ARISE Pro-Unity Positions Proves ARISE never AROSE: Don't Waste A Vote That Helps Unity Win - VOTE ABC

Saturday, April 19, 2025 - ARISE SINKS!

Proof is in the pudding. ARISE is not running against Unity but against ABC. 

Holy Cow - ARISE's Bacon increasingly takes the same line as Unity - this time on the Intro 1096 City Council law that so many retirees want to see passed to protect their Medicare. And engages in an attack on Marianne Pizzitola and her enormously successful organizing of retirees to battle for their medicare. 

Of course the motivation is that Marianne is supporting ABC and only wishes she would back ARISE and if she did you would never see him writing these comments. Even more interesting to me is that 2 of the 3 legs of ARISE - Retiree Advocate, and his own caucus New Action, are loaded with retirees - in fact 25% (140) of their candidates are retirees, many of them elected to the DA in the massive retiree win in last year's retiree chapter election, which they won with what Nick Bacon would call a "myopic" focus on the healthcare issue - and they won due to the massive support Marianne and her troops gave them. That election and the 75% win by Fix Para Pay are amongst the main forces driving the possibility of defeating Mulgrew -- note there are 70k retirees and 27k paras -- about half the total voting UFT membership. 

That FPP is aligned with ABC -- with 120 paras running with ABC - over 20% of the 560 candidates - unprecedented in the history of the UFT - irks ARISE which had reached out to FPP to ask them to run with ARISE, especially since ARISE does not seem to have many - or any - paras on their slate.  

Yet, ARISE continues to join in the Unity attacks on ABC for focusing on the issues of most concern to UFT members and attempting to create a broad-based non-sectatarian inclusive movement. Shame, shame, shame.

How does the position of ARISE on intro 1096 - which many of the 300 elected RTC delegates and Exec Bd members support - play out with them or even with the 140 retiree candidates?

This was posted by Dan Alicea on FB:

Whether fueled by political/personal vendettas, unabated paranoia or Mulgrew’s Unity talking points, Nick Bacon, the caucus boss of New Action, now believes full support for Intro 1096 is short-sighted and could adversely hurt active members. 

 

This despite an overwhelming majority of UFT retirees voting in favor of a reso in full support of Intro 1096 and their calls for our union to lobby and commit its resources to it.

 

This is strange since many of those who support the bill and the RTC resolution are RA, and even New Action (NAC) UFT retirees.

 

https://arthurgoldstein.substack.com/.../uft-retired...

 

Bacon thinks that we need a task force of UFT labor lawyers to decide our futures. Despite, MLC/UFT lawyer, Alan Klinger, on an audio recording not willing to call 1096 illegal but rather that he worries it would impact future options of the MLC to negotiate retiree benefits for active service benefits and wages.

 

UFT retirees, a vote for ARISE is a wasted vote. 

 

ARISE never AROSE. 

 

Nick has shown his MORE-led, caucus-first coalition is willing to ignore the will of UFT retirees. They are willing to bow to Mulgrew for political gain and election season posturing by pitting actives against retirees.

 

If you think it’s time to replace Mulgrew because our healthcare, pensions and benefits are too important to risk, only ABC offers a steady hand of seasoned union leaders and the unwavering commitment to support the issues that matter to retirees. 

 

On May 1st ballots will be mailed to our homes. In May, we take back our union and make MEMBERS FIRST, again! 

 

Vote for A Better Contract (ABC)

Learn more: http://abettercontract.org

 

 

A Tale of Two Cities, Part 2 - Boston vs. NYC: What Our Union Could Be Doing for Paraprofessionals - Katie Anskat

This is part 2 of A Tale of Two Cities. Part 1:  Amy Arundell: A Tale of Two Cities, Chicago Fights and Wins — What NYC Can Learn

 

In part 2, Katie Anskat compares the Boston contract for paras with NYC. By the way, she could have done a tale of 3 cities by comparing the victory for paras in LA. 

In 2023, the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) supported a 3 day strike by SEIU Local 99, which includes paraprofessionals and other support staff, in a solidarity action. The 2023 contract for LAUSD paraprofessionals (support staff) included a significant pay increase, a new minimum wage, and expanded health care benefits. The contract also addressed work hours for specific roles like classroom assistants working with special education students. 

Friday, April 11, 2025

 

ABC supports paras getting the 10K bonus, even if unpensionable. 

 

The rally for paras to get the bill passed - well they don't say very much when we ask "Where is the bill?" How can you pass a bill that exists in imagination? Some view this entire process as bait and switch for the elections where a big erosion of the 27K para vote, as happened last year in the chapter election, seriously threatens Unity. So we see a full court press for paras and for retiree votes with welfare fund goodies tossed in. At least the threat to Unity seems to spur some level of response - the bigger the threat the more they will do to try to counter it.

 

ABC, with Fix Para Pay support, has recruited 120 paras to run on the slate, unprecedented - I actually can't remember paras every running with the Unity opponents. Check other slates to see how many paras. I do find it sort of funny - or sad - that groups that brag about social justice don't seem able to connect to paras to the extent they will put themselves on the line to run in the election.

 

Here is Katie's post on substack.

A Tale of Two Cities, Part 2 - Boston vs. NYC: What Our Union Could Be Doing for Paraprofessionals

This is the second installment in our two-part series from A Better Contract (ABC). In Part 1, we looked at the Chicago Teachers Union’s big wins.

https://abettercontract.org/p/a-tale-of-two-cities-part-2-boston

Katie Anskat

Apr 06, 2025

 

ABC Treasurer candidate Katie Anskat dives into the Boston Teachers Union’s groundbreaking contract for paraprofessionals—and contrasts it with the UFT’s attempt to sell a $10,000 non-pensionable bonus as a breakthrough.

---

When I saw what the Boston Teachers Union (BTU) just secured for their paraprofessionals, I couldn’t stay quiet.

Because this isn’t just policy. It’s personal.

I teach in an inclusion classroom. I work side-by-side with paraprofessionals every single day. And I’ve seen what happens when our system fails to value them — not just as professionals, but as people. I’ve seen paras working two to three jobs just to make ends meet. I’ve seen them take the weight of a classroom on their shoulders without complaint. I’ve seen their brilliance, patience, and power.

And I’ve also seen the exhaustion. The tears. The feeling that no one is listening — not even the union that’s supposed to.

So when I saw Boston’s tentative agreement https://btu.org/contract-bargaining-updates — real raises, expanded benefits, and permanent pensionable raises — I didn’t just think, “Why can’t we have that?” I thought, “Why haven’t we fought for it?”

I don’t just see numbers with the Boston Tentative Contract. I see respect. I see a contract that says, “We see you. You matter.”

And when I look at what UFT leadership is offering paras here in NYC — a $10,000 bonus that isn’t even in the contract and doesn’t count toward your pension — I see the exact opposite.

---

Real Raises vs. Temporary Bonuses

In Boston, paraprofessionals already start around $45,000 — and under their new tentative agreement, many will see raises of 20–30%, with some earning well over $53,000 by the end of the contract. These are pensionable, permanent raises that build a future — not a press release. That’s not just a raise — that’s stability, that’s dignity, that’s a union doing its job.

Here in NYC, while some paras can eventually reach similar earnings, it takes years of service and longevity steps — and most start far lower. Starting salaries for paraprofessionals are closer to $32,000–$34,000, depending on title and step. Instead of raising base pay, UFT is offering a non-pensionable $10,000 bonus that’s not in the contract, tied to a bill that hasn’t even been written, and can disappear at any time. That’s not respect — it’s election-season bait.

Meanwhile, UFT is flooding the airwaves with commercials pretending it’s already a done deal.

It’s not just misleading. It’s insulting.

---

The Longevity Disgrace

In New York City, paraprofessionals are paid on a step schedule that requires them to wait years between raises — and the most meaningful increases don’t come until well after 10 years of service.

After 15 years, paras are eligible for longevity increases — but those are small, fixed amounts that top out around $1,000 per year. They're not percentage-based, and they do little to raise a para’s overall standard of living.

This structure punishes early-career paraprofessionals — the very folks who are often taking on the most intense student needs. Instead of getting paid for the value they bring now, paras are told to wait a decade or more for the salary they deserve.

Compare that to what Boston just did: front-loaded, pensionable raises that show respect immediately — not just when it’s “earned” through decades of underpaid work

---

Conditions and Protections Matter

Boston didn’t stop at wages. They delivered real support and security:

• Paras can’t be excessed because of licensing gaps.

• Classrooms with high needs automatically get additional para support.

• They get 4 personal days, tuition reimbursement, and Line of Duty Injury (LODI) protections.

Here in NYC? Paras are in overcrowded classrooms with no cap. Still no LODI. Still treated like second-class employees — even though they’re the ones keeping classrooms and kids afloat.

---

This Is Personal

I’ve been teaching in NYC for 17 years. I’ve sat beside paraprofessionals in tough IEP meetings, in crisis interventions, in early morning prep and late afternoon debriefs. I’ve watched them break up fights, manage impossible schedules, and love our kids fiercely through it all — often while working second and third jobs or wondering if they can afford to stay in this city.

I’ve also seen them cry in the hallway — feeling unseen, unheard, and unprotected by the very union that’s supposed to fight for them.

And now, they’re being told to clap for a $10,000 bonus that is not even a drafted bill yet? If it is written and passes, could it vanish in the next budget cycle or due to a new Mayor? These are the questions I am asked and it breaks my heart to admit the truth - that as of 4/5/25, there is no bill that exists for this paraprofessional bonus.

It’s unacceptable. We owe them so much more.

---

A Better Contract Means A Better Union

We’re not here to make excuses. We’re here to make change.

We are proud to be supported by Fix Para Pay, a movement that has never stopped organizing for justice for paraprofessionals in NYC. And we proudly support them back.

Together, we’ll fight for:

• ✊ Pensionable raises that build lasting stability

• ✊ LODI protections that treat paras like the professionals they are

• ✊ Fair, front-loaded longevity and step increases that reflect the value paras bring today — not just someday

• ✊ Tuition support for all paras — not just those pursuing DOE-approved paths

Boston didn’t wait. They organized. And they won.

We can do the same — if we choose to fight.

Let’s stop settling. Let’s start listening.

Let’s build a union that reflects the very people who keep our schools standing.

When we fight, we win.

Amy Arundell: A Tale of Two Cities, Part 1: Chicago Fights and Wins — What NYC Can Learn

....their success is just about a contract. I think it’s about a culture. A culture of courage. A culture of clarity. A union that sees every struggle inside the school building as connected to the fight outside it. A union that organizes relentlessly—and wins publicly. 

Long-time followers of Ed Notes are familiar with the coverage of the Chicago Teacher Union going back to the victory of CORE caucus in the 2010 election and how our crew from NYC had met with them a year earlier and had frequent contact with them over the early years of their victory, including at the AFT convention in Seattle a few weeks after they won. I won't put up the numerous links but these intital reports of the victory that helped change the labor movement:

MORE CHICAGO HOPE AS CORE SWEEPS

Chicago Hope - UPDATED - 9am

 

One key in Chicago that differs from the Unity approach is open bargaining and the public reports on the progress. This contract win was a big one and I guess it doesn't hurt that the mayor was a teacher and member of the CTU and an organizer with them.

Also, Amy was interviewed this week.

Listen: Amy Arundell Makes Her Case to Lead the UFT LATEST STUCK NATION RADIO MAR 31

Work-Bites: https://www.work-bites.com/view-all/a7nwt235ykmjme5355xchk7tezmw8x

 

 

A Tale of Two Cities, Part 1: Chicago Fights and Wins — What NYC Can Learn

This is the first in a two-part series from A Better Contract (ABC) comparing what’s possible when unions fight—and what happens when they don’t. In Part 1, Amy Arundell, longtime educator and presidential candidate on the ABC slate, reflects on the Chicago Teachers Union’s tentative agreement and the culture of organizing that made it possible.

Amy Arundell

Apr 04, 2025

 

https://abettercontract.org/p/a-tale-of-two-cities-part-1-chicago?r=4ptxgk&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

 

I wasn’t planning to write today. But after reading through the Chicago Teachers Union’s tentative agreement, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something important had just happened—and that we needed to talk about it.

The 2025 CTU contract locks in substantial pay raises, guarantees more prep time, and expands community support for students—showing just how powerful collective action can be. If you’re ready to see how these educators turned “impossible” into a done deal, you’ve got to check it out. Click here for all the details: https://www.ctulocal1.org/posts/ctu-announces-historic-tentative-agreement-major-leap-forward-toward-transforming-chicago-public-schools/.

What the Chicago Teachers Union just accomplished—it wasn’t magic. It wasn’t luck. It was movement. It was members, organizing each other, mobilizing consistently, and building power over time. It was setting clear priorities, building public pressure, and refusing to be told “no.” They didn’t wait for politicians to save them. They did it themselves—and they did it together.

I want to be really clear about something. I don’t think their success is just about a contract. I think it’s about a culture. A culture of courage. A culture of clarity. A union that sees every struggle inside the school building as connected to the fight outside it. A union that organizes relentlessly—and wins publicly.

And let me tell you what struck me most: it wasn’t just the raises. It wasn’t just the prep time. It was the way CTU connected everything they do to uplifting workers and the communities they serve. They didn’t organize for scraps. They organized for dignity.

Now, back here in New York, Unity tells us: this can’t be done. They say don’t expect too much. Be realistic. Accept what you’re given. And every time they say that, I ask: do they think we haven’t seen what our brothers and sisters in Chicago just achieved? Do they think we didn’t notice?

Because we noticed. And we are not accepting the scraps.

When we started this campaign, there were maybe 20 of us sitting around folding chairs, talking about the same things I’m talking about with you now. But we were armed with a faith in member power. And we are armed with a belief in transparency. And most of all—we believed in each other.

We are now on the verge of winning. And if we keep moving together, we will—and we will be a union again. A union that listens. A union that leads. A union where truth replaces talking points and backroom deals are replaced by bold demands.

CTU didn’t wait to be rescued. They got organized. They built up. They broke through.

And we can too.

Let’s stop settling. Let’s start organizing with urgency and demanding with discipline.

Together, we will drive our future.

When we fight, we win.

Teacher Mike Schirtzer Celebrates Paraprofessional Day

For Unity, MORE, and New Action, this is an election gimmick...Mike S.

April 2, 2025

Mike, a candidate for HS Ex bd on the ABC slate, didn't mention that over 100 paras are running with A Better Contract through the Fix Para Pay group. This is the first time in UFT general election history that paras have joined groups running against Unity and Mike points out the failures of the past and even some current caucuses in their failures to work with paras - certainly United for Change in the 2022 election, of which I was involved, failed in this regard. I always wonder about all those teachers in the caucuses  and whether they talk to paras at all in their schools. Retiree Advocate has few if any paras associated with it and I'm trying to come up with paras who ran for the 300 delegates to the RTC. Note: This is also a failure on my part and had been for decades so I don't take myself off the blame list.

 

 

There is no bill yet and the 10K bonus is non-pensionable and looks like an election bribe but we still support them getting that money and despite Unity attacks, ABC has supported the 10K and signed the petitions while also being critical of the tactic of using bonuses that are not pensionable.

 

Some schools are holding celebrations:

Holy Paraprofessional Day! by Mike Schirtzer

As an ICT teacher for almost 20 years, I can’t even begin to tell you how incredible it has been to work with so many amazing paras. Every single one I’ve worked with has made my students’ days brighter and better. They’ve helped me become a better teacher. They are the backbone of our schools.

And let’s be clear—the foundation of any union is negotiating strong contracts. That’s why we pay dues. It’s so our union leadership can sit across from the DOE and fight for real raises, benefits, and protections. That’s how it’s supposed to work.

But what are we being told now? That we have to beg City Council for a raise because our union leadership can’t get it done at the bargaining table? That’s an admission of failure. You’re telling me that every other union in this city negotiates raises for its members, but for paraprofessionals, the best we can do is hope and pray politicians throw them some crumbs?

Crumbs in our weekly paycheck—and we’re supposed to be thankful? We’re supposed to rally and wear blue, but whatever you do, don’t bring up the shady backroom political deal. Don’t bring up that it’s not pensionable. Don’t mention that we’re not doing this for school aides and parent coordinators in DC 37. Just smile, say thank you, and keep paying your damn dues.

And even if this raise, bonus, City Council gift, or whatever we’re supposed to call it actually happens—it’s not pensionable. So when paras retire, they’re left high and dry. This is the same scam they pulled on teachers with those garbage bonuses that don’t count toward pensions. Who in God’s name gave Michael Mulgrew the power to hand out non-pensionable “bonuses” like some Wall Street CEO, while refusing to fight for real raises?

And one more thing—because my brothers and sisters in A Better Contract (ABC) have been too kind about this: Let’s talk about New Action and MORE, running under their front group Arise.

New Action has been around for 40 years. MORE for over a dozen years. And now they’re running around pretending to care about para pay? Have they ever made fixing para pay a priority? Hell no. For Unity, MORE, and New Action, this is an election gimmick. For us, it’s about a union doing what it’s supposed to do—fighting for real raises and making our paras’ lives better.

We have worked alongside the leaders of Fix Para Pay—not only including them, but taking our lead from them. Isn’t that how a real union works? A real union listens to its members and fights for their needs. Unlike Unity, MORE, and New Action, who treat para pay as a political prop, we believe in doing the real work to make our paras’ lives better.

This isn’t about political maneuvering—it’s about securing fair, pensionable wages through proper collective bargaining, not backroom deals or non-pensionable bonuses. Our paras deserve respect and real compensation, not empty promises.

Meanwhile, ABC has been fighting to fix para pay from day one. We’re running actual paras for the Executive Board because we believe they should have a real voice in this union.

Unity, MORE, and New Action haven’t cared about para pay—yesterday, today, or tomorrow. Don’t be fooled.

 

Why Won't ARISE Consent to Allow Candidates to Run on ABC? Unity Caucus and ARISE Unite to Help Unity Win AFT Delegates

NOTE - this blog post represents only my views and not those of ABC. But I am pissed off!

It's very simple and we can still do this: All ARISE has to do is say YES to allowing its AFT candidates to run with ABC.

So, why did ARISE put a roadblock on its candidates who want to run on the ABC slate, giving the Unity leadership an excuse to prevent these candidates from winning? Why did Unity agree with ARISE? ABC has agreed publicly to allow ARISE candidates to run. Why won't ARISE do the same? The say they want a formal agreement as New Action had with Unity for over a decade. Should we wear tuxedos?

New Action/Unity sign agreement for 2007, 2010 and 2013 elections

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 22, 2025

I've been too busy the past week to address the important issue of how Unity and ARISE united to keep people from running on multiple slates, an increasing level of ARISE focusing its attacks on ABC.  Petitions were due last Monday, RTC Meeting Tuesday, DA Wednesday, R&R Thursday. Finally, I've had room to breathe. 

Back in December I offered a leader of MORE an idea of how to run two slates and win a control of the exec bd and adcom. Cross endorse enough candidates (not all so as to leave room for organizing new people) - all AFT, 3 each for Adcom which would give us 6 out of 12, a majority of the divisional and at large exec bd. The idea was turned down because if we won how would we govern the UFT? I said we'd figure it out -- let's win first. But I question whether elements of the ARISE coalition really want to win and are focused on not letting ABC win. 

My backup plan was to encourage AFT candidates to run on both slates. 

I spoke to a few candidates who did sign up for both slates and if forced to choose they say they will choose ABC.

Here is a detailed account on how Unity Caucus and ARISE united in a way to help Unity maintain their monopoly of AFT delegate seats. 

First a brief date by date summary:

UFT Election Committee: Candidates Can Run on multiple slates - as has happened in the past

I kept getting asked the same question by some people who want to run on more than one slate. ABC has been open to anyone who wants to run for AFT/NYSUT Delegate on the ABC even if running on another slate. I don't get why there was ambivalence over that issue -- in fact I put that idea forth months ago to a leader of MORE as a way to run two slates against Unity and still win but there was little interest. But anyone who wants to take a shot at possibly winning as an AFT/NYSUT convention delegate and break the Unity monopoly, try to sign up to run with ABC and any other slate you are running on.

When I was asked I kept pointing to the years that New Action candidates were elected to the UFT Exec Bd by running on the Unity slate and their own slate. But for some reason, this history seems to have disappeared from the memory banks because members of their coalition are told they are not sure. 

At Thursday's UFT Election Committee meeting it was reaffirmed that you can run on more than one slate and reap the total votes you get on all slates. Go to this link and fill it out. And if you do, email me to let me know as I have to send you a blank petition for you to sign and return to me. normsco@gmail.com. 

Don't worry about getting the required 100 signatures as ABC has been and will be holding petition signing parties this week. Here is the Wednesday Brooklyn link: tinyurl.com/abc-2025-03-05. Friday Bayside link: tinyurl.com/abc-03-07-2025.

 

 Convention Delegate Form

 

 

Elections Count: Fix Para Pay Win Forces Mulgrew to Call for Non-Pensionable 10K Bonus

The dire need of paras who need a living wage is primal here. Then add working 2 or 3 jobs just to make ends meet. We organize to see this concept of a plan come to fruition but can also recognize it’s a band aid over the hemorrhaging.

Take the money and vote them out! -- Paras react to UFT/Unity 10K bonus plan

Expect this proposed concept of a plan to be the first motion in the February DA. Mulgrew will act like he’s looking around the room and magically call on John Kamps to motivate it...

Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025

Clearly, in response to the big Fix Para Pay win in the chapter election last June, fear has gripped Mulgrew and the Unity Caucus as they desperately try to move the 27K para unit away from voting for the ABC slate, aligned with the Fix Para Pay group, by offering a package of goodies to paras. 

You see, elections do have consequences because we know from decades of history of Unity not fighting to fix para pay, we wouldn't otherwise be seeing this move. Will paras be fooled less than two years after the most recent contract neglected to fix para pay or even make an attempt to do so? The joke is the Unity criticism of the 3% pattern bargaining which they used to browbeat people into voting for the 2023 contract. 

Of course some Unity trolls are on the attack, claiming the election had nothing to do with the UFT blitz of offering goodies. Sure.

While I have supported legal initiatives to improve conditions, the bottom line is that only the contract protects us. An example I often refer to was a city council law that reduced class size below the contract for grades 1-3 in the early 90s but was scrapped by Bloomberg. And the current class size state law which is not being enforced. At the time I railed against the reliance on city council as only temporary solutions. People will point to the contract not being enforced but when it comes to salary and class size, there is compliance.

Of course the 10k will not be pensionable as we've seen the UFT increasingly rely on non-pensionable bonuses as a way to buy votes.

Unity has shown a pattern since losing the retiree and para elections so badly by reversing themselves try to win back these units, both large blocks of UFT members whose votes will be crucial to Unity's winning the election this May. 

One of the funniest things retirees received yesterday from Mulgrew was this missive:

We are increasing your optional rider reimbursement by $60 - but he leaves out that they raised the monthly charge for the optional rider by $30 which comes to $360 a year - so he thinks people are so stupid not to notice that he is giving back $60 while we pay $300 more?

Marie Waunsnock of Fix Para Pay in their press release exposes the Unity gameplan:

“This isn’t a victory—it’s a distraction,” said Marie Wausnock, UFT Paraprofessional Executive Board Member and founder of Fix Para Pay. “If the city has money now, why didn’t we get real raises in our contract? Why were paras shut out of negotiations? We won’t be silenced with one-time bonuses that do nothing for our future.”

The so-called solution:
    •    Is not guaranteed—the bill hasn’t been written, introduced, or passed.
    •    Was made without consulting elected para representatives.
    •    Fails to address ongoing issues like inadequate pensions, LODI access, and fair longevity pay.

“This is a pattern,” Wausnock added. “Mulgrew ignored retirees until they voted out his handpicked candidate. He ignored members struggling with healthcare costs until it became a liability. Now, he’s scrambling to buy para votes after years of neglect.”

LODI - Line of Duty Injury protection is a prime aim of the paras. 

ABC is running a strong slate of paras for the UFT election. Meet some of them and the rest of the slate on Feb. 11. You can RSVP, here.

UFT Election Winning Strategy - As Simple as ABC - Go Where the Votes Are and Meet the Candidates on Feb. 11

When bank robber Willie Sutton was asked why he robs banks he answered: Because that's where the money is.

I apply the same logic in response regarding UFT elections. I don't put down getting votes from anywhere -- The aim is to win and for those who don't realize --

If you really want to win go where the votes are. 

 

Otherwise you are running not to win, but to make a point. 

\

Now I do see people turning their noses up at some voters -- like Unity defectors or the non-lock step ideologues or heaven forbid, the potential 30-35% UFT Trump voters.  If you turn up your nose at potential voters, you don't want to win.

Saturday, Jan. 26, 2025

 

Many critics who attack me for daring to think outside the box, assume that if two slates run in the UFT election, it is impossible to beat Unity. 

 

“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” Sherlock Holmes

 

So let's look at how to to turn the impossible into the improbable into the possible: A win for ABC.

 

It may seem "improbable" for ABC to win, but I believe a win is impossible for ARISE in a 3-slate race. Thus, only a vote for ABC can turn the improbable into the possible and Sherlock says that must be the truth. 

Elementary, my dear Watson.

And on Feb. 11 you can meet the ABC candidates. http://rsvp.uftmembers.org

  

Unity Must Go in order to win

I've been accused of changing positions in mid-stream. I have always been in favor of one slate to challenge Unity. I also believed that we can't win unless we weaken Unity at its core -- in the schools where they have an army of chapter leaders and influencers, especially in the elementary schools where there are 36 thousand potential voters and Unity always wins big. (66% in 2022).

Going back to the late 90s and looking at a weak and ineffectual opposition back then, I decided that winning over people in Unity would be essential to winning an election and I initially aimed Ed Notes at appealing to Unity people who wanted change in the union. And I did get an audience. But the minute I made even the mildest criticism of the new leadership under Randi, I lost them. So I switched into full-blown oppo mode.  Now I see the first real opportunity for a permanent break in Unity at the in-service level to go along with the break in the retiree and para chapters.

 

In the past elections, winning a sliver, the high schools and maybe the middle schools was the realistic goal. But conditions have changed and I'm not interested in slivers. The idea of winning the entire enchilada is what has gotten people so excited. They seem to take winning for granted. I don't take anything for granted.

 

And conditions have certainly changed since the 2022 elections when every voice of the opposition was involved in United for Change.

 

I change due to changing conditions. And the numbers for UFC were not great. Somehow people think that the current version of UFC, a weakened ARISE - with 3 caucuses involved - two of which are no stronger than they were in 2022 - would win if they were the only ones running because the third caucus, RA, seems so much stronger based on its big win last June. My claim is that RA as an organizing group of 11, is not really stronger than it was in 2022 and in terms of a general UFT election it has the same limited direct outreach. RA won 63% due to the influx of voters, many from Unity, and many coming from Marianne's supporters. Many Unity voters may just drift back in a general election.

 

As a member of the RA org committee of 11, I was the lone dissenter from joining this coalition and urged RA to stay neutral, and could play a mediator role. MORE and New Action needed RA to be part of the coalition as a way to sell a winning strategy because both of them, which aim at the in-service people, understand they have failed to attract a wide enough following with in-service people to win without the retirees. My position has been that the oppo have opposed the impact of retirees on elections for decades but now are switching course in mid-stream and that to win an election loaded with retirees would be destabilizing and further alienate the in-service where a majority are on Tier 6. How do they feel about being led by people who are on Tier 1, as ARISE is offering?

I try not to stick with a pattern of a losing strategy. In 2022 I believed in all caucuses and non-caucuses should get together in United for Change. And the outcomes of that effort was disappointing, to the point I have been willing to look at alternate ideas. I am still for one slate, but not the same kind of election management under caucus guidance, like UFC was. Instead I believe in one slate under a broad based and group of individuals capable of growth from the ground up, whether people are in a caucus or not --- but not to allow a small group of people to make the basic decisions -- call it a steering committee -- instead to open up the process to the broader based UFT membership. In other words, we don't just want your vote in May, we want you involved from the ground up in the entire process.

 

So let's go back to the opening question: where are the votes? 

Certainly retirees where 39% return ballots and the recent flip from Unity in the RTC election is major. Clearly, many former Unity voters flipped over the Medicare issue and voted for RA. Will that flip hold for a general election? While those former Unity voters may have been pissed off enough at Mulgrew and Tom Murphy's role to vote them out, are they willing to turn over the entire union to a group consisting of RA, New Action and MORE, with MORE being the dominant player in this group? Frankly, I don't think so.

But given another alternative that includes a number of people who have left Unity, these voters may feel they have another place to go rather than go back to Unity. It's as simple as ABC.

Where else can we find votes? Remember the Para election where Fix Para Pay won 75% in an admittedly low turnout vote in a para chapter that has 27k potential voters? Unity has noticed and is suddenly showing interest in making paras welcome, though fixing their pay is not on their agenda. But there is a group that is very committed to fighting for para pay and to fight for other things issues they want - like ILOD - Injury in Line of Duty protection and other issues beyond pay like some prep time. Can the para unit be energized to vote in this election and where are those votes likely to go? It's as simple as ABC.

Now how about the disaffected anti-Mulgrew Unity Caucus people? I don't mean the full-time staff who are clinging to their jobs, but the rank and file Unity people who are often chapter leaders, some with after school jobs? How many potential votes do they offer? The important issue in this case is can they bring their staffs and other Unity friends along with them, which could add up to thousands of votes? While there's no way to tell since most Unity are silent (though sending private encouragement), there are underground indications of a growing revolt, that if it catches on, will make a major dent in the Unity votes. And we have been seeing an erosion of Unity votes over the past elections. But Unity voters will not go to a MORE tinged group. It's as simple as ABC.

How about retirees? The assumption since June was that the same massive vote would go to Retiree Advocate. But they've aligned with MORE, leading to these comments on my last blog post:

John Q Teacher: I thought that RA was Mariannes's baby? Why would she abandon it and secretly endorse ABC? I'm confused. I really wish she would speak publicly about where she stands on who she is supporting.  

 

Anon: This shit is just too complicated to follow. I was a retiree. I will vote for whoever Marianne recommends. Stick that up your ass, Mr. Mulgrew.

Marianne has clearly leaned toward ABC, and made reference to ABC in public comments, sparking the Unity attacks on her. So where will her followers go? It's as simple as ABC.

Now, let's look at the vast unknown -- the 80% of working UFT members who don't vote. This is the territory that both Unity and the caucuses, following the same formula in every election, have not been able to mine. Why would they be more successful this time? 

 

Can a new campaign paradigm make a dent in the 80% non-voters? Here I won't claim It's as simple as ABC because it hasn't been successful before, so let's call this an interesting premise, that if proven correct, will make it as simple as ABC.

 

What are these new tactics? I ain't saying just yet as many ideas are still in process, but turnouts for ABC events have been very promising. And email lists are growing. I will get deeper into the unique experience I've had working with ABC in future posts.

 

ABC has a chance to win in a 3 way race by draining Unity votes and winning new voters in the schools and old voters from the retirees. Whether it works or not, we will learn a lot.

For my money, a vote for any group other then ABC is a wasted vote.

Everyone is invited to run with ABC. Sign up here.

 

 

 

DA Chaos - Unity Goes Red-Scare Wilding In Dual Attacks on MORE Caucus and Arise - And also Aims Dart at Marianne

Mr. Welch: Until this moment, Senator, I think I never really gauged your cruelty, or your recklessness. You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?...

Paranoia has struck deep into the hearts of our ostensible leaders. After suffering major losses in two elections, they are losing their shit all over the place....It's Witch Hunt Time for Unity!Get out your tin foil hats!   .... Arthur Goldstein

Al Shanker was a member of the Young Socialists.  The Unity red-baiting critique on the flier distributed at the Jan. 2025 DA saying “ARISE=DSA” is their usual tactic. That said, where was Unity’s outrage over outside influence when Bill Gates funded the E4E caucus? Or his failed interference that led to the mass closing of schools? Mulgrew’s got no problem with them.  But, a caucus that cares about working people? That simply won’t do for Mulgrew... Current NYC Teacher comment

The attack on DSA with current members elected to various offices is a naked political play to move the UFT to the right and to distract from the real issues - but also to pump up Unity Caucus members who might be straying

What a joke that leaflet was, though some are not taking it as a joke, but a genuine threat. Shanker and the founders of the UFT all came out of the Socialist party and a particular wing - the right wing anti-communist Social Democrats USA - SDUSA - the Max Schachtman acolytes -- Check the link to wikipedia for the full story. But here's an interesting rub:

Yetta Barsh Shachtman (1915–1996) was married to Max Shachtman and also held Marxist views. Barsh worked as the secretary of Albert Shanker, the president of the United Federation of Teachers.^[33] The money she earned from this job allowed Shachtman to focus on his political work.^[34] While working for Shanker, Barsh was responsible for the hiring of Sandra Feldman ^[35]

Yes. Future UFT President Sandra Feldman was recruited out of the Socialist Party into the UFT after one year of teaching. How's that for "outside" interference? And I'd bet Shanker was also recruited from somewhere.

 

Teaming this leaflet with the reso on outside interference that Unity sneaked into the New Motion period,  their usual manner of dishonesty, where Mulgrew makes believe he is looking around the audience and "accidentally" chooses the Unity CL of Murrow HS who acts like the reso wasn't planted by the leadership. Described by Arthur as:  

a very formally worded resolution about “union interference.” At first I thought I was mishearing, but I was not. The woman who brought the resolution refused to name which insidious forces were interfering. I’d bet she was talking about my friend Marianne Pizzitola and her group, NYC Retirees.

 Here is the reso (wow - got my scanner to work).

Some assumed it was aimed mainly at Marianne because her advocacy for retirees in the UFT was the difference maker in the big RTC win for RA. My guess is that without Marianne, RA would have garnered maybe 42-45% and Marianne helped bump that to 63%. So this was aimed at her and I suspect Unity will use some shenanigans in the election to attack A Better Contract, which she seems to be leaning to supporting. And coming from inside the UFT machine, they are most worried about ABC. 

 

So it was a surprise to see them also come out with a vicious Unity leaflet right out of the box and attack the MORE dominated ARISE, along with NAC, heavily loaded with retirees and RA, totally loaded with retirees, the group of caucuses running under the ARISE banner in the election, in such a vicious manner - so early in the election. I would have expected them to do it shortly before the ballots are sent out -- well, I guess they will again then.

 

Accompanying  the outsider reso with the Unity leaflet attacking DSA and MORE as somehow infiltrating the UFT, caused MORE's Peter Lamphere to see red and he called a point of order that Mulgrew shut down. Peter pointed out that every member of MORE was a member of the UFT, not an outsider.

Hell, I was a member of DSA for years, though less enamored now, as were UFT leadership types like Leo Casey, and the UFT has actually backed some DSA candidates and incumbents. In fact a strong candidate for mayor, 

Zohran Mamdani

is in DSA. Imagine the UFT, given a choice between Cuomo and Mamdani, will back Cuomo because of their 65 year history of vicious anti-communism and red-baiting. 

 

Some of you may remember the red-baiting sneak postcard attack on the ICE/TJC Presidential candidate Kit Wainer in the 2007 election. Here are some Ed Notes posts from those days if you want to dig deeper. I have a list of 60 years of their history of red-baiting to share at some point.

• Unity Propaganda Machine Treads in Dangerous Terri...
• Unity Uses Red-Baiting - Just Part of their MO
• Kit Wainer On the Non-Debate: Friday, March 2
• Red-baiting from New Action Supporter? You Decide 

 

Let me point out that despite the red-baiting attack by Unity - and I will give some credit to someone from New Action being critical of that attack, New Action still ran candidates on the Unity slate and won exec bd seats on the Unity line, and ran Weingarten as their presidential candidate. Talk about baggage.

I guess you can see the outside interference in the reso when accompanied with the Unity flyer as an attack on DSA and MORE. Some retiree groups who have personally benefited from the work Marianne has done are sniping at her for being too bossy and I even heard one tell me she is not really an organizer, just someone who goes to court. Really? 

 

I responded she has saved every one of us thousands of dollars and how is she not an organizer when she has tens of thousands of followers in multi municipal unions? I point to the retired fire fighter in my yoga class who high fives me about her. One leftist told me that Marianne has out organized the left and the Dem party and its subservient AFT/UFT/NYSUT by reaching deep into the working class and bringing people from many unions together, a leftist dream since the 30s. Marianne may have done something so unique in this country that people should do theses on her work.

 

I and many others knew this red-scare attack on MORE was going to come at some point. I would say knowing this attack was coming was a major reason the ABC faction wanted to run in the election without caucus attachment -- we argued with the caucuses that if we wanted to win we must try to minimize caucus baggage. RA won in June by focusing on one key issue. Unity did try to attach RA and Marianne to MORE but it didn't work.

 

For RA to tie itself to MORE and New Action, whose history includes a dozen years of supporting Unity and having key leaders being on the UFT payroll - in fact running Mulgrew as their presidential candidate in 2010 and 2013, so directly, is a mistake and will hurt the brand. 

 

But expect Unity to try to smear ABC the same way given that ABC is open to all points of view, so why not pick out one person and smear everyone? One reason ABC advocated individuals and not caucuses run in this election was to undermine these attacks, though stopping them entirely is not possible. And they tried the same tactic in the RTC election by trying to link Marianne to MORE and it clearly didn't work because RA was very careful to stick to the key issue and in fact we decided to reject any comments on our listserve that dealt with the middle east.

But the attack on DSA is so weird given the history -- DSA is an offbranch of the Socialist Party UFT leaders came from. UFT has endorsed DSA electeds who are incumbents (AOC, Bowman, and a number of state senators.

Rather than let it die, the scuzzy Unity Caucus blog doubled down, using the 50's era "card-carrying" phrase. Here they do line up with the analysis that the outside interference refers to DSA but I still think that is cover for the attack on Marianne. Who are they kidding? Do they have a bigger fear of DSA or Marianne? No one has been fearing DSA recently, especially after the Trump election.

About that flyer: DSA=MORE=ARISE?

Lets talk about the caucus behind the curtain

Unity Caucus

Jan 20, 2025

Each month the Unity Caucus shares a flyer at our union's Delegates Assembly. Last week was no different - we shared a flyer that seemed to cause a stir. A new coalition named ARISE announced that they would be running in the UFT election this coming Spring. ARISE includes 3 caucuses: New Action Caucus, Retiree Advocate and MORE. The flyer called out the fact that this new coalition is just a rebranding of MORE, in an attempt to hide their own problematic political baggage. When you start to look past the slick website and the new logo, it's clear to anyone paying attention that MORE is the driving force behind ARISE.

So what happened at the Delegates Assembly last week and why does it matter?

A veteran delegate rose to speak against a resolution written to oppose the fact that organizations outside of the UFT are trying to influence the outcome of the UFT Spring election. No one objects to working with and being aligned with organizations outside of the UFT. The issue is that there is documentation (Politico Article: Democratic Socialists look to take over New York’s powerful labor unions | DSA Memo linked in politico article) showing that there is an outside organization ( the NYC DSA) actively strategizing to use the UFT as a tool for its own political objectives [see flyer below]. To flip something that this same delegate said at the DA: JWe are all card-carrying members of the UFT and unashamedly proud of it!

Jeez - card carrying Unityites. I'm a bit embarrassed for them.

Then they added the text of the leaflet from the DA.  The post has a total of 5 likes from Unity hacks. This tack will not get them votes, for sure. The Trump voters in the UFT, possibly 30-35%, hate Mulgrew and Unity to a great extent as being too attached to the Dem Party and still end up being shat on - see Obama Race to the Top (or Bottom). ABC talks about no longer taking this attachment for granted.

 

Given the option of Unity, a group attached to MORE or non-sectarian ABC, which way do you think they will go?

I will close with this comment from the son of a UFT retiree, an active member of DSA:

“This is fundamentally anti-worker hypocrisy. DSA advocates for powerful unions and a better world, membership to this organization among UFT members should be welcomed. Socialists have been the bedrock of the labor movement since its inception, anticommunism has been used to kneecap American labor with laws like the Taft-Hartley act. It is dishonest and rabidly anti-worker, Michael Mulgrew should be deeply ashamed of this idiotic red baiting.”

Mulgrew has proven time and again he has no shame.