Unity Caucus and Chinese Communist Party - Xi Jinping uses Unity as model, China as example of communism failure or success? Can a one party system succeed in holding power over the long run?

Hell yes - look at Unity Caucus. I'd bet anything that if the opposition were to actually win an election Unity would do exactly like Trump and Lukashenko in Belarus - say we somehow managed to steal the election and refuse to leave power and incite a Unity nob to storm the delegate assembly.

Let's explore the concept of one party rule on the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, 70 years in power, and compare it to the 60th year of one party rule in the UFT. True that we actually have elections in the UFT, but the system has so been set up as to assure Unity of continued control. I'll get into the details of how that is accomplished at another time.

If one party has total power for decades even if there are so-called opposition parties, I am suggesting that in reality that is a one-party system. After all, Shanker modeled Unity on the foundation of some of the leftist parties he came in contact with in his youth. (A mentor was former communist and Trotskist Max Shachtman who ended up as a neocon, as did Shanker.) One party - or one caucus - systems emerged from one of the concepts of Leninism - a vanguard party of the highly conscious (the woke? elites?) who lead the workers. it is a powerful idea --- but also dangerous in how it has proven easy for the party to be captured by a strongman - and it often seems to be a man, which distorts the party into a personal cult. [My main issue with the idea of that form of socialism - even Marxist-Leninist parties in this nation often are dominated by a tiny group of leaders amountint to a cult.]

Unity Caucus has always been somewhat of a personality cult, even when led by women. (Actually, Sandy Feldman was the least cultish UFT president).

Monday, July 12, 2021

Good morning,

I've been thinking about one party systems. I've been accumulating some articles (below) on the Communist Party of China - which celebrated its 100th anniversary and has been in power for over 70 years. With all the attacks on communist countries as being failures, China represents a success for its one party system - so far - the Soviet one party system did fail around its 70th year. China doesn't seem even close and in fact the Party, which has an astounding 90 million members, seems stronger than ever. But the party under Xi seems to have become more restricted than it has been in decades and that lack of dynamic can affect a party - witness current Republicans. In so many states we in essence have a one party system and laws intended to make that permanent.

[‘Who Are Our Enemies?’ China’s Bitter Youths Embrace Mao.

The chairman’s call for struggle and violence against capitalists is winning over a new audience of young people frustrated with long work hours and dwindling opportunities.... [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/08/business/china-mao.html]

Mao-Tze Mulgrew- Can we say the same for our own lovable one party system in the UFT? Can we atrtibure bad decision making to the lack of even a hint of internal democratic dynamic?

The standard idea of democracy is two or multi-party systems with the idea that at various times they will occupy power at some point. Now we know that communist run countries are proud of their one party systems. This is different from social democracies like in many areas of Europe which have multi-parties.So if the UFT has had one party in power while the opposition at most could elect less than 10% of the Ex Bd, that is in effect a one party system.

I've come to see how one party systems can have overall benefits for a nation or a union -- think of consistency of a party line -- but at the very least there has to be some level of internal democracy in the party where issues are shared and debated in an open manner even if the Party closes ranks once a decision is made. This is known as democratic centralism and I can see it working for an organization if it is truly democratic --- if the Party is fairly open to many members instead of a small oligarchy -- democracy even if limited can work. But when one person or a small tightly woven group dominate, democracy gets distorted. 

And I will claim that internally, Unity is not and has never been democratic and may be even less so than ever as Xi Jin Mulgrew seems to have consolidated power into three men and one woman in a room. I doubt that Shanker or Randi or even Sandy also didn't have their crew of non-elected henchpeople -- but this is the first time we hear rumors of internal resentment -  even if one person is making the decision, at least a show of consulting others goes a long way.

Even small groups like the MORE Caucus can get distorted - and some of us lost our battle for democracy to a tightly controlled group from the ISO (International Socialists), a party that had run on many of the precepts of one-party systems and were very uncomfortable in an organization of free-flowing ideas. So very Unity like. There are signs that MORE may be moving in a promising different direction organizationally due to the influence of DSA people were are more committed to democracy than ISO people were -- which may make MORE more open -- we'll delve into that in the future. My hope for MORE is that DSA - which I am a member of and seems to have a real dedication to democracy, has a positive influence.

The CCP in China and Unity Caucus have a good chunk of members - ie. Unity has around 1000 or more and if democratic debate and decision making takes place among even an internal fairly representative body -- that would be a form of democracy - in theory. In fact MORE also has increased membership by 10 times -- which if they get to have a say would create more democracy even as the group running MORE would still be one party - or faction.

The UFT one-party system does have elections, even if rigged and set up in a way that the opposition cannot win - retirees vote for every position except the 23 Ex Bd elem, middle and high school positions. Also witness that the almost 7000 people who voted for RA in the recent election get no delegates to the DA or to the AFT/NYSUT conventions -- as one party as you can get.

The only way Unity can lose is if it loses the support of retirees, which they are risking with the move to take people out of Medicare. Given Retiree Advocate went from 18% of the chapter election vote in 2018 to just short of 30% in the recent election, that is a sign of some slippage, but probably not enough to affect the general UFT spring 2022 elections. But then again many retirees still weren't aware of the changes. We got just short of 7000 votes while Unity got around 16,500. These out of potential 70,000 votes. With the Medicare changes probably set to go through on Jan. 1, 2022, we might see further movement away from Unity and then things will become serious.

But I will point out that even if we see a united opposition -- if MORE has come to its senses - I felt the MORE "decision" to blow up the opposition in the 2019 elected was manipulated by the ISO and allies faction and opposing points of view were suppressed -- which led to my suspension.

I would also say the same about New Action too since even they resisted a united front with Solidarity Caucs last time despite strong support fot it -- and I heard from some internally that even their decision was controversial with charges of lack of democracy.

Which just gores to show that democracy is challenged wherever we roam.

I will say that so far in Retiree Advocate we have had complete democracy - consensus -- but we are mostly a dozen people -- but still we come from three different groups and have managed to help lead the resistance on the health care issue.

And RA will play a role in bringing groups tegether for the elections. But if we managed to unite we could win elem, middle and high schools with amajority  and 49% of the retiree votes and still end up with at most 23 Ex Bd seats out of 100 and no officers. To me that is fundamentally a one party system. The key would be turnout - imagine if we even had 50% turnout. But I maintain that winning 23 Ex Bd seats would be revolutionary.

Can we compare Unity to places like Belarus or Hungary where they make sure that even if the other party gets more votes, they don't win. In fact compare it to the Republicans in Trump world where if Dems win in the future, they will be charged with stealing. And I'd bet anything that if the opposition were to actually win an election Unity would do exactly like Trump and Lukashenko in Belarus - say we somewho managed to steal the election and refuse to leave power and incite a Unity nob to storm the delegate assembly.

Ok - enough of this meandering. Here are the articles on China -- with an interesting one that the young people are sort of rebelling the inequality by going back to basics - Mao and his calls for working class rule -- which given his entire history of total conrol of the Party with echoes of Trump control of Republicans might cause you to lol. And Bret Stevens on why Xi will fail - also LOL - Stevens thinks the CCP will fail because they lie to the people -- missing the irony of how often our own government has lied which has created so much mistrust our system may fall before China's does.

Right wing pedophiles want to put cameras in your classrooms

It is time for cameras in classrooms. If it is good for cops it is good for teachers. Parents should know what kind of propaganda their kids are being subjected to.

----right wing pedophile in training. 

So this guy is an ed notes reader and basically parrots whatever Tucker says he should. But just think about what they want to do -- look in on your kids and open the door to - well, I'll lead that to your imagination. I taught 4-6 grade mostly, but if Tucker and wants to look at the children in my class, I'd go back to teaching just for that.

Now I actually would have loved to live stream my teaching -- I was usually pretty proud of it but for the times I wasn't I might have gotten juiced up at the low moments. I taught with an open door -- loudly - so there were times I was asked to tone it down or close my door -- until they put me in a room so far down the hall you needed a search party to find me.

I'm listening right now to the Sam Seder show where they are talking about this issue in hour 2.  https://youtu.be/7O7G9N8V1hg 

Fred Klonsky has a piece on this subject: Teacher body cameras.

 

Must read from Tarbull - Medicare Advantage and the Privatization of Medicare An Advantage for Insurance Firms, Not Patients

This is much bigger than us -- it is part of the 30 year project to destroy medicare and public options.  There's a lot of useful info in this article and extracts could be the basis of a general leaflet for education purposes --- we have to convince our own union members.

Both parties are complicit - this goes so far beyond Mulgrew and the UFT -- but the key is that they are part of the process of pushing public  money into private corp hands -- it is really a similar issue as charters as the ed equivalent of Medicare Adv -- with the same slick advertising. 

"If Medicare Advantage plans were in truth better or were better deals financially than traditional Medicare Parts A and B, plus Part D, the companies offering them wouldn’t be resorting to the aggressive and costly promotional campaigns they currently employ, with sales reps calling older people’s phones day and night endlessly and making major ad buys on TV networks and the internet. They wouldn’t be resorting to costly come-ons like offers of free gym memberships and dental and drug insurance coverage either (which Congress in its “wisdom” bars government Medicare from doing in its traditional plans). The health care industry is the biggest advertiser on television and ads for Medicare Advantage are a big part of that spending, especially on networks whose viewership skews heavily toward older persons, like CBS."

Some naive UFT members think Mulgrew/Weingarten are just misinformed. They are not. They are avid supporters of private insurance over the public option -- as is the people in control of the Dem Party.

I extracted a few more quotes --

This is a biggie: 

"The annual fees alone for signing up 24 million elderly and disabled people into MA plans and keeping them or luring them off the traditional government Medicare rolls came to $288 billion in 2020. Total spending on Medicare that year was $776 billion, meaning that the payment to the MA industry for patient care to their covered patients that year represented more than a third of the total federal outlay on the program!, not counting the fraud for subscriber medical condition inflation."

Private insurance wants the entire $776 billion.

“Starting next year,” she warns, “the government is talking about testing something called ‘The Deal,’ where whole Medicare-eligible populations in certain geographical markets will be put into Medicare Advantage plans whether they want it or not.” The idea is presented as a test to see how that system works.

"In 2019, for instance, President Trump signed an executive order — one that was slipped by without the usual Oval Office media show — which allows the government to involuntarily enroll people in MA plans rather than the old default of government Medicare. It also ordered the Secretary of Health and Human Services to actively encourage MA plan sponsors to offer marketing deals like gym memberships and dental plans to attract healthy subscribers, while banning Medicare itself from including such offerings. The order also makes it easier for physicians to opt out of the Medicare program."

https://tarbell.org/2021/06/medicare-advantage-and-the-privatization-of-medicare

Medicare Advantage and the Privatization of Medicare

Laws encourage business to do what Trump corp did - two sets of books is common

 I get the joy some people are getting from the Trump gifts to employees to avoid taxes, but the reality is that many businesses, especially smaller one, engage in similar tactics and the tax laws encourage that -- workers are taxed at much higher rates than corporations or any business. That is one of the big reasons for the growing wealth inequality. Most of my income is from pension, social security, some minimal bank interest and my untaxed TDA withdrawals. I pay enormous taxes on that portion. I might have some capital gains - though I never trade stocks very much --- I'm a buy and hold guy.

But note how the mainstream media ignores the bigger issue and focuses on Trump who I actually agree with -- this is a hit job. Let's see them investigate other major businesses and see what they would find.

Critical Race Theory on WBAI: UFT Member Daniel Alicea tackles the issue as guest host of Leonie Haimson's Talk Out of School

Daniel Alicea: 

I’m really excited to announce that I will begin guest hosting Leonie Haimson’s Talk Out of School on WBAI 99.5 FM!

My 1st show is this coming Saturday, 7/3/21, at 1 PM.

We will be discussing Critical Race Theory in the context of NYC public schools w/ Dr. Denisha Jones and Dr. David Kirkland

Please join me this Saturday.

Listen to archive - https://wbai.org/archive/program/episode/?id=23488

Cross Union Retirees Organizing - Hundreds of Retirees from multiple unions protest Privatization of Medicare - Press release and other links to coverage

Over 400 people joined the rally..,many called for their unions to move away from privatized healthcare altogether and to support single-payer healthcare on both a national and state level. .. CURO press release

CURO Cross Union Retiree Organizing (Committee) - or CUROC - we made a new acronym for a just formed alliance. Retiree Advocate/UFT is the main organizing force in the UFT but we now have allies in other unions - due to the amazing work of our own Gloria Brandman, who in the decades I've known her has always pushed the idea of building cross union alliances, even at the expense of tooting our own horn and branding ourselves as the moving force. It's true coalition building towards a united front -- and a model for the factions in the UFT to do the same for elections and issues of agreement.

Update Sunday July 4 - slide show - https://youtu.be/EWdUUD_kw2I 

====

Friday, July 2, 2021 - Good afternoon everyone.

I'm finally back in Rockaway after Wednesday's rock'n and roll'n rally through lower Manhattan by mostly us old folk. Naturally a whole bunch of us ended up at the Dark Horse bar on Warren St. and then I walked halfway uptown to Houston St until my leg gave in and I took the subway to Grand Central.

There's a lot of coverage and photos and videos -- I'm processing mine today -- so I'm going to put up a number of posts with the coverage and follow those in a few days with my analysis of the significance of the event, the organizing behind it and what the coalitions being built might hold for the future.

FAKE NEWS -- Our current health care plan is privatized so with the new one nothing changes. Fudging -- only 20% of those who choose Medicare (Some choose MedAdv) is privatized - the Emblem health part. Under the proposal 100% would be under private management. Think charter schools liiving on tax payer money.

I'm getting a good response to my commentary and re-posting the Julia Rock/Daily Poster piece: Are Municipal Unions Selling Out Retirees? Hell YES -

Hottest day of the year and hundreds of municipal retirees (and some in-service) showed up: UFT, DC37, PSC, CSA, MEA, and more.

WBAI Evening News Link (story starts at 26:50). - I'm interviewed along with Bennett Fischer and Vincent Wosjnis - who flew in from his home in Ghana for the event (just kidding - he flew in to see his daughter.)

https://wbai.org/archive/program/episode/?id=23812

The Labor Press has comprehensive coverage, including the unions' point of view. 

https://www.laborpress.org/we-want-our-medicare-nyc-retirees-protest-possible-privatization/

‘We Want Our Medicare!’ NYC Retirees Protest Possible Privatization

AMNY had a good report:

https://www.amny.com/health/nyc-municipal-retirees-say-no-to-privatized-insurance-in-a-big-way/

Hundreds of Retirees Protest Privatization of Medicare

One if the unions made a video: https://youtu.be/s2SaR0ikJTw

 Here's the press release from CURO.

From: Cross Union Retirees Organizing Group

PRESS RELEASE: Rally and Tour to Save Medicare for NYC Municipal Workers

Press Contact:
Bennett Fischer  tremblychap@gmail.com 

Today, Tuesday June 30th a coalition of retired and active NYC municipal workers held a rally and "tour" in downtown Manhattan, from Bowling Green to City Hall, and called for the Municipal Labor Committee (MLC) to halt negotiations aimed at selling off the administration of the City’s Medicare plan to a private insurance company. Over 400 people joined the rally as it started in the plaza in front of the old Beaux-Arts, U.S. Custom House, now the home of the Museum of the American Indian, and proceeded up Broadway towards City Hall, stopping at various union headquarters and the NYC Office of Labor Relations (OLR) along the way. At the rally, and at each stop, municipal retirees called for the MLC and OLR to institute a moratorium on their Medicare privatization plans. More than that, many called for their unions to move away from privatized healthcare altogether and to support single-payer healthcare on both a national and state level.

The MLC – which is the healthcare bargaining unit for the City's municipal unions – plans to achieve $600M in agreed-to healthcare savings for the City in fiscal year 2021 by putting its healthcare obligations on the auction block to the highest bidder. This switch would replace the City’s traditional, government administered Medicare plan with a so-called Medicare Advantage plan, operated by a private insurer. Medicare Advantage plans are known to make a profit by charging higher administrative costs than government administered Medicare, by negotiating lower payments for medical procedures, and by limiting patient care to a restricted number of in-network healthcare providers and hospitals. Retirees are concerned that the proposed new plan will limit their choice of doctors, eliminate hospitals and networks from their current coverage umbrella, require burdensome referrals and pre-approvals for medical procedures, and increase out-of-pocket expenses for services and prescription drugs. Many are concerned that lifesaving care they now receive under the current structure will no longer be available on a national scale or from their current doctors, with whom they have established deep personal relationships. They worry that privatization will put them on a slippery slope of ever-diminishing healthcare returns.

Retirees are also furious that the City's healthcare negotiations are occurring behind closed doors and only came to light in March, when retirees in the Professional Staff Congress (PSC) – CUNY’s educators union – got wind of the backdoor dealings and spread the word. Soon, retirees in the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) became involved and were joined by retirees from other municipal unions. They began to question union leadership and demanded to know details of the Medicare changes under consideration.

In April, retirees in the PSC passed a resolution calling for a moratorium of the City's healthcare negotiations. Retiree Advocate/UFT - a caucus of the UFT's Retired Teacher Chapter - placed a motion for a moratorium on the agenda of the UFT’s Delegate Assembly. On May 24th, they held a news conference near City Hall in which members of the UFT, PSC, CSA, and DC37 spoke out against Medicare privatization. They were joined by speakers from Physicians for a National Health Plan and researchers from the CUNY School of Public Health. In response to the growing outcry, UFT President Michael Mulgrew held a telephone town hall in which thousands of retirees participated. President Mulgrew, a key player on the MLC board, said that the UFT may still decide to opt out of a switch to private Medicare, but despite assurances the closed-door negotiations have continued, with a decision on a winning bidder due by a July 1st deadline.

UFT retiree Bennett Fischer said, “Working with my union, I spent many years pushing back against the hedge-fund billionaires and the charter school profiteers who wanted to destroy my profession, kill my union, and privatize public education. Why would we ever acquiesce to letting the same frenzy of sharks devour our public Medicare system?”

Stopping in front of the Broadway offices of CUNY's teacher union, Nancy Romer, retired Professor Emerita, Brooklyn College, and PSC Executive Council member, said, “The Professional Staff Congress of CUNY, the AFT local representing over 30,000 workers at CUNY, is asking for a moratorium on the Medicare decision by the MLC until more input and investigation occurs. We need to fully inform our members of the possible healthcare packages and get their input on this most important decision affecting almost 300,000 City retirees and partners and all present City workers who expect to retire over the next few decades.”

"The proposal to move City retirees to a Medicare Advantage plan is a fundamental diminishment of their hard-won retirement benefits and will disproportionately impact lower-income retirees. I am proud to stand with retirees in calling for a democratic and transparent process regarding the future of their healthcare coverage. It's unacceptable that public servants are being asked to accept reduced benefits when the most affluent New Yorkers have only become wealthier during the pandemic," said Sarah Crean (member of the City Council staff union organizing committee) when speaking near City Hall.

“The City should not achieve its labor savings by taking critical health care options away from current retirees, many of whom are on fixed incomes and rely on their doctors and providers,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “We do need to find savings, but we should do that through attrition, efficiency, and smart choices for the future, not by reneging on promises we made long ago to the teachers, nurses, secretaries and so many more who showed up for us for decades.”

 ===

More coming this weekend.

UFT/Mulgrew Wiley Error Looking Increasingly Bad for Members - on the Charter Issue alone - But let's question whether Mulgrew really did prefer Garcia

Watch what they do - or don't do - not what they say

.... a consistent mantra from an obscure blogger

Despite the UFT President Mulgrew's call for UFT members to not rank Adams, the lack of a call to rank another choice other than Stringer that might be beneficial to members, is amounting to the same thing as Wiley trails pro-charter friendly Garcia by just a few hundred votes. Would a call for UFT members to rank Wiley 2nd have made a difference? Well, imagine if it didn't make a difference - that would be some condemnation of the UFT political op. 

[I wrote about this previously: The Ugly Facts - UFT Helped Adams and charters]

So if you think the UFT political machine has any validity we must assume that a call to rank Wiley second would have put her in a significantly better position that Garcia at this point and really present a threat to Adams.

Was Mulgrew incompetent - or engage in spite against pro-Wiley union leaders - or does Garcia politics mesh well with the UFT leadership even if members will suffer?

When you out the UFT position on Medicare and universal health insurance and a wholly owned subsidiary of the corporate and right wing Dems, it all does make sense. Wiley could promise 5 teachers in every classroom and drastic reductions in class size and enormous salary increases, she would still be too far left for the UFT leadership. 

As that wise sage said -- watch what they do, not what they say. And what Mulgrew did was make sure Wiley was screwed.

 

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Clyburn/Big Pharma and Corporate Dems join Our union in Proxy War On Medicare For All - The Daily Poster

Let's refer to our UFT/AFT leadership as corporate Dems and question whether Big Pharma money has infiltrated the unions as an explanation for their opposition to

public healthcare management and support for the privatize for profit industry.

In mid-June, Democratic congressional candidate Nina Turner launched a television ad campaign promoting her support for Medicare for All. Less than two weeks later, the pharmaceutical industry’s lobbyists and its bankrolled lawmakers on Capitol Hill are trying to block her election to Congress through an opponent who has been publicly vilifying Medicare for All amid the pandemic....  

The Daily Poster- Dems Launch Proxy War On Medicare For All.... Click here to become a paid subscriber

Wednesday, June 30, 8:30 AM - by Norm Scott

Good morning Medicare for all supporters and friends --- 

I'm taking the 10:15 Rockaway ferry to join and film the big (I hope) rally, march (or slow walk) up Broadway to City Hall.

Let's keep in mind that the UFT/AFT/NYSUT leaderships are wholly owned subsidiaries of the corporate Democrats. Even most of the squad don't use that term enough but Jamaal Bowman used it on CNN recently. And AOC has flirted with it re: Joe Manchin. It's time to use corp dems for Randi, Mulgrew and the rest of the Unity slug machine. What a contrast between Jamaal and Clyburn.

Many on the left have been triggered by the attempts to gang up on Bernie pal Nina Turner who is running in the August primary for Congress in Cleveland and scares the hell out of corp dems --- I maintain they prefer Marjorie Taylor-Greene. The day Hillary endorsed Nina's opponent, she raised the most money. Let's see what happens now as big Pharm pours it in. I think corp Dems and industry pals have decided to swat the left wing knats.

See Nina go at them: https://youtu.be/FVJQSOZDTCc

As a follow-up to yesterday's post --Are Municipal Unions Selling Out Retirees? Hell YES - Sirota has a follow-up upon the news that James Clyburn, who gets away with a lot because of his race, has joined other corp dems like Hillary Clinton to go after Bernie fave Nina Turner in her race to join The Squad. 

I contributed to Nina's campaign - join me: Can you make a $5 contribution to our campaign before our end of month deadline comes to a close? As long as we stick together, we’ll hit our goal and be ready for anything that comes our way before Election Day.

Sirota/Rock article 

Clyburn has vacuumed in more than $1 million from donors in the pharmaceutical industry — and he previously made headlines vilifying Medicare for All during the 2020 presidential primary.

Jun 29, 2021 David Sirota, Julia Rock

Dems Launch Proxy War On Medicare For All

Dems bankrolled by Big Pharma are suddenly targeting Nina Turner right after she aired an ad touting Medicare for All.

https://www.dailyposter.com/dems-launch-proxy-war-on-medicare-for-all/

 

Are Municipal Unions Selling Out Retirees? Hell YES -

After killing a single-payer bill, the city’s public-sector labor leaders are trying to force a quarter million people from Medicare into pricier for-profit insurance plans. ... cost savings from Medicare

Advantage come from both higher copayments, essentially shifting costs from the government to individuals, as well as the fact that people receive less care either due to high claim denials or because they don’t seek out the care in the first place because fewer providers accept Medicare Advantage.  Daily Poster -

Are New York’s Unions Selling Out Retirees?

Tuesday, June 29, 2021 8:30 AM - Good Morning - Norm Scott

In the beginning, as the firmament coalesced into the formation of municipal unions, the city gave unions control over their health plans, with a bureaucracy and a patronnage system. Thus, the UFT Health and Welfare fund, which is not paid by union dues but by the city, thus giving union leaders a windfall of sort to play around with. The calls for moving the entire process under public management threatens both the insurance companies adn their clients, the union leaderships. When Mayor Wagner gave the sign that public worker unions were kosher c. 1960, he was not being dumb. He tied the unions deeply to the city as co-managers.

So, Yes, the unions made sure to kill the NYS single payer bill and despite claiming to support a national medicare for all plan, our own union lines up with the Dem Party right wing in supporting the privatized health care industry.

Mulgrew whines about health care costs and how we have to reduce them - savings he calls them -- as Jonathan Halabi pointed out on Sunday night's webinar -- the savings come from us. Certainly not reducing or eliminating profits -- they are in business to make money.

If Mulgrew wants savings, he should check the costs in Europe which are half ours. And those countries have various forms of universal healthcare. In essence, by opposing public options, Mulgrew and other union leaders are fighting to keep health care prices higher.

Here is a great piece by Julia Rock at David Sirota's The Daily Poster -- I urge you to sign up - only $50 a year: https://www.dailyposter.com/are-new-yorks-unions-selling-out-retirees/

Read on:

A January 2021 study by The New School found that the city could save about $1.6 billion per year if it adopted a self-insurance program, as most major cities and large companies have done. That would involve setting up a health insurance plan just for the city’s employees and paying for claims directly, rather than paying premiums to a health insurance company which tends to be more expensive because insurance company profit margins are so large.

But since the negotiations between the MLC and Office of Labor Relations were held behind closed doors, retirees don’t know whether this option was ever considered.

UFT retirees will note that our chapter leaders have never told us about this option. Now here comes a fun fact:

Retirees pointed to MLC personnel with ties to the health insurance companies that could end up providing the new Medicare Advantage plans as potential conflicts of interest. Gregory Floyd, President of the Teamsters Local 237 and Secretary of the MLC, is on the board of EmblemHealth.

Holy shit! The Secretary of the MLC is on the board of Emblem Health. I've always been suspicious of the unions' slavish devotion to private insurance. Do we think the insurance companies don't lobby our union leaders? The explanation offered for why unions want to stick with privatized plans:

“For a lot of these MLC unions, the one tangible thing that they provide, in addition to wages, are health care benefits, and particularly the benefits that come out of their welfare funds,” said one New York City union representative, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “They want health care benefits associated with union leadership.”

The reasons go deeper than this. In the beginning, the city gave unions control over their health plans, with a bureaucracy and a patronage system. Thus, the UFT Health and Welfare fund, which is not paid by union dues but by the city, thus giving union leaders a windfall of sort to play around with. The calls for moving the entire process under public management threatens both the insurance companies adn their clients, the union leaderships.

The Daily Poster: https://www.dailyposter.com/are-new-yorks-unions-selling-out-retirees/

Jun 28, 2021 Julia Rock

Are New York’s Unions Selling Out Retirees?

Reminder - Wedneday Noon rally plus Compare and contrast DC37 and UFT reiree chapter, which is a Propaganda Mill for UFT

What your UFT retiree chapter won't tell you:
Whether the City or the MLC calls it a Medicare Advantage Program or some other name, it is really a FOR PROFIT PROGRAM for the health provider vendor. The vendor is in it to simply make money and this is not some pie-in-the-sky humanitarian effort on their part. So how would they make a profit? Simply stated, they lower their costs.... DC37 Retiree Association

Just a reminder, whether a retiree or working UFT member, join us at noon tomorrow at the steps of the Museum of the American Indian ---- and a word to in-service people - cuts to your health care will follow these cuts.

Check out this DC 37 retiree bulletin and compare it to what you get from the UFT retiree chapter.

 For news, benefit updates, and information on how to reach us, please visit: www.dc37retireesassociation.org

We are sure members want to hear and discuss the possible health coverage changes under consideration by the Municipal Labor Committee (MLC). Traditional Medicare part B is efficient in handling medicare coverage and has an administrative cost much lower than private insurance companies. Although MLC leaders say that the changes will not mean reduced benefits, we are concerned that the projected savings will ultimately mean reduced health options. 

Historically, Medicare C plans work well for people who do not have serious or involved health problems. Those of us who face health challenges, we fear, won’t fare as well. Indeed, we see this process as a slippery slope that may affect the health care coverage for all actives and retirees in the future. 

Whether the City or the MLC calls it a Medicare Advantage Program or some other name, it is really a FOR PROFIT PROGRAM for the health provider vendor. The vendor is in it to simply make money and this is not some pie-in-the-sky humanitarian effort on their part. So how would they make a profit? Simply stated, they lower their costs. The health care provider is given X number of dollars per member per year and if they do not spend those X dollars on you, the remaining amount is their PROFIT. 

 What we can deduce from this simple equation? They will restrict, sooner or later, your ability to choose your own doctors, therapists, and treatment programs in order to “reign in your medical costs”. If you don’t believe my analysis is accurate, I have a bridge in lower Manhattan that I would like to sell you at a very special price! We do not have complete details of the possible changes, nor have we been part of the discussions. We have been told that all Medicare-eligible retirees, current and future, will be affected by the these changes and that copays will be instituted.  

SO, WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS? 

Many retirees have called my office and asked why the Retirees Association doesn’t sue theCity and the MLC over this issue. The question is not whether you can sue; the question is can you WIN and the short answer is “NO.” An example may make this easier to understand. Several years ago, the Health+Hospital Corp. (HHC) laid off senior employees in order to reduce their budget and save money. A City employees association sued HHC for age discrimination on behalf of the unemployed managers. The court ruled that the association had no standing since it did not have the collective bargaining certificate for these former employees and therefore, the court would not address the age discrimination part of the lawsuit. This position was upheld in the appeals court. So what did they accomplish? They paid $25,000 to a lawyer who then probably had the funds to install an in-ground pool in his/her backyard. Do you see where I am going with this? 

Your Association, in conjunction with the Committee of Municipal Retiree Organizations (COMRO), is trying to mobilize all City retirees to request a moratorium on this change until it can be adequately discussed and addressed by retirees from all of the represented unions. We requested a seat on the MLC, but our request was rejected by the MLC via an official letter from the law firm that represents the MLC. 

Please sign the petition on our website at dc37retireesassociation.org

Here is more info that is useful - like are your pensions guaranteed forever? 

MYTHS, MYTHS AND MORE MYTHSMYTH #1. Your union dues pays for your health and security benefits that you receive from the union. This is simply not true. The benefits that the union provides to active and retired members (dental, optical, legal, education, prescription drugs, etc.) are funded from money that the City provides based on collective bargaining agreements. 

MYTH #2: Your pension is guaranteed by the NYS Constitution and that is irrevocable. While your pension is guaranteed by the NYS Constitution, if a municipality and/or the state declares bankruptcy, federal bankruptcy laws trumps the state’s constitution.  

MYTH #3: Our health and welfare benefits are guaranteed. Health and welfare benefits are a subject of negotiations between the MLC and the City. These benefits are not guaranteed either by the City or by the State. 

MEDIA ADVISORY: Rally and Tour to save Medicare for NYC Municipal Workers

MEDIA ADVISORY: Rally and Tour to save Medicare for NYC Municipal Workers

Press Contact: Bennett Fischer  tremblychap@gmail.com

What: NYC municipal union retirees will gather in lower Manhattan to save their current Medicare Health Care Plan and let the Municipal Labor Committee (MLC) know that switching 250,000 municipal retirees to a for-profit Medicare Advantage Plan is not acceptable!

When: Wednesday June 30, 2021

Time: 12:00 Noon

Who: We are retirees from NYC's Municipal labor unions. Together with our families, in-service union colleagues and other supporters, we are calling on the MLC and City to let us remain in our current Medicare Health Plan without diminishment of benefits. We reject attempts to move us to a privatized plan.

Where: The event begins at 12 noon on the steps of National Museum of the American Indian (next to the Whitehall St/South Ferry train stop). After a brief introduction, we’ll take a "tour” past the offices of the UFT, PSC, OLR, (nearby) DC37 and end up at City Hall at 1:00 pm. There will be short statements at each location from various union members.

Demands:

• A moratorium on any change to the City's existing Medicare plan.

• Transparency on all negotiations with decision-making from all members.

• Right to remain in our current Medicare Health Plan without raised costs or
  

• diminishment of benefits.

We condemn MLC's willingness to move away from public to privately managed Medicare.

• Stop the sell!

• Save traditional Medicare for NYC retirees!

For further information: retireequestions@gmail.com

 

June 27, 2021 - DEMOCRACY NOW! - Democratizing Our School Communities & Union - Educators of NYC

 

Get ready for our online community event later today.

DEMOCRACY NOW! - Democratizing Our School Communities & UnionI’ve signed up to attend a community meeting with The Educators of NYC on Sunday, Jun 27, 2021. Are you free to join me? Use this link to sign up: https://www.mobilize.us/theeducatorsofnyc/event/389714/?referring_vol=1065650&rname=Norm&timeslot=2786883&share_medium=email_link&share_context=email_3

 

Tomorrow, Sunday, 6/27, 2021, at 7 PM, Educators of NYC will ask if more can be done to DEMOCRATIZE NYC public school governance and, even, structures within our cherished educator union.

We hope to have a panel represented by some of our union’s caucuses and leaders, and audience interactions about the topic.

We will also share a special segment about Wednesday’s rally to fight the privatization of city worker’s healthcare, on June 30th at 12 PM. See the details regarding the rally here.

RSVP now. http://forum.educators.nyc

 

 

Norms Morn: Sat, June 26 - Retiree Rally June 30 - come on down, Randi on Scotus - takes both sides, DSA mixed results in city, WTF- Rhode Island Dems charterize - With AFT Support?, Class size video

 

Multi-municipal union retirees to rally and walk - not run- to visit union HQ - joined by some young working teachers to hold us up and pick us up.

Join us in June 30 at 12 noon at the plaza in front of the Indian Museum across from Battery Park for a rolling rally where we will make some strategic stops - maybe even visit 52 Broadway. 

 

June 26 - Good morning and happy first day of vacation - 

Bipartisanship sucks - Infrastrucure is a gift to corporate Dems and Rep

Benjamin Studebaker: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Agreement is Embarrassing -  

 The Left and POC -

When we were in MORE and people would lament the lack of people of color we would say they are in Unity if you want to find them. So then the response to that was that those people were bought off -- the left can't understand that there may be more than bribery involved. Many black people especially reject the left -- but these are the older crowd and polls show younger blacks leaned to Wiley over Adams.

For those of us who lived through years of white progressives in MORE Caucus rending their garments over the failure to attract people of color, this one's for you:

Progressives’ Urgent Question: How to Win Over Voters of Color

A yearslong challenge for the left was starkly illustrated this week as its hopes faded in the New York mayor’s race. .. Adams' appeal adds evidence to an emerging trend in Democratic politics: a disconnect between progressive activists and the rank-and-file Black and Latino voters who they say have the most to gain from their agenda. As liberal activists orient their policies to combat white supremacy and call for racial justice, progressives are finding that many voters of color seem to think about the issues quite a bit differently.

https://www.nytimes.com/spotlight/on-politics

There were some gains for the socialist left (vs the liberal left). The new mayor of Buffalo is a DSA and DSA was in contention in City Council races where they put their energy. Yesterday I posted Erik Mears' piece on the left and DSA. Erik is a leftist but also a West Point grad who served in Iraq. Mayhe he was the one Gen Wiley was talking about as he schoold Matt Goetz.  If you missed it:

The left’s tepid support for Maya Wiley bodes ill for its future in city-wide elections

DSA - as a member I often cheer and cringe at the same time -- but here's a mixed story

Gotham: Some Gains For DSA

The Democratic Socialists of America made modest gains in electing their endorsed candidates to the Council. Of the six candidates they backed, two are leading in their respective races. They include Tiffany Caban for the 22nd Council District in Queens (she is also claiming victory), and Alexa Aviles for the 38th Council District in Brooklyn.

Read More: How Far Left Will These Two Centrist City Council Seats Go?

The rest—including Adolfo Abreu for the 14th Council District in the Bronx, Jaslin Kaur in the 23rd Council District in Queens, Michael Hollingsworth in Brooklyn's 35th Council District, and Brandon West in the 39th Council District, also in Brooklyn—trail so far. With only two members of the DSA making some inroads, their influence doesn't appear to completely shift the Council's political ground to the left.

https://gothamist.com/news/six-takeaways-city-council-results-2021 

From DSA Queens update:

Electoral Working Group 

The EWG just wants to say THANK YOU to everyone for an amazing election season! Whether you did a shift a week or talked to your friends about our candidates, this was a group effort and we are so proud of Queens DSA. It seems we won't have a final result until July, so stay tuned for that news!

 

However, the results as of now:

In Jaslin’s race, 91.92% of in-person votes have been recorded (including early and Election Day voting, but not absentee ballots). The total of first-place rankings in the first round shows Jaslin in close second place, fewer than 600 votes behind Linda Lee. There's still a lot of race to go and everyone should be proud!

In Tiffany’s race, she declared victory that night with 49.32% of first choice votes! While her race has not been “officially” decided, her lead is steep. Congrats Tiffany!

 

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The future of a unionless, privatized school system - backed by the AFT state union --- Can that possibly be true? O yes it can -- remember how the AFT  backed NCLB, Race to the top --- The neo-libs hand the union the knife and they stick it into themselves.

Rhode Island goes rogue by automatically enroll every child in lottery

From Ravitch:  

Rhode Island: Legislature Proposes that Every Child in State Be Placed in Charter Lottery

When Gina Raimondo, now Secretary of Commerce, was governor of Rhode Island, she was an enthusiastic supporter of privately-run charter schools. Her successor as governor was director of a charter school (Blackstone Valley Prep) before he ran for office.

Now, the Rhode Island House of Representatives has proposed a bill that would “automaticallly enter all public school students into charter school lotteries...” with parents having to actively opt their child out if they prefer the traditional public school in their community instead. …. 

The bill was sponsored by Democrat Rep. Edith Ajello of Providence and Democrat Rep. Joseph McNamara of Cranston and Warwick says it has the support of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers.

https://www.wpri.com/news/education/opting-out-instead-of-opting-in-ri-house-wants-to-change-charter-school-system/

Remember who Raimondo it -- BIDEN'S Commerce Secty who was floated as Ed Secty until progressive nixed her. Sometimes I actually get some joy watching Republicans savage Dems.

See also https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2021/05/28/infante-green-removed-teacher-contract-negotiation-providence/7487933002/

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new video: why class size matters!

Check out and share our new video!

NYC educators, parents, students, elected officials explain how class size has a profound impact on learning and the quality of education, especially for disadvantaged and high needs students, and that for the sake of true equity, class sizes should be reduced in NYC and nationwide. 

If you agree, sign our petition to the Mayor .

Shorter version of the video here on vimeo here.

Thanks, Leonie Haimson

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SCOTUS decision on student free speech: Randi takes both sides - in the same article

Doesn’t this sound like the Randi and AFT switched positions? https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/23/supreme-court-snapchat-school-free-speech-495655

The nation’s second largest teachers union and education groups representing school boards, principals and superintendents, in an amicus brief, had urged the high court to side with the school district. The groups wanted justices to “reaffirm that the nation’s public schools retain the authority to discipline students, as warranted, for off campus student speech that threatens to interfere improperly with school operations.”...

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten also lauded the opinion, saying “the court made a wise decision in favor of the student.”

“While off-campus speech by students can be the subject of discipline when threats or bullying are involved, there must be a higher standard when the speech occurs outside of school,” she said.