UFT Staff Changes: Mulgrew is the Boss

Mulgrew the big winner; Sprung, Engler rise

AFT Staffers beware. This is what you have to look forward to when you get your new boss next week.

A new structure in the UFT pretty much ensures that Randi Weingarten will stand for re-election in the 2010 UFT elections.

Mike Mulgrew will be the Chief Operating Officer and strong man of the UFT. This seems to be a newly created position that will enable him to function as Randi Weingarten's surrogate when she is out of town. Michael Mendel has been playing this role, and this seems to push him out of the way. Too bad. Many of us view him as the most capable person. (It looks like I win my $10 bet with Ellen Fox, who claimed he would be the next UFT Pres.)

People have predicted this for Mulgrew, the fast-rising power in the UFT, who just a few years ago was the chapter leader of Grady Vocational HS. We have predicted he would play the Tom Pappas role. But do not look for him to be UFT president in the near future. I'll give reasons why in future posts.

Here is one Mulgrew anecdote. After John Powers made his GHI/HIP resolution at the June DA, Mulgrew was telling people to vote against it. John called up to Randi telling her a UFT VP was trying to tell people how to vote.

The Staff Director, traditionally the seat to power in the UFT - it was held for a long time by Sandi Feldman who appointed Tom Pappas when she became UFT President and he continued in that job for years under Randi - will now be divided between Leroy Barr, Gary Sprung and Elie Engler.

After many years of stability, in the last 3 years we have had: Liz Languilli, Michael Mendel, Jeff Zahler, Leroy Barr, and now a troika. And of course we had the resignation of Michelle Bodden as elementary VP, a story we broke. We said at the time that Barr was a surprise appointment to create an African-American alternative to Bodden. Now, 6 months later, it seems Randi is not happy. By the way, the staff director job pays a lot of money. Will all 3 earn this high salary?

Elie Engler is fairly popular (ironically, an ICE founder has a long-time connection to her.) But Sprung, Pappas' hatchet man, is an old face. There has been no Unity Caucus member who seemed more despised by his fellow Unity Caucus brethren (they used to whisper in my ear) over the years, though he seems to have mellowed a bit - but reports do flow in as to how incredibly nasty and disrespectful he is still capable of being. (I saw him in action when he did that to a friend of mine at a DA who was helping me with ed notes - ironically, it is she who has the connection to Elie Engler.)

Sprung is extremely hard working and capable (he has made sure the Executive Board meetings are well stocked with great food.) Not a guy who seems comfortable up front, look for him to be the main force behind the scenes as staff director - a strong arm guy who doesn't care who he offends - excecpt Randi, of course.

Sprung and I almost got into a fight at a DA when he threw 500 copies of Ed Notes in the garbage can. Pappas came over and had us make up after I embarrassed them by raising a point of order at the beginning of the Delegate Assembly about 10 seconds after Randi began to speak (this was just after she became UFT President and I was able to push for rules that protected the distribution of critical literature, which has been eroded since the UFT moved into 52 Broadway.) Randi ordered them to give me my own table for Ed Notes.

Since then, Gary and I have gotten along - on and off. I used to list him as the real power behind Ed Notes, hoping some Unity hacks would take it seriously. Some actually gave him grief for talking and joking with me. We've shared a few laughs over the years as Gary doesn't mince words about his likes and dislikes. Too bad I can't share them.

Gary spends lots of time at a beach near me in Rockaway. If you hear of a drowning, I have an alibi.