The reality is that Magee and Mulgrew are both in statewide Unity Caucus and in the nitty gritty of the committee structure set up to recommend resos that go to the floor, Unity opposed many ST resos - we will get those details later.
A word about how those 800 NYC Unity slugs are used at both NYSUT RA and AFT conventions. Many of us make fun of them for going on junkets at our expense. But in reality, when they protest that they are there to work, they are not wrong. They are distributed on every committee and are expected to vote and in some cases get up and speak in support of all Unity positions. The committees are key structures used to control what happens on the floor and Unity (NYC) spends time strategizing on committee and floor tactics, including shutting down debate - in essence the way they run a Delegate Assembly.
Now that ST caucus is becoming a force, this will be the first time Unity has faced an organized force on the state or national level. We are hoping that ST can afford to send enough delegates to the 2016 AFT convention to join with other forces around the nation to present a real alternative to national Unity - which is called Progressive Caucus. MORE is part of a national group of caucuses that will meet in Newark this summer and if I go I will push for a presence at the AFT convention
Your local Unity slug will return to your school tomorrow.
Here are previous articles in Ed Notes on the NYSUT RA:
Are You Missing Your Local Unity Caucus Slug?
3 comments:
Interesting strategy shutting down debate. I am wondering if some from my union here in Buffalo are borrowing a page from the slugs. We are in a fairly contentious contest here for control of BTF after 3 and a half decades of the same guy running it. An FB page that is largely friendly territory to one of the opposing groups experienced some new faces in the past week or so whose connections to the incumbent are well documented. The focus of their posting was to challenge others for discussing union activities while attempting to gaslight everyone for not caring enough about teaching children and caring too much about the BTF election. I have asked myself all week where a strategy that attempts to stifle or drown out serious dialogue has ever been used successfully. Thanks Norm for answering my question, and vote for me for Executive Committee too my fellow BTFers who read this blog.
Good luck in the election Sean. I hope you are a delegate to the RA and AFT in the future. These people will do anything to cling to power. Your local is important since it supported Mulgrew in the NYSUT election last year. If there is a break in the big 5 cities and they move to ST Unity will have problems controlling NYSUT. Last election was closer than anyone thought.
S/T is laying down serious roots here in B-Lo. If anyone is backing Revile they are doing it verrry quietly.
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