Here is CORE's press release on the Chicago union elections, which win or lose in the runoff for CORE, is a cataclysmic event in teacher unionism with national implications - the AFT/UFT Weingarten/Mulgrew sellout policies have pushed teachers up against the wall. We'll be back later with some prelim analysis.
Read
updates from George Schmidt at Substance:
Norm
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Karen Lewis CORE CTU Presidential Candidate FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 22, 2010 CORE Media Relations Liz Brown Kenzo Shibata Preliminary Election Results Show CORE to be in Runoff Election June 11th
In a five-way race for the leadership of the Chicago Teachers Union, a run-off on June 11, 2010 appears likely between the Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators (CORE), headed by CORE Presidential Candidate Karen Lewis and the incumbent party UPC. At the time of this release, the preliminary vote count stands at UPC 31.9%, CORE 30%, PACT 15.1%, CSDU 6.8% and SEA 5.6%. "What this election shows us is that teachers and PSRPs are fed up. CORE's success is we are a big-tent, grass-roots group led democratically from the bottom up. That was why CORE began in the first place - to activate and energize all members in running the Union. It also turned out to be a winning campaign strategy. I sincerely thank all of our supporters for their tireless work and dedication to our shared cause," said Karen Lewis. Throughout the campaign, CORE has called for an end to business as usual, transparency from both the CTU and Chicago Public Schools, and a unified effort to improve Chicago's public schools among its natural allies - teachers, students, parents and community members. "CORE invites all caucuses and Union members to join us to reinvigorate rank-and-file members and wake up the sleeping giant that is the Chicago Teachers Union. Now is the time to end UPC's decades long control of our Union that has been a disservice to members," said Lewis. This breakdown does not take in account the 35 ballot boxes that were not picked up from their respective schools. # # # CORE, the Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators, is a reform caucus of the Chicago Teachers Union that represents teachers and the students and families they serve.
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| Meeting and Celebration
Open to all those who support CORE in the June 11th Runoff Election
CORE Slate 2010: Michael Brunson, Karen Lewis, Jesse Sharkey, and Kristine Mayle  |
Monday, May 24th 2010 4:00-6:00 PM
Letter Carriers Hall
3850 South Wabash
Food will be provided.
We will be raising funds, so please bring your checkbook. |
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So perhaps it can be done. Of course, Chicago has already passed "reforms" worse than those in NY. The big question, then, is what we can do to save NYC teachers before we face such ""reforms."
ReplyDeleteNYCE
ReplyDeleteWe all have to take a stand! As a CL, I encourage the members to take action, to stand up for their rights, to examine these reforms with a critical lens of suspicion, to make their voices heard. But, they contend that it's no use of fighting and it's too late!
They cry defeat before the battle has begun. Too many are new teachers, mostly TFs. The small schools have a high percentage of newbies, who cannot afford to rock the boat because it would be considered a career-killing decision. They prefer to be Stepford Teachers in which they'll do anything and everything administration ask of them. Years ago, prior to the BloomKlein era, solidarity truly existed in the large comprehensive high schools. I came from a very large high school where 90% of the members were tenured and protected the other 10% untenured members from administration.
Those days are gone and we all have to fend for ourselves! If the members don't want the reforms that happened in Chicago, then they better act now before it quickly moves into all our schools!
It will take an activist group of people like CORE with an organization to match. As you all saw in the last election we are so far behind that here in NYC that it will probably take the kind of Chicago level attack to have an impact here. We are at least 5 years behind - and also, the UPC is a bunch of clowns compared to Unity. Two of the 5 caucuses running were splitoffs from UPC and they could not stop the CORE org efforts. A very different story from the powerful total control UNity machine which has coopted even people who might become active in the opposition. If things get bad enough and some capable people desert Unity and help form a new opposition we might see some action but we are a long way from that.
ReplyDeleteI intend to ruminate on these ideas in a main line post if I get the time.