The UFT insists that the Rally at City Hall is extremely important, they feel that the PEP is futile. They advise that we go to the Rally first and foremost, and as time allows if people wish to attend the PEP to do so, but the UFT leadership feels that attendance legitimizes the PEP as a decision making body.
I guess I don't see how a rally at city hall is somehow crucial and also how the union feels that by showing up it legitimizes the PEP. What really is going on here is that by showing up at the PEP the UFT leadership is shown up for being toothless. Remember, they supported the process that brought us the PEP in the first place in 2002 and then in 2010 bragged about how they helped get the law modified to control the mayor.
OK, you can laugh out loud now.
Also what is going on here is that Occupy DOE is engaging in actions at the PEP once again. Months ago the UFT pulled the same tactic by telling people not to go in but did bring people down to Brooklyn Tech and then try to lure them to another location. That didn't work and they ended up joining ODOE inside. Now they are trying to make sure that people from closing schools are nowhere near the PEP and ODOE, which the union/Unity Caucus leadership views as aligned with the new caucus in the process of formation which declared itself as Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) on Saturday and affirmed they will be running in the UFT elections early 2013 (I was in the extreme minority of urging them to not run but use the opportunity to build the infrastructure -- or ground game --- of the group before jumping into an election. But the majority thought it is possible to do both and I will do what I can to help that along even if my position did not carry.
UFT/Unity shows signs of panic
In the light of that, we found that today various chapter leaders around the city received a package of leaflets from Unity Caucus and were asked to distribute them on May 1 to the members. This is unprecedented and a clear sign of worry that MORE may be a threat. I'm saving Unity the trouble of waiting 'till May 1 and publishing them here.
One of the funniest parts of the leaflet is that they are trying to make it look like they are social justice unionists, given that MORE is the first caucus in the UFT with a large base of newer, younger teachers (I saw more tattoos in that room on Saturday than I have in a long time.) This should turn out to be fun -- and I don't have to work too hard either as they have enormous energy.
This does MORE a big favor in that most teachers have no idea what Unity is --- they knew they were being screwed but weren't clear who was doing the screwing. This weekend 800 Unity Klones are traveling up to Buffalo to the NYSUT convention at our expense to cast their vote as one. We know they won't be joining the Buffalo teachers in a walkout but GEM will have a rep there from another union to report back to us.
Just look at the checklist of how Mulgrew has fought for all those things for you. Which gives you the biggest howl? The fair evaluation system? The ATRs? Defending your tenure rights? Sorry, I can't go on I am holding my sides.
If ever there was a time that Unity should be at a PEP, this is it. I can only guess what people will think when they read in the papers that "the UFT" wasn't there to protest this (of all) votes.
ReplyDeleteI'm also heading to my CL now to tell her NOT to distribute those leaflets (and I can't wait until members ask around about what Unity is. That'll be a teachable moment).
Honestly, how dare they not be there?
Thankfully most teachers will toss those leaflets into the trash because they know trash when they see it!!
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the UFT will NOT stand with Buffalo is telling. Sometimes I think they get money from ALEC!
From an ATR, they have not preserved our rights and dignity. How dare they speak for me.
ReplyDeleteLeRoy Barr: "...waivered from his comittment..."
ReplyDeleteOy Vey: "...wavered from his commitment..."
My wife is from one of the schools that will be closed. She told me that the school were livid when they found out that the UFT is not even going to the PEP meeting. She doesn't undersand this. My wife is especially irate at Mulgrew (more than she is at the mayor)....she can't believe that he has let NYC and NYC teachers down big time. She always believed in the UFT. Unlike the UFT, she is attending the PEP meeting with some teachers in her school. She was worried that no parents would go as transportation there and parking there is not very good. The UFT should have provided buses to all schools.
ReplyDeleteHolding another rally or whatever is futile and weak. NYC teachers need a union that represents them and that fights against injustice against teachers (and students). The closing of these 25 schools, blaming the staff for things that are out of their control (ie. students in poverty, students in gangs, students who come from junior high school with very low reading and writing scores or students and so on) and stating that the teachers' efforts are not good enough and that for these students graduating in five or six years is not indeed a victory....well, this is really for all citizens of NYC.
Anyone who is not rehired in their original school will be labeled as bad teachers Their careers will be in ruins. The powers that be, in collusion with the UFT. are destroying public education by making teaching an unviable and unattractive career. Within a few years, there will be major teacher shortages.
This has got to be the funniest shit I have ever read!
ReplyDeleteI am a chapter leader and the flyers are already in the can
ReplyDeleteIt's Time for Asking Questions
ReplyDeleteThere are teachers, who are teaching classes five and giving grades,
Who are checking students' work at home and doing all it takes,
But are getting for this wages that they would as daily subs,
With no benefits or summer pay or pay for holidays.
And in the schools they're teaching at, you see the ATR's,
Who're floating through and won't be hired, because, one 'leader' says,
"They're all no good, with ratings U and time in Rubber Room."
And she's the one (from Unity)on whom the staff rely!
When I had joined (in '87), I worked as sub a month,
At full-time job, with day-sub pay, but then got regular checks,
Which at the time were paltry, yet was more than daily-sub's,
With benefits and holidays and summers I could rest.
And this was in the contract, plain and clear, in black-and-white,
For otherwise the contract wasn't worth a beggar's dime!
For why would city scrooges pay the salary prescribed,
If they could hire a slave, who'd work for fourth for equal time?
She justifies the wages paid to those who work for pittance,
"At least they have a job, for there's a wage-freeze on, you know."
Is it a job or is it that they're serfs? Is the union dead?
"What happened to a decent wage?" She thinks that I'm a Red.
"I cannot argue with you now." She says, and scuttles off.
What value to a contract can there be, when this goes on,
As it has been, for years now, in schools across the city?
So schools are turned to sweatshops, as our Bloomberg squeezes budgets.
And he, and those like him, fly off to winter in Caribbean,
While teachers slave, as workers have, so Bloombergs get their sun.
But some of us are saying now, who docile were, and meek,
"It's time for asking questions. How much faster can we run?"
The Unity party and the DOE are in an unlawful "gentleman's agreement," that involves the past President, the current President and a union staffer named Emma Mendez (aka Emalina Comacho-Mendez). As long as the past President could protect the current President at a time in his career when he worked at William E Grady Vocational H.S., Emma Mendez was guidance counselor there and the two were encountered "flagrante," a deal was made to avoid scandal to the Unity Party, since MM was already an inner circle individual to RW and often pictured with him. Though it was a long time ago (those who know when they left the DOE and became employees of UFT) will know the date. Thus it would not do at all to have her "lieutenant" brought up on 3020-a charges and fired for scandalous conduct on DOE premises. The deal thereafter was to allow the DOE to have its way with everything, as long as the incident and how it was sealt with was never revealed and always denied, MM and EC-M would be placed on the UFT payroll by RW, and the DOE would not bring down the Unity Party as long as it capitulated on everything.
ReplyDeleteBloomberg's campaign promises were to reduce the teacher workforce from 80,000 to 50,000, without increases in either the # or % of tenured teachers and without an increase in the average teacher's salary--in fact he would employ mechanisms to reduce the average teacher's pay by $10,000. Nopw the only way he could accomplish these open goals was to get rid of the most experienced, highest paid and tenured teachers.
This was accomplishe by hiring Principals who were "hatchet-people" not reducators and training new ones at the Leadership Academy. Then these Principals not only get the difference in pay as part of their budget but get a personal bonus as well for each teacher they get rid of by all of the following means. 1. Encopurage or harass teachers and tenured APs to resign. 2. Bring teachers up on Ed. L. 3020-a charges for fabricated trivial and entrapment reasons (where they work with the most vicious set of DOE attorneys as co-conspirators to frame teachers by being the complainant. the inmvestigator , the finder of probable cause (illegal for a Principal to bring charge Supt. have to do it but JIK sent a memo to principals in city wide school distrcvits (75/79) saying the principals should do so, [the law says CSD Supts so it may be a gray area for city-wide districts but is illegal in all CSD and HS districts--but he has his lawyers encouraging and bribing Principals to do so. Thousands of teachers have been fired because the arbitrators have been hand=picked to be the ones that want their high pay (up to $1800/day plus expenses and some live hundreds of miles away. [Unlawful if the other 57 counties of the state and lied about in NYC in the CBA and probably unconstitutional to have passed a law that says that in NYC you get what is in the CBA and not the protections in Ed L. 3020-a. 3. They close schools just to get rid of 50% of the teachers (and most of the tenured teachers, with high salaries and experience), its a sham just like the hearings for disciplinary reasons because the schools reopen in the same building, the same kids, often the same principal--its all a ruse to get rid of all the tenured high p-aid and experienced teacher. teachers. Then they go to the legislature and say can we "lay-off" the ATRs who they never intend to bring b ack because they have been hiring like mad as the are making more ATRs. I am looking for plaintiffs to pressure
PERB to do something about the collusion of the union. Got to run email and write me.
Finally the UFT was to nominate a majority of the members of the PEP and in return UFT would give its endorsement to continued mayoral control when it was up for renewal, and then suddenly RW said it was not so important to appoint the majority of the PEP, they would get something in its stead.
My name is Prabhjot kaur. I have served NYC Board of education. I think, the reason for growing problems is lack of appropriate multiculturalism , which could be needed otherwise. If you want I could help you. Feel free , anytime , email - rambokaur@yahoo.com
ReplyDelete