Monday, March 29, 2010

Reasons to Vote ICE-TJC from John Elfrank-Dana

Hi,

As you enjoy your break consider finding that pink envelope the American Arbitration Association sent you. If you do, I recommend you vote for the ICE/TJC slate.


(As a disclaimer, know that I am running for one of the at-large positions, my name is buried deep in there somewhere, but if you vote the slate it will count for me).


My reasons for joining ICE/TJC are the following:


1. ICE/TJC are for democratic unionism. Unity is machine politics and back room deals with the mayor. Now that the mayor has spit in their faces they are in a state of shock.


2. ICE/TJC have a vision for democratic schools where teachers have rights as professionals. Unity believes in nothing other than more dues, double pensions for their staff and patronage jobs.


3. ICE/TJC are for digging in and preparing for confrontation. Unity has been the "if you can't beat 'em join'em" party. Randi was way too cozy with Bloomberg. Mulgrew is all chest-beating. HE HAS NO PLAN.


Unity has painted us into a corner with one accommodating contract after another. We cannot postpone the day of reckoning, for every year we do our position only gets worse and worse.


We need to call these so called ed reforms like Charter Schools and NCLB and Race to the Top for what they are: UNION BUSTING. And union busting is CLASS WARFARE.


We must show other working New Yorkers that our fight is theirs. That, if they want a future for their children with rights on the job and a decent standard of living, the fight must start now. We are the standard bearers. If we collapse there will be no organized group out there to replace us.


Voting for ICE/TJC is taking that first important step to moving forward.


For more information about ICE/TJC and James Eterno, candidate for President of the UFT, go to:


http://uftelections2010.blogspot.com/2010/02/james-eterno-ice-tjcs-candidate-for.html



--
John Elfrank-Dana
UFT Chapter Leader
Murry Bergtraum High School
www.Elfrank.com/UFT

2 comments:

Unitymustgo! said...

Did what I could in my school. I held a chapter meeting to discuss ICE/TJC slate. Walked around the school and personally asked for the vote. Encourage those that weren't likely to vote to at least check off ICE-T as most called it rather than not vote. Sent ballot off Saturday morning. Would have voted sooner, but brough it to school to demonstrate how to vote ICE-T correctly. Wish you all luck.

Unitymustgo!

Eternomustwin!

Anonymous said...

Elfrank's "reasons for joining ICE/TJC" are your typical nonsense ICE broad stroke generalizations that are incorrect and not grounded in reality. It's exactly why I didn't vote ICE.