Why Stay? Anthem for UFTers - Should I stay or should I go? - The Clash

If I go there will be trouble, if I stay there will be double... The Clash

I'm a fan of The Clash and Should I stay of should I go is a good theme song many UFTers are facing. Try it out. (See lyrics below). The line above is interesting because if those who are most agitated about leaving due to what they consider a weak UFT in defending themselves stay they could be a thorn in the side. Thus my theory that the leadership doesn't really mind if its most vocal critics left. Remember that 12,000 UFT members voted for the opposition in the last election in 2016, a serious number of unhappy people with Unity.




https://youtu.be/BN1WwnEDWAM

With right wing groups organizing people to leave the union - see this NY Post piece - https://nypost.com/2018/07/05/group-wants-to-teach-workers-how-to-stop-paying-union-dues/

I predict these campaigns will backfire and lead to exposing the attacks on teachers and give some clarity to the motives to destroy the profession as they tie into the same people supporting the anti-union charters. (I still maintain that the school privatization movement represents as big a threat to teacher unions as Janus.

In response to the people on the ICEUFT blog who ask why they should pay in response to my comment about the problems with the UFT leadership, here is my response:

Why pay union dues? Good question. Let's just focus on the local not the big union aspect -- the union in your own school.
I would pay just on the basis of showing solidarity with my co-workers who do pay. For the sake of school wide unity - small u.
Your biggest enemy is not the UFT leadership but most likely some of your supervisors and their enablers at the DOE.

Even with the union it is so hard to fight back against these people.
Try to imagine a divided school where the principal can use the wedge against you all. It could also go the other way where some principals support the idea of a union and punish those who leave -- but I don't see this as the norm.

So an anti-union principal encourages people to leave the union -- devastate the chapter so there is no pushback at all and also no place at all to go to complain -- even if the UFT is poor in responding -- just the fact it exists can be a factor.

Now the other reason is that in a state of having to cater to get you to pay dues the UFT/Unity become more responsive and maybe even willing to fight. Don't hold you breath -- but if people actually banded together - say in a school with an abusive principal and threatened to leave the union en masse unless there was some action -- but you would give them time -- like a year.

Now imagine a whole bunch of schools banding together -- and also saying they will stay in the union but organize people to seek out other representation unless the union reforms democratically.

I've been paying dues voluntarily for 16 years since I retired because I support the concept of unionism and want to stay involved.

James Eterno just retired and is covered under his wife's health plan and could walk away but he is passionate about staying involved.
What is interesting is that the Unity crowd ignores that some of the most passionate support comes from its internal critics and Unity sectarianism means people like us will never be allowed to actually go into schools and support people.

We could mobilize a group of retirees who are not Unity in a second and I believe out critical view of the UFT would allow us to be able to really talk to people the way we do on our blogs instead of going in like a used car salesman to sell fluff.

On the other hand I could understand Unity not wanting to send in people associated with opposition caucuses, fearing they will misuse their access to organize against the leadership -- a valid point and something I've been grappling with in my developing theories of the uncaucus --- what is the point in working in opposition when there is little chance to topple Unity? (But more on this in the future.)

Look deep into the lyrics. People want to stay but it's always tease, tease, tease --- one day its fine and next its black




[Verse 1]
Darling, you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I'll be here till the end of time
So you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?

It's always tease, tease, tease
You're happy when I'm on my knees
One day it's fine and next it's black
So if you want me off your back
Well, come on and let me know
Should I stay or should I go?

Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go, there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know

[Verse 2]
The indecision's bugging me (esta indecision me molesta)
If you don't want me, set me free (Si no me quieres, librame)
Exactly whom I'm supposed to be (digame que tengo ser)
Don't you know which clothes even fit me? (No sabes que ropas me queda)
Come on and let me know (me tienes que decir)
Should I cool it or should I blow? (me debo ir o quedarme)

Split

(Doble! ¿Me frío o lo soplo?)
(Esperda)
(Rrattarrattarrattaa...)

Should I stay or should I go now? (yo me enfrio o lo soplo)
Should I stay or should I go now? (Yo me enfrio o lo soplo)
If I go there will be trouble (si me voy va a haber peligro)
And if I stay it will be double (si me quedo sera el doble)
So you gotta let me know (me tienes que decir)
Should I cool it or should I blow? (me debo ir o quedarme)

Should I stay or should I go now? (tengo frío por los ojos)
If I go there will be trouble (tengo Frio por los ojos)
And if I stay it will be double (si me quedo sera el doble)
So ya' gotta let me know (pero me tienes que decir)
Should I stay or should I go?