#AFT100, #AFT16 - Day 2 - First Posting of the Day

I ran into some Chicago people yesterday who told me there will be no floor or committee fights with Unity this year for the first time since 2010. All issues were settled behind the scenes in negotiations, in particularly on an ESSA reso.

So no real action from the top but I know some Chicago teachers will take individual action - no heavy loyalty oaths.

I'll be posting multiple times today if I have decent wifi - including updates on what I am picking up about the Debbie Poulos story I reported on the other day, a story that got over 4000 views.

If looking for good summaries of Day 1 check out my fellow bloggers who are much younger and have better memories:

Jonathan Halabi at JD2718

AFT Convention 2016 – Day 1

Arthur Goldstein at NYC Educator 

Clinton at AFT--Let's Learn from Public Charter Schools
Who'd have expected Hillary could push "public charter schools" without a whimper from the AFT crowd?

Arthur and Jonathan are tweeting all day so follow them at teacherarthurg and jd2718x.

My more rambling Day 1 comments are here: #AFT100, #AFT16: Waiting for Hillary, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting... and finally she's here



Randi came over to the press area after Hillary's speech yesterday but the national version of Unity - Progressive Caucus - was having a meeting in the hall and it was loud and drowned out what Randi was saying to reporters -- the minor disruption got way too much attention by the few reporters who bothered to hang around and we didn't even bother staying or asking Randi anything.

I found it funny that Progressive Caucus had no security this time when 6 years ago Washington Sanchez and Leroy Barr tried to throw me out  when they didn't see my credentials. See my reports from AFT2010.

• Breaking into the Progressive Caucus
• Unity Caucus and Democracy

Heck - I realize how in depth I covered AFT2010 and how lax I am this time.

Anyway, hack to last night - we found Gloria and Lisa and went to the reception where we ate as much crap as we could stuff in - and then hung around the ballroom to chat until they threw us out at 10PM and we caught the shuttle back to the hotel where we all received milk and cookie (delicious but only one each).

MORE has a leaflet to give out which includes the fact that we have no delegates here at all while Unity has numerous retirees - former Unity functionaries. My story on that issue was here: MORE Going to AFT Convention Taxed but not represented - Joining 12,000 Non-Unity Voters.

We got up early, had an early breakfast and Arthur started blogging and tweeting while I twiddled. I went out and found a fedex and made a few hundred copies of the MORE leaflet and also some copies of the Unity leaflet attacking MORE.

Got here with Gloria, Lisa, Gladys and Arthur - picked up some swag - bags and Hillary tee-shirts for my wife. Got to press section - which is in front and off to the left today - Unity stalward Patti Crispino was the Sgt at Arms - interesting how so many Unity people love being Sgt at Arms at these events. I have my theories.

Debate began -

PSC's Barbara Bowen amended a reso but I was busy writing this and didn't follow carefully - it caused some controversy - Bowen cowtows to NYSUT Unity in exchange for opportunities to get her political positions into resos at the AFT and NYSUT RAs.

Then a "modest" dues increase of 10cents each year - 10 more cents that the 12,000 non-Unity voters in NYC will be paying to not have representation at the AFT.

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the AFT - and even though the record over this time has not always been progressive -- think of how important it was in 1916 in the midst of a major war and mucho anti-union sentiment. John Dewey was a founder.

Lots of good stuff around the race issue. Executive Director of Color of Change is speaking -- and there's a rally and march today at 4PM around the shooting here a few weeks ago.

Am I at a MORE meeting instead of the AFT convention?

As James Eterno always says - it is hard to out social justice Randi - at least on the surface. There are also a hell of a lot of black Unity delegates here who must roll their eyes when white people in MORE run against them as THE social justice caucus.

He is now introducing Patti Crispino as leader of LGBT community - OK - I can say stuff about Patti's history as a Unity --- I won't use the word today in the spirit of the day because I support Patti's efforts in this area. I'm feeling the Unity.

Patti makes a great speech -- and introduces Kimberley Colbert, a St. Paul teacher at the school attended by Philando Castile, whose family Hillary met with yesterday before her speech. Kimberley lays on some heavy stats on the toll on black lives. She tolls through the cities that have had mass shootings as funereal music plays and reps from those cities come to the mics and say the names of the city out loud.

Some real in depth talk of white privilege - heck, is Unity/Progressive Caucus matching MORE on race issues? I think that is great - let them also be the social justice caucus of the UFT and the AFT -- their problem is they don't do the other stuff they should be doing real well - like defending the contract.

Back to business - and lookee here - Racial Equity Reso.

A  Chicago teacher wants change in language - calling for actions that go beyond just making a reso. Let's see what happens here.... she is white and talking about race in a passionate manner. Looks like a loner from Chicago ..... can she be connected to BAMN?

Now comes Yvette Felarca (she's not black) - from BAMN - who has run against Randi in the past and is trying to do so again this time -- they call themselves equal opportunity caucus -- outside there were gathering signatures to run a slate against Randi/Progressive caucus - she mentions her caucus and Randi says they don't talk about caucuses - we are one -- if I had had lunch I would spill it --

She supports amendment.

Here comes Randi shill Keith Johnson retired Detroit Fed of T president who joined Randi years ago in the initial sellout - he is obviously going to oppose signalling the Unity horde Randi is opposed to amendment.

Old Unity Jeff Zahler  - rises to support original and oppose "actions" because they are not specific -- so as usual they want words but no action -- now debate closed on amendment -- will be overwhelming defeated -- and it IS shot down.

Another black union delegate supports original reso.

Anthony Harmon - also black and UFT local 2 - rises to support reso. We all like Anthony. He served on AFT task force on racial equity.

More people rising -- CTU officer Michael Brunson - who is black rises to add an amendment but out of order -- takes vote to close discussion so Michael doesn't get to make amendment.

Time for lunch break.

But first - special orders of business for this afternoon.
BAMN wants special reso for this afternoon.
Must be printed and available to convention one session before. There will be 3 for afternoon -- endorsement of Hillary, racial justice and the BAMN reso.

Off to lunch - back at 2:30.
-----
Gotta go make more copies of our leaflet to give out this afternoon as delegates enter.

Afterburn: I have some updates on the Debbie Poulos situation and emerging theories of why she is being moved out of the Brooklyn borough. They had to create a new position for her I hear - and I wonder what the salary will be given that borough reps make some of the top salaries in the UFT hierarchy.

Back later.