"But wait," your friendly Unity Caucus slug will say. "The UFT just elected 750 delegates to go to Minneapolis to represent you. And isn't it nice they all will be told how to vote and all vote the same way. Don't you feel better now?"
Look at John Halabi's vote totals in his analysis: Certified UFT Election Results – Part I
Division
| Unity | MORE/NAC | Indiv.* | ||
| Elementary | 73.6% | 24.1% | 2.3% | |
| Middle | 60.9% | 32.5% | 6.6% | |
| High School | 46.5% | 51.0% | 2.5% | |
| Teacher Total | 64.4% | 32.6% | 3.1% | |
| Functional | 74.8% | 22.1% | 3.2% | |
| InService Total | 68.3% | 28.6% | 3.1% | |
| Retirees | 86.7% | 12.5% | 0.8% | |
| Grand Total | 76.3% | 20.9% | 2.8% |
Look at the teacher vote - 32%. When you add in the functional (22%) totals where Unity gets a much higher vote total (due to total control of the functional chapters, which are as undemocratic as any in the UFT we get 29% of the inservice people who get no delegates to the AFT (and NYSUT) conventions.
Even with the retirees added in where we got only 13% of the vote -- that comes to 20% of voters who get no representation - and if you add in the Solidarity anti-Unity votes we get over 12,000 people who get taxed by UFT dues to AFT and NYSUT but are not represented.
Not only are you being taxed by AFT/NYSUT dues but you are also paying the expenses of closer to 800 Unity Caucus people who are going - hotels, airfare, meal vouchers. Do that math - let's say $2000 a person - the next few days are costing us a pretty chunk of change and you might think of that as our 750 champions rise as one to cheer Hillary when she speaks on Monday.
If MORE/New Action received delegates based on even 20% we would be sending 150 people. Instead we have about 7 people spending their own money.
I actually believe there might be a potential class action suit on this but would like to hear a labor lawyer comment.
James Eterno has a piece on this same issue but focused on the actuality that the high school teachers actually elected MORE to the 7 exec bd seats but none of them can be a delegate to the AFT - Arthur Goldstein is the only new Ex Bd member going.
James points out that the almost 20,000 high school teachers are larger than most local teacher unions in this country. If we divided those 750 delegates by divisions the high schools would get a pretty good share - and in a winner take all situation MORE/NA would get quite a chunk. But the high school election was almost 50-50 I would say Unity and MORE/NA could pretty much split the HS share down the middle -- wait - I must leave this fantasy -- and start packing for tomorrow when my wonderful wife will get up at 4AM to drive me to the airport.
ICEUFT Blog
MARGINALIZED UFT HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS WOULD BE VERY LARGE AFT LOCAL
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As the July 18 Minneapolis AFT Convention approaches, it is worthwhile to
point out just how disenfranchised high school teachers in New York City
are. In ...
I know you and everyone else who votes understands that exec board votes are divisional and delegate votes are at large. If MORE/NewAction have enough votes to vote in delegates they will.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, you are always talking about UNITY slugs and their "block" vote, but I'm pretty sure every CTU delegate voted exactly the same on every single issue. Not only that, but do your readers know that CTU and the other "rank and file" caucuses belong to the exact same national caucus as UNITY and voted 100% for Randi and the slate?
Another Unity slug arrives. Did you have a nice trip at my expense? MORE/NA got the most high school votes for VPHS. Before you changed the rules in 1994 James Eterno would have been VP. The majority of HS teachers voted for MORE/NA delegates but get no representation at the AFT. CTU does not have a block vote requirement like Unity - I see you are proud of that. George Schmidt is a delegate for christ's sake and if you think George will vote like he is told you are nuts. Yes, Karen Lewis is a member of the national Progressive Caucus but not many or even any other CTU people. That is part of the deal so the Chicago president can be an AFT Ex Bd member. Progressive Caucus is open to anyone who pays $25 - I was a member too. Boy, you would manage to justify anything. How does that Kool Aid taste?
DeleteNorm. The comment above sounds like Leo Casey who was saying the same things on twitter. Leo will intellectually try to justify just about any action and when they reverse themselves he will justify the reversal.
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