What OWS Support Reso Will the UFT Delegate Assembly Pass Tomorrow as Chicago Teaches Union Supports OWS?

With a UFT Delegate Assembly tomorrow - Weds. Oct. 19 - taking place barely steps from the epicenter of Occupy Wall Street, it will be interesting to see exactly where they stand. We do know the UFT is providing logistical support by donating storage space and there was a call from inside the UFT last Thursday night for people to come out Friday morning to defend the park - I heard there was even a meeting at UFT HQ.

I am working on a leaflet for GEM that will call on the DA to march over to the park en masse after adjournment in a show of support. Here's hoping that reso won't be necessary and that the UFT Administration will take as strong an action as the CTU.

Would the UFT which focuses so much of its attention on political lobbying endorse this point?

Whereas the basic message behind Occupy Chicago is that the current political system only works for 1% of the population.

CTU Resolution to Support “Occupy Chicago”

Whereas the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations, the national parent union to Chicago Teachers Union officially endorsed the national “occupation” movement “Occupy Wall Street.”

Whereas, Occupy Chicago’s mission statement states, “Occupy Chicago is here to fight corporate abuse of American democracy in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world.”

Whereas Chicago Teachers Union is currently campaigning to return corporate tax breaks to fund schools.

Whereas, Occupy Chicago’s mission statement states, “Occupy Chicago reassures its members and the public that we are a social movement dedicated to nonviolent action.”

Whereas the basic message behind Occupy Chicago is that the current political system only works for 1% of the population.

Whereas Chicago Teachers Union represents teachers, paraprofessional and school related staff and school clinicians who work with and are members of the other 99% of Americans who have experienced cuts in their pay through the Board’s reneging of 4% contractual raises.

Whereas many Chicago Teachers Union members and the families they serve have had their homes foreclosed by the same banks that gamed the political system to receive trillions in bailouts of which they were held unaccountable.

Whereas testing corporations rob our schools of crucial instructional time while profiting off our students and taxpayers.

Whereas: Chicago Teachers Union members have suffered the gradual decline of teaching and learning conditions as the 1% has successful dictated more and more of the direction of education in our classrooms, schools, district and nation.

Therefore, be it resolved, that the Chicago Teachers Union endorses the Occupy Chicago campaign.

Resolved, Chicago Teachers Union will maintain a presence at the occupation site through the organizing department and information from the occupation will be disseminated through Chicago Teachers Union’s communications including, but not limited to website, social media, and Chicago Union Teacher, the official publication of Chicago Teachers Union.

Resolved, resolve: Chicago Teachers Union will support the production and dissemination of lesson plans and materials to educate and empower interested parents and students to occupy and retake our schools and public spaces.

I'll follow up later with a draft of the leaflet we're working on.

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