortable about the factionalism in our union. I believe the city and the UFT leadership use the "divide and conquer" strategy successfully to keep us weak. Let's stay united!"

I'm not sure he is clear about who has to stay united when the leadership is part of the problem. This is the line Unity/New Action when we are called traitors to the union.

I responded:

It is the union leadership that is aligned with BloomKlein against us but tries to make it seem they are on our side.

As long as your "let's stay united" includes Unity Caucus in the definition, there will be manipulation on this basis to defanging militancy. To me "staying united" means the people who feel there will never be changes until an alternative to Unity springs up.

I blame the union more than BloomKlein for what has happened because they have undermined any kind of adequate response.

So my political message is to constantly point to these things they do which contradicts what they say for the consumption of the members.

The UFT has many high priced consultants like Hillary's Howard Wolfson who advise the union on how to manage the membership. And for those who think Randi and co. are incompetent, when it comes to this they are extremely competent. But then again, that is what they devote most of their time and attention to.

Sometimes that does result in service and the union functioning like a union is supposed to. But that is only when forced and to some extent a corollary effect of trying to put out the fires of militancy when they arise.

graphic by DB