Written and edited by Norm Scott:
EDUCATE! ORGANIZE!! MOBILIZE!!!
Three pillars of The Resistance – providing information on current ed issues, organizing activities around fighting for public education in NYC and beyond and exposing the motives behind the education deformers. We link up with bands of resisters. Nothing will change unless WE ALL GET INVOLVED IN THE STRUGGLE!
Amongst all the furor over the two slate situation and the angst it seems to engender, I keep wondering why I find the endeavor with ABC so energizing. Here's one reason:
We will speak about the erosion of our healthcare benefits and what we need to do to stop it. http://rsvp.uftmembers.org
300 registered so far. Join the crowd.
The turnouts for ABC have been excellent due to networking ability to extend its reach, an original intent of coming together in the first place: To attempt to reach deep into the schools to break the 80% non-voting active members (39% of retirees vote).
I'm not opposed to caucuses but for this election especially I feel their model of organizing will not win. I've said it time and again - the ability of the current caucuses to reach deeper than the surface into schools has not been successful as reflected in the most recent UFT election two years ago and the fact that over decades they have shown little growth, massive turnover and some shrinkage. New Action is 30 years old with roots back to the 60s and MORE, the hot new thing when it went public 13 years ago after over a year and a half of behind closed doors negotiations, are stagnant.
When people ask how is ABC different from other groups running --- look at the outcomes so far in terms of attracting attention and supporters because ABC was free of restraints to act and did not get bogged down in caucus negotiations fed through a narrow group of steering committee members who are a gate though which decisions are made.
Look, since my diagnosis, I no longer am looking at living to 125. So I don't have time to watch the slow drip of caucus negotiations. When ABC began to meet in earnest in August with members of all caucuses in the room, I wanted the campaign to start in September but caucus issues kept delaying us until early November when the caucuses exited ABC and what was left of ABC said: Enough - and came out of the box publicly in mid-November, declaring it was running, while the caucuses spent the next 6 weeks deliberating in secret and made their first public announcement as the XMAS vacation was about to start.
This is the basis of my analysis as to why a caucus dominated election will not win. What has been accomplished since New Action left their 10 year alliance with Unity in 2016 when they joined with MORE to win the 7 hs exec bd seats, and again with UFC in 2022 -- the holy grail of oppo election politics -- winning 7 out of 100 exec bd seats? That is no longer good enough.
Don't get me wrong. I was an avid participator over decades as a member of MORE and before that ICE in elections from 2004-2022. I just don't want to do that again.
Now, with the big retiree and para wins in the chapter elections, everyone's hopes for a big win have been raised. I think a win would only be possible by building new alliances and not just count on those results to carry the day.
A key to this election would be to reach out to the
80% of in service teachers who rarely vote and the current caucuses
with actives in previous elections did not have enough outreach into
enough schools to beat Unity. Of course everyone was thinking of the ace
in the hole -- the retiree vote. But with Tier 6 being such a catastrophe for over half the working UFT members, there are issues beyond health care, though for both retirees and actives, healthcare is still a top level concern.
Which reminds me: ABC is doing a healthcare zoom tonight.
We will speak about the erosion of our healthcare benefits and what we need to do to stop it. http://rsvp.uftmembers.org
Hey folks! Last month, we covered the ABCs of PAY. This month, our focus is on HEALTHCARE.
Whether
you're a UFT Retiree or an In-Service member, our premium-free
healthcare is at risk, while our existing coverage continues to erode
and we pay more and more out-of-pocket.
Let’s come together to
discuss the current threats and challenges facing our union, and talk
about what we need to do to protect and expand our premium-free
healthcare for the future.
Run With ABC in the 2025 UFT Geneal Election – Slate Signups Still Open!
We want you (yes, YOU!) to join us in the upcoming UFT General Election.
We're
inviting all UFT members, no matter your political views or caucus
affiliation, to be part of ABC’s non-partisan grassroots movement. We’re
all about demanding A Better Contract — both with the City of New York
and our union leadership.
We're looking for candidates for UFT officer positions, Executive Board, NYSUT Representatives, and AFT Delegates. Read the UFT 2025 election notice to learn more about these positions and qualifications.
Do you want to read our platform, first? Click here.
Our
officer and executive board spots are 90% filled with some of these
positions still available. Still, we most definitely want to run a full
slate, so sign up today.
Head over to slate.uftmembers.org to sign up, and we'll be in touch soon with more details.
Thanks so much. We’re looking forward to connecting with you soon and getting back to work on transforming our UFT.
If
you have any questions, suggestions, or want to get more involved,
don’t hesitate to reach out. Together, we can create a stronger, more
equitable future.
Stay updated with us at: http://abettercontract.org
My husband just heard from a retired teacher friend who expressed how much he liked yesterday's ABC webinar -and how strongly he feels about its bread and butter platform.... UFT Retiree and delegate
I will delve further into the somewhat remarkable Sunday night ABC retiree meeting for which 540 people registered and almost 300 showed up. Over two hours into the meeting, there were still many people still there. It became clear that there was a gang there to troll and even disrupt to try to force ABC into an alliance with the caucuses. Marianne attended the meeting and here she delves into some of the issues, though I must say, I don't have agreement on Samuel Gompers. There are lots of flaws that have been exposed. Note this:
During World War I, Gompers and the AFL energetically supported the war
effort, attempting to avert strikes and boost morale while raising wage
rates and expanding membership. He strongly opposed the antiwar labor
groups, especially the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).
So Gompers was tamping down the labor movement during the war while the capitalists made enormous profits. Not a great look. Think of Shanker's support for the Vietnam war and how he made sure the UFT sat on the sidelines. So I don't think unions should never get into issues beyond the union. And Gompers did use his support for the War to affect the unions in a negative way -- bread and butter by the wayside.
Major labor victories came in the generation after him by industrial unions highly influenced by left wing, including communists. But even the left were able to organize workers by sticking to bread and butter issues. They fell when their Stalinist roots came out when Stalin made his dirty deal with Hitler in 1939 -- I believe that opened them up to witch hunts -- the communist dominated Teacher Union in the UFT, which had great influence, began to wain after that, some proof that Marianne's thesis is on target. The rise of the UFT took another 20 years but their success was bread and butter. Before they even existed the HS night school teachers went on the first teacher strike for more pay and won double their salary after a very short strike - a lesson that resonated.
But her points that the caucuses that have fought Unity over the decades have failed to win more than the high school exec bd seats, except for the one lauded 1985 victory for the HS VP - and that opportunity is long gone since they changed the rules in 1994 - are right on.
ABC is not a caucus with their often arcane mechanisms and controls but a more free-flowing group of individuals, many from caucuses and some independents with nothing set in stone.
This concept bothers the caucus control freaks who ask who is in control and who is making decisions and how are decisions being made. They can't conceive of nor have faith in the ability of people to come together for a common interest and somehow function. I find that once you're in the cocoon of a caucus, you lose some level of creative problem solving as there is always a hierarchy that runs the joint and lots of people on the periphery with an attitude of go along and get along. There is a stifling of sorts that I often found suffocating, except for ICE of course which ran on a more open free-wheeling basis, which drove the structuralists, many of my friends on the left who seem to require a sense of control -- and I also find people with a dim view of the rank and file and the ability to organize them -- caucuses haven't been able to over decades so they make excuses -- the people in my school are too busy, etc and never take responsibility. The roots of the caucuses uneasiness with ABC lie in this attitude.
I would ask you to list the things the caucuses have done so far this year as we approach the halfway mark of the school year? Hand out leaflets at the DA? I exempt RA, which is not a normal caucus with 11 people making decisions, which has been the most active group at the DA and in charge of the RTC meetings -- a busy plate.
I read an interesting review in the NYT Sunday about the late David Graeber, one of the founders of Occupy.
Graeber had a bullish view of human potential unfettered from
constraint. He emphasized the possibility of “democratic improvisation,”
which would take place “outside of the control of states, in which
diverse sorts of people with different traditions and experiences are
obliged to figure out some way to deal with one another.”
I agree with him and have a bullish view of people and believe in the possibility of reaching them. And if we don't manage to do that, at least we will have tried.
January ABC-UFT Blast — upcoming opportunities to organize for A BETTER CONTRACT
Join
us via Zoom for the ABC Retiree Organizing Committee meeting on Sun,1/5
at 7 PM. Also, join the UFT Member Assembly on Tue,1/14 at 7 PM. And
still a chance to sign up for our election slate!
Dear UFT Members,
Happy New Year! From everyone at A Better Contract (ABC),we
hope you had a restful break well-spent with family and friends. With
2025 kicking into high gear, it’s time to get back to it! Our union
proud, union strong, grassroots movement of working educators and
retirees continues to grow and capture the imagination and heart of our
beloved union.
Here are some things we have happening during the next couple of weeks
ABC UFT Member Assembly on HEALTHCARE – Date Changed to Tuesday, January 14 @ 7 pm
Whether
you’re a UFT Retiree or UFT In-Service member, our premium-free
healthcare is under assault. Let’s meet to discuss the current risks and
challenges facing our union, and to discuss what needs to be done to
protect and expand premium-free healthcare long into the future.
We had tentatively scheduled it for January 7th, however, we’ve moved it for Tuesday, January 14th at 7 PM.
Join us! Let’s organize for A BETTER CONTRACT that protects and improves our healthcare. All are welcome.
Run With ABC in the UFT General Election – Slate Signups Open Now!
We want you (yes, YOU!) to run with ABC in the upcoming UFT General Election.
We
are asking all UFT members, regardless of political inclination or
caucus affiliation, to participate in ABC’s non-partisan grassroots
movement of UFT members demanding A Better Contract — both with the City of New York and with our union leadership.
We are actively fielding candidates for UFT officer positions, Executive Board, NYSUT Representatives and AFT Delegates.
Go to slate.uftmembers.org to sign up, and we will be in-touch very soon with more information.
Thanks so much. We’re looking forward to connecting with you soon and getting back to work on transforming our UFT.
If
you have any questions, suggestions, or want to get more involved,
don’t hesitate to reach out. Together, we can create a stronger, more
equitable future.
Disclaimer: This
is the official website of the “ A BETTER CONTRACT - UFT” slate. It is
not an official site of The United Federation of Teachers. The site
title describes a group of dues-paying UFT members organizing for a
better contract with NYC and our union leadership. Information shared by
us should not be considered officially from the UFTorganization.
Thanks for reading A BETTER CONTRACT - UFT MEMBERS! This post is public so feel free to share it.
This is getting to be fun - reaching to people in new ways for an election. Registration over less than 24 hours has been very brisk. If you are a retiree hop for the Jan. 5 event with Arthur, Pat, Laura, Claudia and me. Arthur is working on a dynamite slide show.
Monday, Dec. 16, 2024
In this upcoming historic election race, we will
wake a sleeping giant and take back our union ! RSVP for our Zoom
meeting: http://retiree.uftmembers.org
This went out on The Wire, but I want to share it with you. Please come
meet with us on January 5th to discuss how we, as retirees, will move
forward with a democratic union. - Arthur Goldstein
Hey UFT retirees!
We're gearing up for the 2025 UFT citywide election campaign and need your invaluable experience, expertise and passion.
Join us for the first zoom meeting of ’A Better Contract’ slate’s retiree election committee.
We will meet on Sunday, January 5th, at 7 PM to strategize and organize for the upcoming 2025 UFT citywide elections.
Your
voice continues to be crucial in preserving and improving our
healthcare, pension, and retiree benefits. We need leadership that is
committed to ensuring no more givebacks and willing to stand up for all
UFT members.
Let's come together to ensure our hard-earned rights are protected and our collective future remains safe and secure.
Don't miss this chance to make a difference in this historic election —see you there!
Arthur Goldstein, RTC Vice Chair and former UFT executive board member
ABC (A Better Contract)
is dedicated to building a union where every member feels valued,
heard, and empowered. We are union proud and union strong. We are
non-partisan and focused solely on bread and butter issues.
With
your support we can continue to challenge the status quo, win the
upcoming 2025 Union leadership election, and bring about the change we
need.
If you have any questions, suggestions, or want to get more
involved, don’t hesitate to reach out. Together, we can create a
stronger, more equitable future.
Finally, please take a moment to check out our landing page to see how you can get involved: http://uftmembers.org
I admit that at times I've been a skeptic, but when almost 300 registered and 230 showed -wow! And what an interesting presentation and discussion. People seem to think this is all about the upcoming UFT election. The next contract is where a battle will take place. This is not only about the election, but about organizing the unorganized. Sign up for something.
ABC
continues to set the pace for the 2025 UFT Election race and
transformative changes. ABC champions a better contract with the City of
New York and a better social contract with union leadership.
Thank you to all who attended The ABCs of Pay — Let’s Talk About Pay
UFT Member Assembly this past Tuesday. Your time, insights, questions
and thoughtful contributions made the discussion both engaging and
productive. Together, we’re building the foundation for a union that
puts members’ priorities like pay, dignity, and working conditions
first.
As
we discussed during the meeting, improving pay and working conditions
requires collective action and a bold strategy that reflects the needs
of our members.
Our union president, Michael Mulgrew, recently acknowledged the challenges of pay equity, citing pattern bargaining as a barrier to addressing inequitable pay disparities for paraprofessionals.
While
pattern bargaining has been a defining strategy under the current
leadership, it is not the only approach to fix para pay and secure a
living wage.
A more creative and assertive bargaining strategy, along with an action-ready
membership, can challenge the status quo, ensuring that all members
receive the compensation and respect they deserve. This reinforces the
importance for new union leadership that listens to members and explores
all options to secure a fair contract.
Our
discussion on Tuesday showed that simply by coming together, we are
already making an impact. The issues we raised are now being addressed.
This demonstrates the power of collective action and the effectiveness
of amplifying our voices.
We’re excited to keep this momentum going!
Here’s how you can stay involved:
Join us at upcoming UFT Member Assemblies: Mark your calendar for January 7, 2025. RSVP, here.
Join a Working Group:
We currently have working groups centered around: Organizing, High
School, Elementary, District 75, Paras, and social media. Some will be
meeting next week, already! See the dates and times, below.
Spread the Word: Encourage your colleagues to join our movement and attend the next meeting. Check out our LinkTree for ways to share our message.
Join our Slate of Candidates: Want
to join this historic movement for member-led transformative change? We
are actively seeking prospective candidates to run for UFT executive
board, AFT and NYSUT delegate positions. To connect with us, go to: slate.uftmembers.org
Here are our upcoming ABC Working Group meetings:
ALL District 75 UFT Membersand All UFT Paraprofessionals Citywide
**
We are scheduling meetings for retirees, elementary and middle school
and other functional titles, very shortly. We will keep you updated.
ABC (A Better Contract)
is dedicated to building a union where every member feels valued,
heard, and empowered. We are union proud and union strong. We are
non-partisan and we are not affiliated with the establishment union
caucuses that are often too self-agendized.
With
your support we can continue to challenge the status quo, win the
upcoming 2025 Union leadership election, and bring about the change we
need.
If
you have any questions, suggestions, or want to get more involved,
don’t hesitate to reach out. Together, we can create a stronger, more
equitable future.
Finally, please take a moment to check out our landing page to see how you can get involved: http://uftmembers.org
