Norm..If you work at the UFT, leave comments - I don't track people who comment - nor can I.This is in reference to my post, of last week, Making Merry at the UFT Citywide Chapter Leader Meeting.
In regards to the welcome center balloons and Windex comment, who paid for the expensive plants? Who purchased the new wooden furniture? Who paid for the painted walls? Who paid for the IT labor? Who paid for the new lighting fixtures? Who paid for new plumbing and plumbing fixtures? Who paid for the water fridge? Who paid for the water cooler? Who paid for the high tech coffee machine? Who paid for the banner? Who paid for the wiring? Who paid for the computers? Who paid for the fancy water bottles? Who paid for the signage to be removed? Who's paying the staff to work the extra overtime to staff the center? Who paid for the customer service training courses? We haven't even touched on who's paying for the new conference center in excess of 3 to 4 million dollars? How does all of this justify promoting an incompetent events manager to a position of higher authority who appears to be at the center of all of this out of control spending? Many people are forced to staff the welcome center even when they voice objections they are they do not have a choice. I don't remember this being brought up at any delegate assembly. How does a union that represents workers rights treat it's own staff this way? There are people that interested in working in the center that have been rejected by the UFT because of their background.... Concerned About Spending
I strolled into the brand new Welcome Center in the back of the lobby which was staffed by some heavy hitters of UFT officialdom, who posed for some photos on the condition they appeared in Ed Notes. Someone told me "they spent $70,000 alone furnishing that space when a desk is available right next to security." The price of balloons has certainly been going up.Which elicited these comments from someone defending the union:
I was glad to see they look pretty happy.
Someone is apparently not so happy and sent me this complaint that they are "Pressuring UFT workers to staff the welcome center during regular work hours and extending work days without pay." I pointed out that people like David Hickey and Janella Hinds seem to be there but this insider claims the staffing is often from the lower paid employees and comes from "An operator from administrative services, MBO and membership staff, accounting staff, David Hickey's secretary, print shop staff, IT staff ---- the big wigs usually have the administrative staff cover for the shift assigned to them."
the 70k figure is ridiculous. It cost nothing, except some windex and a few balloons.Our anonymous commenter is concerned about out of control spending and seems to have a finger on the button.
Cafe 52 has been closed for at least 3 years.
By the way -- the new conference rooms on the 2nd floor of 50 Broadway which this person claims is costing 3-4 million, may have a source of revenue as Eterno points out:
PD THAT USED TO BE FREE ON SCHOOL TIME NOW COSTS $75 ON SATURDAY
6 comments:
Director of Ops David Hickeys previous personal secretary Rosemarie Christina. Who is also in charge of the new welcome center also in charge of the new state of the art conference center at 50 Broadway. Very unqualified. She has terminated 5 assistants in the past 3 years alone. Compensated with a 40,000 pay increase.
Mulgrue just hired two of his best friends as special assistants to the pres.
Kathy Gilbert
And
Jeff Bernstein
Both of previous comments contain only small kernals of truth. Jeff Bernsrein, for example, is already a uft staffer, who has recently been assigned as asst to the staff director, not the Prez. This appt is revenue neutral. Similar mistakes in other particulars. Regarding the comments about huge expense of visittor center, that is also distorted to the point of absurdity. The uft has a full time maintenance staff who did any plumbing and wiring. The "expensive" plants? Puh-lease!
Does the maintenance staff work for free?
As a UFT lifer who's been visiting the union hall for si beagle and rtc business, I can assure you there isn't that much money being generated via the event spaces. Many times we've had meetings and events at 52 and 50 Broadway and there were hardly any activities going on in the building. Adding additional empty spaces will not generate much more revenue, especially if the funds being paid are to the UFT from the UFT. Where's the logic in that?
You can try and defend your nonsense but nobody with half a brain is buying it! The workers in the UFT barely make enough money to take the train and buy lunch so to dismiss the fact that a former personal Secretary with no clue or people skills who has fired 10 people who were victims of her poor direction has been promoted with a $40,000 raise is plain disgusting.And fine the UFT has maintenance workers to do the work but they should also have higher ups who don't have a hard time telling their friends/employees when they have a bad idea and not waist company resources on nonsense like this welcome center or their new office with a furniture price tag that could have furnished an entire home!!
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