UFT Retired Teacher Chapter Meeting Takeaway: This is What Democracy Looks Like, Despite Unity Attacks on Those Who Have Saved Retirees Thousands of Dollars

What did we learn at the RTC meeting?

 

UNITY wants us to pay more for healthcare ....as they criticize lawsuits that's saved every retiree thousands of dollars so far. 

 

Oh, and they don't oppose co-pays, coming Jan. 1. Marianne's suit saved us from co-pays for over a year. Why does the Unity Caucus hate her? She is still fighting co-pays. See her latest update today here: https://youtu.be/FX6Vl5mKaRQ?si=30leWdjli7ma7vhb.

• Don't forget to register for a town hall: Urgent Call to Action: RSVP for the UFT Members October Assembly Tuesday, October 29, at 7PM

And don't forget to listen to Talk Out Of School:

What’s going on with the UFT Welfare Fund?- with Marianne Pizzitola and Ronnie Almonte

Here is the RA leaflet

After a slow start, the room was rocking with cheers and howls of approval at the appearance of Marianne Pizzitola. Going in, the room seemed divided roughly one third Unity, one third leaning our way and one third neutral. As Unity unveiled their attack dogs on Marianne, there was a palpable shift as people rose to applaud her responses and showed up in the 75% favorable votes on our reso calling for healthcare changes to go to a vote at the DA. 

Video montage of the RTC meeting: https://youtu.be/y_cDGILTlU0

Monday, October 28, 2024

Everyone seems to agree that the major reason Retiree Advocate won an overwhelming victory (63%) in the June chapter election, was due to the Medicare issue.

I agree. Some oppo pundits who I won't name think RA will be doomed to insignificance once the MeDAdv issue goes away. While it is possible the Unity majority will assert itself in the spring UFT election, there is another factor. Democracy.

Democracy is a dirty word in today's world. But if we drop the ball on that issue we will be just like Unity. We need to show UFT members that there is a difference from a Unity run machine. One of the best things about the RA coalition is we don't all agree and will contend with each other. No democratic centralism from the top for us. Well, maybe not from all of us as there are some strands on our side that would love to shut people like me up.

We will be doomed if we screw up running the RTC because there was outrage  at the lack of democracy in the imperious and arrogant manner Unity ran RTC meetings, which turned so many off. (We can only hope there is the same outrage directed at Unity over how the DA is run - DA Takeaways: All About Control as Mulgrew talked ...)

As I roamed the meeting, I pointed out to leading Unity retirees that they were given opportunities that we were denied by Tom Murphy for years. Some seemed to agree as Bennett bent over backwards. I even told them I miss them at the DA and if we had proportional representation, Unity would have gotten over 100 delegates out of the 300 we won. 

OK, I really don't miss them.

Led by chapter leader Bennett Fischer and the newly elected 25 member RTC Exec Bd which met before the meeting to solidify the agenda, we demonstrated how to organize and run a meeting with possibly 2k attendees even with Unity challenging guest speaker Marianne Pizzitola and lawyer Jake Gardener for NYC Retirees. 

Compare the RTC meeting with the DA and you can see what a change in leadership of the UFT can bring. So when Unity attacks us as bringing chaos, toss them reports (even from Unity slugs) on how well this meeting was planned and run. And btw - a big talking point for any group running against Unity in the next election - you won't go to a DA and have to listen to someone talk for an hour and a half. But keep expecting Unity to try to undermine RTC meetings.

Arthur, who was remote due to an illness, made the point in his comprehensive report, At First New RTC Meeting, We VOTE and PASS a Resolution:

A sea change from Unity-run meetings, where we had neither voice nor vote. A sea change from the tightly-controlled UFT DA as well. A sea change from Unity-run meetings, where we had neither voice nor vote. A sea change from the tightly-controlled UFT DA as well.

It’s a new day in our Retired Teacher Chapter. Our voices are no longer quashed. By a measure of three to one, we voted to take control of our health care. It may or may not come up for a vote in Mulgrew’s DA, but we’ve made our statement.

In a remarkable new hearing of both sides, Unity voices were allowed to speak in equal proportion to ours. From what I heard, they were out to delay so that we would not get to our resolution. They did not succeed.

Our voices are strong. We are strong. We are the first group of retirees to take a stand against Unity, and we won’t be the last. Bennett is clearly nervous and kind of needs to get his sea legs. That said, he led the meeting in an honorable and open fashion, giving more voice to the minority than was ever given to us, the majority, under Unity control.

One Unity person accused us of being uncivil. They are not accustomed to being outnumbered. Given their outlandish treatment of Marianne Pizzitola, I’d say they were being uncivil. Given Marianne’s rapid and assured response, I’d also say they wasted their time. Marianne is very smart, with an instant command of detail. She’d have made a great teacher.

I'll admit, as one of the planners of the agenda, I was concerned. I knew Unity would be there and put up resistance but I did not know just how strong they were. After all, they had been in charge for decades. 

I was heartened by their pathetic leaflet (right) which bragged about Mulgrew no longer supported Medicare and how he was the ONLY one in the MLC to pull out, while we all know he was the instrumental force in the MLC for MedAdv for years and browbeat smaller unions.

In case you can't see it, read these whoppers, with my comments in red:

"Despite the future of retiree healthcare still being fought in the courts [by the NYC Retirees who we have and will do everything we can to undermine, including asking questions at today's meeting challenging their integrity], the Unity Caucus and its UFT leadership's opposition to the city's Medicare Advantage plan remains firm [As firm as we were for the city's Medicare Advantage Plan for the past 3 years until we lost the RTC election]. We have and always will stand alongside our membership..." [LOL, LOL, LOL]

We saw at the meeting and in leaked documents just how they were "standing alongside the membership" with their attempts to harass and embarrass Marianne, even demanding she leave the room while we debated a motion. The day after the meeting I received confirmation that Unity had a plan of attack when an anonymous source sent me internal memos - see my comments in red. As you can see from the leaks, they have no boundaries. 

• Leaked: Unity Caucus strategies and questions for Oct 22 RTC Meeting from LeRoy Barr and Vinny Gaglione

Arthur went deeper on Saturday:  

 

A Unity Member Finds a Conscience And anonymously sends the caucus lesson plan to Norm Scott

 Unity attacked Norm Scott a few weeks ago, misrepresenting his position. Last week someone with a conscience emailed him their marching orders for the RTC meeting. Those wheels of karma just keep on turning. 

If we don’t show up and make our presence felt, we risk handing over control of the Retiree Chapter's operations to a group that doesn’t reflect our values.

Actually, you “risk handing over control” to a group that was elected by an overwhelming majority. Cede control to members? Cede control to elected representatives? 

You can’t argue those things with her without a battery of facts that take so long to recite that you lose the audience before you start. Stay away from arguing about the plan. We are not experts on it.

The “battery of facts” I keep hearing from Unity is a battery of lies. And Unity members, who have sold us into Aetna’s Medicare Advantage without allowing us to vote on it, are not experts on it. Still, they had no qualms about telling us how great it was, or even forcing us into it. Aetna admitted, in court, that it would deny care, yet Unity still tells us it would not.

My head hurt from smacking myself each time a Unity clone spoke at the RTC meeting with the most illogical, ridiculous comments and questions. The worst offender was one of the Unity stalwarts who testified at the infamous City Council hearing where a gang of 5 Unity people who had previously defended the MulgrewCare MedAdv plan begged the Council to change the admin code so they wouldn't be forced into that same MulgrewCare by preserving their option to opt out and pay $200 a month for the same Seniorcare we have been getting for free. Huh?

You can see the Unity policy - Beg for higher healthcare costs. 

To top if off, she had the nerve to ask Marianne why she opposed the admin code change, meaning she was upset over not being able to pay more, instead of thanking Marianne for saving everyone thousands of dollars over 3 years.

You can't make this stuff up. 

Even better was a Unity long-time on the payroll hack, now a retiree but I'd bet is still on the payroll, had the nerve to ask how much Marianne is making off the backs of retirees who have saved these thousands of dollar? The place broke into an uproar and when Marianne answered how she makes nothing, she got rousing cheers.

 

I got to speak for the motion to call for a vote at the DA for major changes to our healthcare and a gaggle of Unity lined up at the mic to speak against. Of course they don't want a vote, even at the DA they control. They were hoping to stall out the clock for the 3PM adjournment.The question was called because Mulgrew was waiting to give his report -- he was at schools all day -- yes, Unity is working hard to counter the wave.

 

 Halabi has the numbers on the vote:

the vote on zoom was 909 - 208 to call the question; in the hall it was 231 - 47 to call the question. And at 1140 - 255 (82%) the question was called. On the resolution the vote was 186 in favor and 91 against in the hall, and 881 in favor to 277 against on zoom, for a total of 1067 in favor and 368, and the motion carried with over 74% in favor.

So, here was a test of Unity strength and 75% against sends a strong signal that the waning of Unity support in the June election was not a one-off.

 

Oh, and the most important thing about the meeting? Our own Michele Ravid has been working with the UFT food people and made sure there was improved food. 

 

Yummy.

Afternurn

A Unityite called a point of order - should non-union members be in the room - Bennett agreed and asked Marianne to wait outside. Even when she went outside to the lobby a Unity hack harassed her and demanded she leave the building, but was interrupted by the numerous attendees who came out to express their gratitude to Marianne and even hand her donations, some in front of Mulgrew, which is funny since Unity tried to question her funding source, hinting that some nefarious right wing anti-union group was backing her. Sure, anti-union groups are so anxious to defend out healthcare.

Arthur hit Unity again today: 

History Is SO Darn Unforgiving, And it's a long, slow learning curve for poor UFT Unity

Urgent Call to Action: RSVP for the UFT Members October Assembly Tuesday, October 29, at 7PM

Dear UFT Members,

Again, thanks so much for taking the time to fill out the Member Survey, and thank you for spreading the word to UFT colleagues and friends. Our emerging group of active and retired educators has been talking about how to best get our grassroots movement started, and we’re ready to get things going!

Here are some next steps for October:

Attend our first UFT Members Assembly on Tuesday, October 29, at 7PM.

It’s time for rank-and-file voices like yours to be heard. What issues do you want UFT leadership to advocate for? What changes do you want to make happen in our UFT? How can we make these changes a reality?

We will hold a virtual Member Assembly every month, leading up to the UFT Citywide Election in May 2025. 

Your voice matters, and together we will build a better, stronger UFT.

We also encourage you to invite your UFT friends, colleagues and family to this ongoing conversation. You can do so by forwarding them this email or download and print this flyer.

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Leaked: Unity Caucus strategies and questions for Oct 22 RTC Meeting from LeRoy Barr and Vinny Gaglione

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2024

 

Oh my, the caucus that keeps giving. Expect this to be a regular feature at RTC meetings. Unity in the opposition is so gauche.

 

Note this point from LeRoy:

Those undecided or not closely aligned with any factions should hear our reasoning and concerns.

He was right that there was an unaligned faction that heard their reasoning (ha) and concerns and they totally lost the room. Keep em coming guys. I toss in a response in red every so often.

 

First up is LeRoy who I hear may have had a few glum moments at yesterday's meeting. I love LeRoy - seriously -- and would have tried to cheer him up. I was back of room with Mike Sills trying to keep his spirits up.

Dear Retiree Members,

This is a reminder about today's important Retiree Chapter meeting at 1 p.m. As it is a hybrid meeting, if you have not registered for in-person attendance by now, you will likely need to attend remotely.

This meeting will be critical in setting the tone for the rest of the year under Bennett and his administration. Unfortunately, bringing Marianne Pizzitola to this first meeting is a step in the wrong direction. We must ensure enough caucus members are present, especially on the floor, to represent a balanced perspective. Those undecided or not closely aligned with any factions should hear our reasoning and concerns.

If we don’t show up and make our presence felt, we risk handing over control of the Retiree Chapter's operations to a group that doesn’t reflect our values.

[Values: not running democratic meetings where even opposition gets equal time, not fighting to keep our heathcare free with no co-pays, etc.]

As Joe Sicilian said, "We might have lost the battle, but we will not lose this war."

We’re counting on the Unity Caucus to stand firm tomorrow. One important note: if Marianne starts spreading misinformation about healthcare, Medicare Advantage, or our dental plans, please call for a point of information and request input from Geoff Sorkin, who is most knowledgeable about our retiree welfare fund benefits and plans. [Question was asked and Sorkin declined to speak, referring people to see him privately - give him credit - he could read a room.]

We are excited to engage with you in person or virtually today.

In solidarity, 
LeRoy Barr
Unity Caucus Chair

And the always hilarious Vinny:

October 22, 2024 RETIRE CHAPTER MEETING

We UNITY chapter members are being asked to attend Retiree Chapter meetings whether in person or online as often as possible.

We are being asked to be active questioners to what is said and done during the meetings.

For those online, please don’t be afraid to write comments in the ZOOM CHAT during the meeting. I recall vividly the constant comments that Mulgrew is a liar, that Tom is a liar, etc. when Tom was chapter leader. Keep the chat box filled with comments throughout the meeting …. “He doesn’t know how to run a meeting”….“She’s lying”… “Let the audience speak” …. “Retiree Advocates are frauds” … or whatever drivel you can come up with.

As for those in attendance or online, here are some potential questions for today’s October 22 meeting. If in the audience, DON’T READ it from your phone…make it your own.

Vinny Gaglione

For Pizzatola:

I think we should be very cautious about how we engage Pizzatola in questions about the healthcare plan. The fact is that she knows more than most of us and is polished and practiced in taking material and reframing it to her points of view. The latest video of 10 minutes about Michael demonstrates how she does it. For example, the issue of prior authorizations, she takes the real contract and mentions 100+ citations of prior authorization – without ever addressing what those citations say. She mentions how during the court case AETNA agreed that there were going to be times that they rejected a doctor’s recommendations. You can’t argue those things with her without a battery of facts that take so long to recite that you lose the audience before you start. Stay away from arguing about the plan. We are not experts on it. [Holy cow Vinnie -- you guys have been defending a plan that you spent three years claiming was great - clearly you are not only not experts, you haven't reached the stage of amateur.]

Here are some questions that should be plainly asked. She may very well defer or divert with answers but that can be demonstrated later.

Are you a dues-paying union member to what city union and how many years have you been or were its member?

You harp on the UFT and its president often but he has withdrawn support for the AETNA plan. Has the president of your former union done likewise and what other unions have written letters withdrawing their union’ support for the AETNA plan? Why no mention of them? [Another deception - sure Mulgrew withdrew after defending it for three years, based on new data? No it was based on the massive RA election win. The other unions were badgered by Mulgrew to support the Aetna plan only to now see Mulgrew stab them in the back - and some of them opposed the plan all along but Mulgrew gets the lion share of the MLC vote.] 

Below are the attempt at gotcha for Marianne

Other than subscribers, are there any organizations that help fund your activities?

Were there any organizations that initially funded your activities?

How much money has your organization collected each year since its inception? 

Why don’t you publish your income and disbursements as the union is required to do? [Why doesn't the UFT Welfare Fund publish it's income and disbursements?]

Are you regarded as an employee or consultant of the organization and do you receive recompense as such?[How many of your Unity retired cohorts are in some kind of paid position with the UFT?]

How much of that money did you declare for your personal income/expenses each year?

How much does your organization spend on legal costs for the court cases? 

Do you have  a person or group serving as a health benefit consultant for your organization?  how much does it cost and who is paying for it?

For the lawyers:  and if Pizzatola interjects, be willing to say, I asked the lawyer, thank you.

I read a description that the Oct 17^thcase that is described as a win is merely a procedural decision and has nothing to do with the substance of the case. Why do you call it a win? Sounds like Trump describing postponements as wins.

Is the premise of the copays case that the City failed to include notice of the copays in their 2022 booklets describing the Senior Care plan?

The judge lifted his own injunction on the copays. In January they start. So what then is the purpose of the copays case? Stop all copays or just recoup the copays paid while the injunction was in effect? Or does the federal case let you get greedy and claim alleged damages?

Is the premise of your major case that the City is obliged to pay the total costs of all retiree healthcare? How does that jibe with Administrative Code 12-126 which says the city is obliged to pay the premium for the medigap plan?

Has anyone given any thought to the political wisdom of these lawsuits. Mayor Bloomberg withheld negotiating contracts with us for 7 years because the union refused to negotiate health care premiums for members. It sounds like some retirees believe that the city has to pay all their healthcare costs. That has never been the case. What happens when the next “Mayor Bloomberg” exploits citizen sentiment against us for grossly mischaracterizing what the city must do for us?

For Benett Fischer:

Why would you not spend the first chapter meeting introducing yourself and your Executive Board and talking about your plans for the chapter’s future? [ Plans for the chapter future? Make sure not to run RTC meetings like Unity did.]

Your invitation to Ms. Pizzatola leaves the direct impression that her public support for Retiree Advocates makes it seem you are beholden to her. She is not a UFT member. Her intrusion in our election and your accepting it was unethical.

There are several thousands of retirees who take advantage, no pun intended, of other health plans offered by the city. Some of them are Advantage Plans. Is it the intention of the chapter to remove these members from the plans that they prefer or remove the plans?

What plans do you have for any changes in the chapter’s activities and programs?

Please describe the process by which motion and other actions will be entertained at meeting.

 

DA Takeaways: All About Control as Mulgrew talked and talked and talked and talked and... and loads of UFT Staff on the Dole

Did Mulgrew lie at the DA? Marianne has the answer. 

 

Michael Mulgrew - Leaders Should LEAD, not LIE

  

Mulgrew insults retirees by accusing them as using healthcare issues as a campaign issue.  

Sure I don't really care about my medicare. When Mulgrew claims MEDADV is the same as Medicare, just Part C I should buy it.

...it’s presumptuous and offensive of Mulgrew to assume that retirees who are at the DA for the express purpose of saving their healthcare are merely candidates seeking further political office. Absurd. Election season is not a bad way to frame Mulgrew’s own conduct, though, who took out the Unity playbook this DA to use our dues for his own party’s campaigning.... Mulgrew controlled the DA by going so long with the President’s report that it seemed like there would be no further business - Nick's Notes

 

Monday, October 21, 2024

I had the best time at the DA - before and after the meeting. About 70 retirees attended in person and another 100 remote. The meeting itself? Eh. 

For me the best part of the DA Wednesday was seeing so many old pals who were elected in the retiree election.  And hanging out after. A poll of attendees asking for their reaction? "Hearing people name themselves as one of the 300 new/proud Retiree Delegates," was a major response. The enthusiasm in the responses to being a delegate was palpable. If Mulgrew thought he would drive retirees away, it didn't work.

By the way, there is another big meeting coming up tomorrow - the first Retired Teacher Chapter meeting of the year and we control the agenda. Unity is flipping out over the appearance of Marianne and her lawyer to report on the court cases. Mulgrew should show up and engage in a discussion rather than just make charges. If you are a UFT retiree, come on down - but register first. I can promise Bennett Fischer won't talk for an hour 13 minutes.  We gave him about 10-15 minutes.

Arthur was remote:

In the first DA I’ve attended since I stepped down as chapter leader two years ago, Michael Mulgrew spoke for an hour and 12 minutes. When someone objected, he claimed the majority of people wanted this report. However, there was no vote on this report, and no way to know whether or not this was the will of the majority. Mulgrew said so, and clearly believes that should be good enough for anyone.

The first question in the brief question period, ten minutes I think, as opposed to the unlimited time for Mulgrew, was about health care. Mulgrew doubled down on the false narrative that UFT is the only union that opposes the MA plan. He repeated the same lies, established to be absolutely false in court, that he’s been using about the MA program.

----It's the Mike Mulgrew Show!

Arthur Goldstein

At one point in the 1 hour and 13 minute Mulgrew talk, newly elected retiree delegate Lois Weiner called a point of order:

Nick's Notes: After an hour of Mulgrewspeak, newly elected retiree advocate delegate Lois Weiner had had enough and called a point of order asking him to stop, please stop. He ignored her and kept going but you could see she forced him to go faster. Still, he ended around 5:40 when he opened up for questions.

I want whoever runs against Mulgrew to promise a 10-minute limit on president reports. Here's an idea, reverse the agenda and do the business end first and the president report last. Watch the exodus as people vote with their feet. (Mulgrew could also issue his report on video or in writing.) 

His filibuster left little room for the rest of the agenda.

It's all about control. Packing the meeting with paid staff is a control mechanism. As is the Covid excuse cap on attendees? Nahhh. The other day I asked this question:

• UFT Delegate Assembly - Why the 400 In-Person Limit? Hint: It's About Control, not Covid

And of course we saw the answer played out in real time.

 

DA Attendance limits on school-based but not on UFT staff: The place was crawling with them.

In a packed room the answer to the limit was obviously not Covid protocols. Some retirees who showed up were turned away. But I bet no UFT staff was turned away. Entire rows were reserved by some district reps. When there was applause for Mulgrew it came from staff and other Unity acolytes. So, another method of Unity control of the DA is district reps corralling the people in their districts in one area and keeping an eye on how they vote.

Note: the agenda for DA haven't changed from the Shanker days but Shanker had the confidence to allow oppo challenges. Randi, less secure, began to manipulate the DA and Mulgrew, the least confident and most paranoid, has taken things to a new phase of control. 

 

After Pres report comes Staff Director - LeRoy Barr, who is mercifully short. (Not LeRoy, the report.)

 

The 10 minute Question period:

Nick: Chris Balchin, another proud RA delegate asked the healthcare question: Now that you've withdrawn support for MAP and given that courts have found in favor of facts as presented by NYC Retirees. Will you submit amicus brief in support, send resources to UFT, etc.

Chris is super sharp -- he better wear a disguise next time to get called on.

Nick on Mulgrew response which prompted the Marianne video response above.

I said this in the executive board minutes already, but I’ll say it again: Mulgrew appeared deceptive when he claimed that the UFT was the only union officially against MAP (or, probably better described: this most recent MAP negotiation). In fact the Unity-led UFT led the charge for MAP and was one of the principle reasons we were in a financial hole (which we’re still in) that required us to find ways to make healthcare savings. For an article showing a vote in which many unions, but NOT the UFT (i.e. Mulgrew), went against the MAP decision before Unity lost an election, see here. Notice, Mulgrew seemed to defend the original MAP contract in today’s DA, which should make us wonder if it might appear in a new form if/when the City resumes negotiations.

Wait a minute: one of the principle reasons we were in a financial hole (which we’re still in) that required us to find ways to make healthcare savings. 

 

Who required us to side with the city against member so make healthcare savings? YOU - MADE THE DEAL.
Mulgrew tries to escape accountability  - like some god-like entity made that deal.

 

There was another interesting question:

CL from D24: Shortage of paraprofessionals. Is there any plan about the hiring freeze?

Nick tries to decipher the Mulgrew word salad:

Mulgrew: Sorry, sent this out but didn’t report. Yesterday, we sent an official notification to the commissioner, DOE, mayor – under corrective action plan for almost – can’t count COVID – roughly four years. Four years it’s gotten worse, not better. They’ll talk about two things that have gotten better – 1, more of the evaluations, especially for outside referrals, other thing is gonna tout that they’ve started increasing NEST programs. But now have more out of compliance. Not fighting with them.

Mulgrew's meandering no solution response made me want to call out:

Fix Para Pay

I saw one spineless anonymous Unity slug actually ask how the oppo intends to fix para pay? 

How about fuckn contract negotiations, the actual way we fix pay? But Unity slugs no longer think contract negotiations are a way to win anything much, which makes sense when you accept the city claim of not having money. The anti-Unity para vote in the election last spring shows they are not buying the "let's throw up our hands" Unity position.

 

New Motion period - 10 minutes - began at 5:52 with 8 minutes before 6PM automatic adjournment.

 

No dental resolution for you or any resolution not coming from leadership

I knew exactly what was coming - a reso from leadership that could very well have been on the main agenda but was designed to use up the new motion time and prevent the RA motion on improving our dental plan. A major ploy used by Unity is to occupy the 10-minute New Motion period that should be reserved for non-leadership resos. This was a reso pandering to retirees calling for a COLA -- interesting that the new leadership of the 70k RTC were not included. Wouldn't it be nice if they allowed the RTC meeting to discuss the issue BEFORE going to the DA? Which was the heart of my objection where I called for the item to be moved to the November DA. And btw - the Unity slugs have attacked me for opposing the COLA - a typical slimy move that only alienates people - so please, keep em coming.

 

Nick explains the tactic:

Unity executive board members monopolized the new resolutions period, despite the fact that they can automatically get resolutions on the agenda via the executive board – whereas most of the UFT’s thousands of delegates only have this precious 10 minutes a month to do the same.

The resolution both Unity members pushed was a resolution that pandered to retired voters. Specifically, they spoke of campaigning to increase COLA reimbursements. This is a common tactic by Unity – signal support for something that technically the UFT has no direct role in negotiating, so that if it succeeds, they can take credit, and if they don’t, it’s not really their fault. Notice  they wouldn’t put their money where their mouth is in terms of supporting the lawsuits that have kept UFT retirees from being forced onto MAP.

This has become a standard tactic and you know when you pick up the official lit on the table coming in and find an unlabeled leaflet on the "official" UFT lit table. It's time to demand their resos go through the normal exec bd process of approval. Their claim they have the same right to use this ten minute period is bogus when the entire scenario is pre-planned.

It's almost irrelevant what the reso is. It is designed to use up the new motion time. This time they were pandering to retirees by calling for an increase in the COLA. Mulgrew looked down at the first row in the planned exercise and called on Rosemary Lee, a member of AdCom as the UFT Treasurer and also a UFT pension rep. Staffer. Later in the debate he called on another staffer, Brooklyn Borough Rep Elizabeth Perez to move the item to number one on the agenda so we could pass it and of course immediately start collecting our new COLAs. 

 

Here is a breakdown of recent DAs time spent and it was worse this time.

 

When I used the opportunity to raise an objection to this tactic, Mulgrew said Lee was a delegate. Sure, because she is on Adcom and the exec bd - all exec bd are delegates and with 95 Unity, another way to pack the DA.

Some Unity slugs certainly have tried to give the impression that I was opposed to a COLA while I opposed voting on this reso at this meeting but instead suggested we put it on the agenda for November so we have time to possibly amend it to make it a better reso.

 

Unity tries to sell that by passing a reso on Wednesday, COLA magically appears on Thursday

I pointed out that a delay would have no impact since just by passing a reso doesn't make a COLA appear. But my main point in getting the floor was to expose the leadership tactic of taking the new motion time for themselves. Mulgrew talked over me to drown out my point. Some of my own colleagues criticized me and I think missed the point that we must attack the Unity control of these meetings by starting with their occupation of the New Motion period. Sometimes I think there's too much of a feeling of let's look for accommodation with people trying to stab you in the back. They seem to think the dental reso has a chance in November. Wanna bet? 

 

Watch for a Nov hidden leadership reso calling on everyone to eat turkey on Thanksgiving.

 

Daniel was in the house:

The Big Lies keep mounting up as Unity seeks to cover up their misuse of our UFT Welfare Fund for their patronage machine. It's time to start asking more tough questions.....three new Orwellian Big Lies originating from the Imperial Palace at 52 Broadway about their quixotic campaign to protect us all from imaginary windmill dragons endangering the Welfare Fund — even as our families’ healthcare and dental bills become insurmountable...

 

Hiding behind anonymous internet posts, Mulgrew’s bureaucratic, administrative Unity caucus is hoping that they can deflect serious questions as to how they are mismanaging our UFT Fund by painting concerned hard-working, everyday dues-paying members and whistle blowers as “out to destroy it”....

UFT Mulgrew’s Unity Caucus vows to protect our Welfare Fund from themselves?

 

I don't think the patronage machine is a key issue here. Way more than that.

 

Daniel had Marianne and Ronnie Almonte on his WBAI program last night with a deep dive on the lack of oversight of the UFT Welfare Fund. A must listen.

What’s going on with the UFT Welfare Fund?- with Marianne Pizzitola and Ronnie Almonte

Notes

Daniel speaks to UFT executive board member and high school educator, Ronnie Almonte, and Marianne Pizzitola, President of NYC Retirees, about serious questions surrounding the massive growth of the United Federation of Teacher’s Welfare Fund in the last decade while members are seeing their benefits seemingly diminish.

The Welfare Fund now has a net worth of 800 million because of bulk transfers from the City’s Healthcare Stabilization Fund but teachers and other union members are seeing their healthcare and dental benefits erode.

It’s causing quite a controversy within the union among educators and has ramifications for taxpayers and all city workers and retirees.

They have almost a billion dollar surplus. How did they get that surplus? I won't say anything is wrong here but how about showing us the books?

But I will say this -- Welfare chief Geoff Sorkin at least has the guts and fortitude to openly dispute Daniel's points and slug it out. That removes him from Unity Slug category.

 Here is more of Nick's notes:

UFT Election Season is here – UFT DA Notes, 10-16-2024

Summary/Analysis:

Mulgrew said it himself – it’s election season. Of course, he used this phrase to mischaracterize the speech of retirees who had just won a completed election to control the UFT’s Retired Teachers Chapter (RTC). No slate, in fact, has been announced to run against Unity this year, though some talks are occurring, and  Step one:

You heard a lot from Mulgrew campaigning about curriculum. What Mulgrew won’t do, however, is fight curriculum mandates in the first place. One thing Unity does well is demonstrate anger for failings they tie to the City or the DOE hoping that members don’t realize that UFT leadership could be doing a heck of a lot more. Curriculum is a good example. Ed Calamia wrote an interesting article that suggested a possible reason why this is here: “As a case in point, we can consider the grant-funded Teachers Centers. While it can be said that they are supporting teachers, it must also be said that they are ‘supporting’ the difficult work of implementing mandated curricula that teachers had no role in designing or choosing. With the money flowing in, the focus subtly shifts from fighting against the curriculum mandate to fighting for “supports.” The grant blunts the edge of the union’s struggle, diverting the union from what members want and toward the agenda of the grantor.

And a comment from a newly elected retiree delegate who fought Unity officials for not supporting his battles with his prncipal when he was chapter chair.

I remember John Soldini, the high school vice president back in the 90s, used to run his meetings the same way. He would run his yap almost the entire time and leave just a few minutes for questions. You have your designated person to ask their question to eat up time, so in effect, there’s no time left for any meaningful Q&A. Even our Unity chapter leader at Murry Bergtraum would do the same thing with chapter meetings. It’s a Unity tactic and it goes back decades. Mulgrew could email his report to the delegates in advance. It would take 15 minutes to read  and  just start the meeting with Q&A on the report. And then allow another half hour to 45 minutes for resolutions and questions and answers. Trump is bored with questions too. 

Former Chapter Leader

Murry Bergtraum High School

 

 

Recently, anonymous Unity slugs have begun to target the oppo people with the loudest voices like Daniel and Arthur by just making up shit. You know slander. I see a cease and desist coming from the ghost of Stroock and Stroock which will expose the ghost identity of what is obviously a UFT staffer. 

 

But the funniest thing is that some of these slugs are apparently claiming I am a leader of the oppo - which is causing peals of laughter coming from the real oppo leaders. 

 

I'm more popular with some Unity people than I am with the oppo, which tolerates me because I am old.

 

TODAY: UFT Delegate Assembly - Why the 400 In-Person Limit? Hint: It's About Control, not Covid

UFT Leadership attempt to suppress in person DA attendance

There are almost 400 new Chapter Leaders and countless new delegates, including 300 retired. Most of them will not be able to attend in person. But full-time UFT staff and District Reps should have no problem.

Unity has issued an all-hands on deck for today's DA from the faithful but uses social distancing as an excuse to limit in person attendance from rank and file. Ironic since the leadership has been passive in the relaxation of those rules by the DOE.

Leadership maintains an inherent advantage in keeping hundreds of people from attending. Remote people do not get the info we hand out or the organizing we do inside and outside the meeting. There is no question that control of the DA has tightened in the hands of leadership since Covid.

With the election threat coming look for all-out war and Trump-like attacks on critics.

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

The last time I was a delegate was 22 years ago when I retired. I had been a delegate/Cl for most of the years since 1971. So I am excited to participate in the Mulgrew Marathon time-killing report. I need to catch up on my sleep -- if you are remote, you will hear loud snoring.

Yesterday, I was contacted by one of the new retired delegates who was having trouble registering. So I got in touch with my go-to UFT reliable, Yasmin Colon and she took care of getting the delegate the correct registration link. 

 

Except for one thing: the delegate could only register for remote. So I asked Yasmin of there was a cap on in person and not long after I received a phone call from LeRoy Barr who informed me there has been a cap of 400 since covid days. I urged LeRoy to lift the cap since the room holds almost 900 people and also to reinstate the 19th floor breakout room. He said Mulgrew will address it - maybe today. 

 

LeRoy emphasized that while not always agreeing, we are still one union. I agreed and also said we will miss the old Unity retiree war horses at the DA and if we had proportional representation they would have still been there even with their 37% of the vote. And if Unity is defeated in the election if there was not winner take all they would still have a stake. LeRoy, you still have time.

When retirees elected 300 delegates in June I actually raised the issue of a cap as a way to keep our people out. I told LeRoy I smelled a rat but he assured me these caps are not directed at the retirees but have been in place for years due to social distancing. Hmmm, where's the UFT on the lack of social distancing in the schools?

 

A cynic, I told LeRoy I bet there is no problem for UFT staff in getting in but he said he is getting texts from District Reps who are begging to get in. I will spend the meeting counting them. If you are there and see staff you recognize email their names and I will keep a running count.

I'm offering an over/under on how many staff can be spotted today at the DA. I'm betting on 80. (They must have had early registration). I will collect the bets on the way out. 

More DA News:

 

UFT Welfare Fund

 

 

Below are leaflets I will be handing out today before and after the meeting. If you are there, stop by and say hello.

 

RA leaflet:

 

Note the Member Assembly open to all on Oct. 29 - register using the code. And also fill out the survey by clicking on that link. And if you are there support the resos - and expect the leadership to try to suppress them.

Here are some facts from Daniel on the UFT Welfare Fund:

 

1. The Welfare Fund has grown exponentially since 2014 to the tune of 800 million dollars— when Mulgrew began dipping into the joint healthcare stabilization fund that is designed to protect the healthcare of all city workers and retirees for wages and to hoard within the UFT Welfare Fund. Now, the gap between investments and actual benefits provided to members for such things as prescriptions, dental and vision has widened while dental reimbursements and services have diminished. Many dentists simply won’t take our dental insurance anymore. The data doesn’t lie. Mulgrew’s Unity administrative caucus does. 

 

Sources: https://ronniealmonte.substack.com/p/the-uft-welfare-fund-is-prioritizing 

 

https://ronniealmonte.substack.com/p/the-uft-welfare-fund-is-prioritizing  

 

https://jd2718.org/2024/03/28/uft-welfare-fund-nest-egg-bigger-than-most-nests/