Stronger Together Threatens Randi/Mulgrew Power: What is Behind NYSUT Unity Attack on Beth Dimino

..if you are like me and you are tired of your profession being trampled while your union “leaders” compromise and collaborate with coroporate  privatizers who seek to destroy public education, then go ahead and reduce your VOTE-COPE and join STCaucus (open to any NYSUT members).  It literally is about the only say you have in your parent unions.... Unity’s Attack on Dimino & Reducing VOTE-COPE.. Posted on November 14, 2015 by thepjsta

PJSTA include link to my Mulgrew punch in face video at AFT14

With Friedrichs on the way, Unity doubles down on repression -  the attack on Beth Dimino and smaller stuff like trying to stop voices of dissent are signs - which you know if you have been reading my recent posts.

• Telling Comment on How UFT District Reps Favor Pri...
• Commentary: Suppressing Democracy at the UFT: Raw 
• Video: Taking a Stand Against UFT/Unity Attempt to...

There's lots of stuff out there on the attack on Beth Dimino --

NYC Educator

NY State's Unity Caucus Launches a Despicable Attack Against PJSTA President Beth Dimino -
NYSUT to Charge Members for Meetings, Not Sure How Much Yet  from

The Pen is Mightier than the Person blog is telling:

Faced with an existential case before the Supreme Court which could make dues optional, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) continues to give its members plenty of reasons not to opt in. On the other hand, renting out its offices to "external groups" might become the norm if and when the Union blows up. 

Just go over to the ICE blog and read the comments on how pissed off people are at the UFT/Unity leadership: ICEUFT Blog

LIVE BLOGGING FROM NOVEMBER DA (Sorry for any errors-Updated and cleaned up a little). Here is one morsel of doom for Unity:

Three are about 5-7 uft members in my school out of about 100 who will voluntary pay union dues if given the option. I'm not one of them. I'll gladly go down with the ship if it means there's even the slightest chance I will get to see Mulgrew and other useless UFT staffers drown first.  

Hey - maybe they just don't care what happens if people stop paying dues. Or they think they have the situation under control.

Chatter has been coming in to Ed Notes about just how much of a threat Stronger Together, the statewide opposition caucus to Unity in NYSUT is viewed by Randi Weingarten and her liege Michael Mulgrew.

Some of this chatter I cannot share but there is serious attention to ST being paid. Let me explain why the threat before getting to the NYSUT Unity Caucus attack on Beth Dimino, president of the Port Jefferson Station union and one of the leaders of ST Caucus.

Unity Caucus exists on 3 levels - NYC where the power rests, NYSUT where State Unity is controlled by NYC Unity - and the AFT national level where Unity is called Progressive Caucus. The entire pyramid rests on the ability of NYC Unity, which is a third of NYSUT - to control the other two thirds. NYSUT is a massive component of the AFT national -- maybe 30-40% of the membership.

So note how the pyramid can be topped if ST manages to dent NYC Unity control of NYSUT - and with a new election coming up in 2017 - state and city Unity are trying to either buy off or repress the Stronger Together threat. When I say buy off - I mean doing to ST what they did to New Action back in 2003 - and I think there will be people who feel it is better to not attack the machine but work with it - and Unity may be using Friedrichs to try to keep people on board - just as they used the Bloomberg threat to get New Action on board.

Beth Dimino has been the tireless ambassador of ST, reaching out 2 years ago even before ST was formed to MORE and MORE has become a partner with ST, with Mike Schirtzer having a position on the steering committee. MORE has taken its activism to a national level by aligning with other caucuses around the nation, some of whom have already won elections, have come close or about to like in Philly where WE - Working Educators - social justice caucus may actually win - another loss for Randi.

ST is allied with this national movement.

So imagine of ST actually threatens to capture NYSUT or win enough statewide delegates - especially from the other big cities - to challenge NYC Unity control over NYSUT - and then allies with the other national caucuses to create a threat to Randi in the AFT. Now I do not think that will happen this summer at AFT16 in Minneapolis -- but a bunch of us are going to work the rooms to help build that alliance for possible challenge in 2018 - where it may be Mulgrew instead of Randi.

So the attempt to discredit Beth as one of the key components in building these alliances is not just an isolated incident. To get the  full story and response here is the Port Jefferson Station teacher union response:

Unity’s Attack on Dimino & Reducing VOTE-COPE

Posted on November 14, 2015 by thepjsta
 

Telling Comment on How UFT District Reps Favor Principal Friends Over Membership

In the world of totalitarian Unity Caucus even one voice of dissent is worrisome and they put lots of energy into deflecting and marginalizing these voices.

Are UFT/Unity Caucus non-elected District Reps the most insidious people in the UFT hierarchy? This comment was posted by Anonymous on your post "Commentary: Suppressing Democracy at the UFT:

All part of the story of our lazy stupid apathetic membership. We have a very decent CL, Unity affiliated, but asking a lot of questions. It is so pitiful to watch the District Rep come into the building and toss the CL under a truck, even right in front of members. The UFT leadership is trying to push the CL out with taunts and challenges from the friend of a highly placed UFT official. Said UFT friend, is a handsomely paid ($15,000 to 20,000 a year) shill for a principal who buys loyalty with DOE cash. When it came time to pick SLT people, our stupid beyond belief staff voted for this person. You can tell someone not to step off he curb in front of a speeding car, but when they deliberately choose to ignore you, they sort of deserve what they get.

There are so many bad stories about UFT District Reps. These are the key middle management people who ride herd on the chapter leaders in their district to keep the membership in line and undermine any opposition roilings in the schools. They are the key components of the Unity machine. Before 2002 they were elected by the chapter leaders in the district. Unity managed to control this process well enough as to have all DRs in the caucus - until the Manhattan HS teachers revolted in 1990 and elected long-time Chapter Leader Bruce Markens, who was re-elected time after time until he retired in 2000. Bruce was like a giant burr in Randi's paw and as soon as she could she eliminated the possibility this would ever happen again.

DRs hold meetings every month with the district CLs who are mostly cowed into pushing the leadership agenda. Even opposition people seem to avoid confrontation at these meetings. Now some DRs are more skilled than others at keeping order - they tell opposition people one thing while slashing at them behind their backs. In the world of totalitarian Unity even one voice of dissent is worrisome and they put lots of energy into deflecting and marginalizing these voices.

If you are a CL don't take it any more. Don't let them totally establish the agenda. Make them deal with issues in your school that are not addressed. Don't assume all the other CLs in the room who are quiet are happy. Reach out to them and see if you can establish alliances. Even set up an alternate district meeting of even a few where you can address issues of concern.

Video: Taking a Stand Against UFT/Unity Attempt to Ban Lit Distribution in Lobby of 52 Broadway

Throughout its history, UFT members have been distributing literature at UFT Delegate Assemblies in the lobbies of the buildings or hotels where they were being held. Since the UFT bought its own building at 52 Broadway, we have been using the lobby. Then at the Nov. 12 2015 DA they ordered us outside. I was handing out a MORE resolution for the meeting on I and others refused to move and challenged them to call the police to have us removed. Our dues pay for that building and we shall not be removed from our own property.




https://youtu.be/UBEbXZLnyHI

The Rise and Fall of the UFT by Former UFT VP John O' Neill

Note how O'Neill talks about the very early days of the UFT as being as social justice and democratic a union as one could get -- some do not agree --- and that it was Shanker who took what was already a very successful operation under Charlie Cogan and Dave Selden and undermined it. Especially see page 178 for more on this. Shanker later -- 1974 undermined his mentor Shelden by running against him for AFT president and moving the AFT rightward.

https://uftrg.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/hughes1970.pdf

I was going through some old materials on my computer desktop and almost tossed this chapter of Annette Rubinstein's book "Schools Against Community Control." I'm sure there are historians with some knowledge of the split between O' Neill and Shanker over the 68 strike. O' Neill's interpretation here is one commonly accepted by the left. As one who did not cross the picket lines in 68, though I really had no clue as to the political forces I am always ambivalent about a bunch of issues. Some friends on the left do believe the Ford Foundation (under former Vietnam hawk McGeorge Bundy I believe) was out to divide the union from the community. Certainly an issue worth exploring again and again as those times were so important. Maybe when things settle down -- like in the summer -- MORE can do a series of discussions on this issue.

Note the analysis of the 1969 contract which I always used to say was the last good contract we got.

The Rise and Fall of the UFT by John Oneill 

http://www.scribd.com/doc/122373089/The-Rise-and-Fall-of-the-UFT-by-John-Oneill

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The opinions expressed on EdNotesOnline are solely those of Norm Scott and are not to be taken as official positions (though Unity Caucus/New Action slugs will try to paint them that way) of any of the groups or organizations Norm works with: ICE, GEM, MORE, Change the Stakes, NYCORE, FIRST Lego League NYC, Rockaway Theatre Co., Active Aging, The Wave, Aliens on Earth, etc.

Signs of Increasing Teacher Radicalism From Chicago, LA and SF Teachers

If this movement grows, will it have any impact on the ed-deformer collaborationist Randi Weingarten and the UFT/AFT machine? One check will be at the AFT convention in the summer of 2010 when Weingarten runs for reelection. Don't expect any opposition from NYC, where Unity Caucus controls all 800 delegates or NY State with Nysut under the same controls. NYC/NYS controls the AFT with over 40% of the membership.

The same situation probably exists in Chicago which also has a collaborationist leadership but an emerging opposition led by CORE (Caucus of Rank & File Educators) may have an impact. There are also some signs in St. Louis. Expect a major movement to come from the west coast, in particular LA, where a progressive group is in charge of the union and has embarrassed the UFT/AFT with its militant actions.

The GEM coalition here in NYC will be reaching out to these other groups to see if a national coalition can be formed.

Since many of these activists have socialist roots, just watch the AFT propaganda machine start spewing its red-baiting, especially with the UFT's chief red-baiter Jeff Zahler, who attacked 2007 ICE/TJC Presidential candidate Kit Wainer for his socialist views, now ensconced at AFT HQ in Washington.

« Theft of Pay Update

CORE Represents at Labor Notes Conference

CORE members were highly visible at Saturday May 9th’s “Troublemakers School” hosted by Labor Notes and Malcom X. College. CORE members participated in workshops where they learned: how to prepare effective grievances for possible arbitration, fighting back in the public sector, and organizing and bargaining during an economic crisis among other topics crucial for fighting Unionists.

As a caucus of educators, it was not enough for CORE to merely be students. CORE member, delegate and National Board Certified Teacher Karen Lewis co-presented a workshop entitled “Changing Your Union.”

Ms. Lewis gave an overview of the shape of education in Chicago and how it inspired a small group of Chicago Teachers Union activists to work together to change the Union from within. She described how CORE has become a group of educators who are doing the things the Union leadership should be doing, but in their free time for no additional pay. CORE has been collecting data and doing research on such items as: Huberman’s attack on pensions, CPS payroll, and proper staffing of schools.

She then described our January 10th meeting where CORE drew 500 people in a blizzard to talk about school closings. This event led to the formation of the GEM coalition that became a force of positive change in Chicago school reform. The actions of the groups around school closings saved six schools from being closed, phased-out, consolidated, or turned-around over the 2009-2010 school year

Question-and-Answer session concluded the presentation. Karen advocated for term limits on officers and cuts in officer pay as being crucial in keeping leadership’s attention to the needs of the rank-and-file. She discussed the importance of member education and the need for balance between “service Unionism” and activist Unionism.

At the end of the conference, delegate and CORE member Jackson Potter spoke on the closing panel. Jackson spoke about how CORE is effectively changing the culture of the Union. He spoke about how CORE came from a group of teachers who were not interested in leaving the classroom, but were interested in using our brotherhood and sisterhood within the Union to make the classroom a place where we can better serve our students. CORE wants to put a stop to the culture of “the further you get away from the classroom, the bigger the rewards.”

This was a great day of learning and teaching for the Educators at CORE. Being a member-driven caucus, and not a personality-driven one means that a lot of work needs to be done in self-education and educating the public. Saturday’s event was another instance of that dedication to education.

Call for Community and Teacher Hunger Strike in LA

May 26th to June 1st

Our schools, our communities, our children are facing a growing crisis.

Overwhelmed by deficits, politicians are trying to balance their budgets on the backs of children, the poor, and the working people of California. Our schools’ past allies in public office, Board Members Garcia, Flores-Aguilar, and Vladovic have abandoned us. We are sending a clear message to these elected officials: we will accept nothing less than a new budget that protects every child and every classroom.

To this end we call for a fast of purification, dedication, sacrifice and conscience. Our goal is to achieve self purification, to call on ourselves and our elected representatives to rededicate themselves to the children of our communities, to make personal sacrifice and inspire others to join us, and to remind everyone of conscience what is right and just at this moment.

We call on you to join us. Some of us will fast until this struggle is won. Many of us will fast for several days or for only one day. Some of us will participate in a strict, water-only fast, others in juice fasts. All are welcome.

The first fast will begin on May 26th and last until June 1st. On June 1st we will have a community celebration for those who will be breaking their fast.

On that day we will also invite as many individuals as possible to begin fasts for a short period of time and then pass their fast on to someone else who will do the same, creating chains of people throughout the community.

To sign up, email hungerstrike@riseup.net or call (323) 490-2412.

Perhaps we can bring the day when children will learn from their earliest days that being fully man and fully woman means to give one’s life to the liberation of the brother who suffers. It is up to each one of us. It won’t happen unless we decide to use our lives to show the way. –Cesar Chavez

In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps:

collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self purification; and direct action. – Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dialogue cannot exist in the absence of a profound love for the world and its people. –Paolo Freire



San Francisco's Educators for Democratic Union Platform

http://www.educatorssf.com/index.php?p=1_2_EDU-Platform


A democratic union that functions with transparency.

1. Membership will have active oversight of bargaining.

2. The bargaining team will be accountable - making regular reports to the Executive Board and Assembly, seeking membership input and direction.

3. All changes in workday, wages and benefits will be voted on by the full membership. We will have open and thorough discussion on any changes in dues: where the money will go, how it will benefit members.

4. All resolutions passed and minutes taken during Executive Board and Assembly Meetings will be posted in a timely manner on the UESF website.


A union that defends the rights of ALL its members.

1. We believe in equal rights to pay increases for paraprofessionals, substitutes, child development and K-12 teachers.

2. Union leadership will spend more time in the school and work sites finding out what members concerns are and taking action.

3. We seek to defend and expand the number of paraprofessionals working in SFUSD.

4. Protect teachers from subjective evaluations.


Social justice for all: educators, families and students.

1. We will engage in dialogue with families about a long-range vision for public education and what education could look like.

2. We oppose the attempts to reintroduce JROTC to our schools. We will be active participants in the antiwar movement.

3. We will defend the rights of all immigrant families to live and work in San Francisco free of harassment from ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

4. We oppose school closings.


Empowering members at their school sites.

1. Union leadership will visit school sites and take an active approach to building strong UBCs.

2. Real reform starts at the school sites--- not at 555 Franklin. Encourage members to take action where they work to improve education and working conditions.

3. We will lead and encourage discussions on issues that matter to our membership in addition to the contract--- pedagogy, school climate and discipline, building community-school relationships, etc.

4. We absolutely oppose using test scores alone to measure the success of students or educators –- Rewrite ESEA(Elementary and Secondary Education Act) and end NCLB (No Child Left Behind).


The defense of public education and the public sector through progressive taxation.

1. We will build relationships and emphasize strategic actions with other unions and public sector stakeholders to build and fund a new vision for social justice and equity.

2. We will work to change how schools are funded and fight to transform Prop 13 to adequately fund public schools and social services.

3. No merit pay! We will fight to stop the privatization of any aspect of public schools and help existing charter schools to unionize.