Ed Notes Online: City Love Letter to Mulgrew - No Retro Payment to UFT Members - It's Only the Beginning - NOT the Chicago Version

Eterno, ICEUFT- CITY STIFFS US ON MONEY THEY OWED US SINCE 2009
The City is refusing to pay the last lump sum retro payment they owe us for work that we did from 2009-2011. Why we agreed to this arrangement to make nice with Mayor deBlasio alluded me when Michael Mulgrew erroneously claimed the city's cupboard was bare back in 2014 when we accepted that awful contract that was twice extended. Now, we are still paying the price... Back in May 2014 Back in May, 2014 ICEUFT wrote: NEW UFT CONTRACT: RETRO DELAYED = RETRO DENIED WHI...

Oct. 8, 2020 - Mulgrew got a love letter with a bit of a surprise - and just when it looked like he was winning a few things in the open and shut schools wars. Maybe some pay back from de Blasio for not falling in line all the way? After all, with Cuomo punching him, de Blasio needs someone for him to punch and punchy Mike may be just the one - after all, what can he do, strike? These are serious hits for a lot of people esp with two teacher families - 10-20Gs.

Ahhh, I remember it well -- our struggle opposing the 2014 contract where we helped flood many schools and the Delegate Assembly with leaflets urging a NO vote. We lost to the Unity machine as we often do. See below for Ed Notes extensive coverage of the 2014 contract in May/June 2014.

Below is the video of Mulgrew's response and below that the fan letter.

But first a few words if you are not already depressed. The letter is correct - the city and state are in fiscal crisis and truly going down the tubes.

Ed Notes predicted massive cuts in education back in April

We even hear talk of a sickout - some are already calling in sick - but only an organized sickout would have an impact - and I'm not sure on the impact on the public and parents.

This pulling of retro pay may be the first shot but not the last - or the least. With massive unemployment and so many teachers pushing for full-time remote and still getting paid, can there be much public sympathy over retro? Well, it is a fundamental attack on the union and its teachers and a threat to every union - except police and maybe fire.

What an opportunity to undermine the union even further and move the agenda to move public schools into private hands? Never miss the opportunity a crisis offers. And charter friendly Cuomo is prepared to pounce.

On Jame's blog there was a few comments ranging from militant strike calls to mild outrage:

The reaction by UFT needs to be militant, not arbitration. One thing was right in Mulgrew's words, "this is unacceptable."

Retro money is owed to people of higher seniority thus are not in the risk of being laid-off. So threat of laying-off will not push us back.

To calls to throw the bum out:

Lydia H. said...: I hope you all will vote for UFT Solidarity in 2022.

To this sign of union "solidarity":

I say let the pink slips start flying. I'm tired of the doe and union always protecting the young people and screwing the older ones. This is our money.

Nice - but watch the pink slips flow when the covid crisis lets up.

Sing it: It's only the beginning.

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Ed Notes Reporting in 2014: