Arbitrator Takes Control of UFT Contract - Expect Unity Slugs to Claim We Overreact

What is amazing is that at a time when the city has a huge surplus, we have to make the retirees whole, at a cost that extends out into the future.... Comment on MORE listserve in response to Arbitrator extending latest UFT contract in order to pay retirees, as reported by James Eterno, ARBITRATOR RULES ACTIVE PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY FOR RETIREE LUMP SUM PAYMENTS.

 Look for a comment soon along the lines of, "It's only a month extension, what are you guys complaining about?"

Peter Lamphere pointed to the real underlying issue:

This is very interesting. Although the modifications are relatively minor, they do involve a financial loss to active members. Most importantly, the power of this arbitrator over contract provisions has been decisively demonstrated, which will come into play in a major way if the magical 3.4 billion in health care savings promised fail to emerge.

Ahhh, that magical 3.4 billion, which doesn't have to be settled until AFTER Mugrew has to run for re-election - with the support of New Action, of course -- for which they will get their piece of the Ex Bd.

Eterno today added to the point today at ICE:

ARBITRATOR MIGHT NOT YET BE DONE REWRITING UFT CONTRACT

The arbitrator who decided last week to lengthen our contract by a month and delay one of the raises may have another crack at rewriting the agreement.  If the city and the union can't agree on the UFT's share of $3.4 billion in heath care savings, then guess who gets to decide on the savings?  You are right if you guessed it is the same arbitrator who just extended the contract.  With our union's track record, most are expecting to experience some kind of healthcare giveback in the not too distant future. 

Pissed Off teacher also commented from the perspective of making sure retirees are kept happy and voting for Mulgrew:

Courting Votes

Mulgrew loves his retired teachers.  They sing his praises at meetings and, since they are not working  they ask nothing in return.  He doesn't have to waste time defending them or answering their questions.
Mulgrew might be in for a rude awakening.  The new bunch of retired teachers don't remember or care about the union Shanker created.  They and their colleagues have long been neglected and abused by the union of today.

Ms. Tsouris on POT blog ...

It's been the usual dog-and-pony show. The orginal $180 million was suddenly "not enough" as if the UFT and the DOE didn't know all those teachers were going to retire, given the "retire by June 30th" incentive. That of course is total baloney. Of course they all knew that many teachers were going to retire. The decision to extend the contract by a month and restructure the raises was imposed by the arbitrator. Retirees really shouldn't be voting at all, but that's how the corrupt, mean spirited and bloated Unity caucus maintains its stranglehold on what once was a great union.

And Chaz:

Breaking News - Our Union Sells Out Their Active Members Yet Again!