Saturday, December 25, 2021

Fred Smith 2021 edition of his Annual ‘Twas the night before Christmas - in Daily News

I first met Fred, a testing expert who used to work as a statistician for the old NYCBOE, when he contacted me about getting ICE members to assist in gathering data for his exposures of the evils of testing I think sometime around 2008. He then got involved with groups like GEM and Change the Stakes and was a co-winner with me and Danny Dromm of Leonie Haimson's Skinny Award in 2018 - (June 19 - I'm a Skinny: Honored to be honored by Leonie Haimson along with the Great Danny Dromm and Fred Smith.)

Fred Smith has done it again for 2021 with is yearly Xmas specials.

Fred Smith with his annual 'Twas The Night Before Xmas—2021

Here are his previous years, each with a different theme. 2019 seems to be absent.
Fred is also a statistician for the NY Jets - don't blame him for their absence from the Super Bowl for over 50 years.

Fred Smith convincing Jets dancers to boycott field tests - he's the one in the middle

‘Twas the night before Christmas: 2021 edition
By FRED SMITH                             NEW YORK DAILY NEWS                DEC 24, 2021 AT 5:00 AM
[Text in red was not part of the DN article. Thanks to Fred for the mention.]


In a year filled with trauma on this Christmas Eve,
I’d just taken a booster shot under my sleeve.
 
And then starting to fade in-and-out woozy,
I dreamt of getting a hot tub jacuzzi.
Soon my vision was clouded, my eyesight grew dim
As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t spot him.
 
For the guy in the red suit had been chased away.
I saw Amazon trucks, not his wonderful sleigh.
And with Bezos’ boxes flying off of the shelves,
Santa couldn’t find work for his beloved elves.
 
But he emailed the names on his naughty-guy list,
And said what he’d have given each one as a gift.
His roll covered miscreants across all levels
From the state to the fed to a broad range of devils:
 
For Andrew, a thick pair of anti-grope mitts;
Melissa gets valium to curb her mean fits.
A special surprise awaits Jim Malatras:
Strong itching powder to rub in his gatkes.
 
To those congressmen who block legislation,
Cartons of Ex-Lax to relieve constipation.
For roadblock senators Manchin and Sinema,
Dollars for programs far more than the minima.
 
And Donald gets a golden bowlful of kale,
And sentenced to life in a health foodie jail.
A Clorox colada for his counselor Rudy,
And Mitch gets a voracious turtleneck cootie.
 
Community service — what Trump’s racist friends need,
Posting BLM banners ‘til their hateful hands bleed.
And to all the crazies of his insurrection,
Poison pills to choke down for the “stolen election.”
 
And fittingly, for all climate change deniers,
Full-time sweat labor putting out raging fires.
For all anti-vaxxers and anti-mask wearers,
The names and addresses of local pallbearers.
To Proud Boy gents and those QAnon ladies,
Immediate transport to hovels in Hades.
 
For the same “Breaking News!” droning on all the day,
Cable news gets a free pass to go far away.
 
For donors and lobbyists who bought Mayor Bill,
A backhoe that recoups their ill-gotten fill.
For Michael Mulgrew and his right of retention,
50 years to teach shop for a Tier 20 pension.
 
To Pearson executives, who are truly villains
Killing 8-year-old minds with bubble sheet fill-ins:
Here’s an endless supply of sharp No. 2s
To suck all the lead out, as your brains start to ooze.
 
The roster of evil includes many foul names
Equally worthy of being consigned to the flames.
So, he filled up their stockings with hot burning coals,
An appropriate payment for selling their souls.
 
From the time I came under my glum Pfizer-ish fog
He hadn’t named anyone on his A+ log.
Such a negative Santa made me melancholy
There was no ho, ho, ho; what happened to jolly?
 
Then suddenly he sent me a rose-colored wink
To show that his spirit was still in the pink.
 
Reminding me how he loves kids most of all
And those who protect them who won’t let our schools fall.

So, all was not bleak on this dark Yuletide night;
The greatest gifts always go to those who do right,
Who like his own reindeer outlast any storm
With unblinking vision to create a new norm.
 
On Leonie fiercely striving to lower class size;
On Ravitch and Burris puncturing charter school lies;
On Rosa and Cashin up high, seeing the light
On Rebell and Jackson, winning equity’s fight
There’s steady Norm Scott always keeping the score
With faith in our teachers who deserve so much more.
And Jeanette and Lisa working at the grass roots.
Giving parents their voices and speaking the truth
 
Though the online business has invaded our lives
“Yes, Virginia” still lives; and kindness survives.
 
Smith is a former city Department of Education official.

 

Posted by Norm @ at 1 comment:
Labels:

Friday, December 24, 2021

United for Change Key Candidates and Program for School Safety - Camille Eterno to oppose Mulgrew for President

Anonymous said... The candidate for president is smart, tough, collaborative, creative, ethical, kind, good manager, respectful, realistic, tiptop teacher, deeply concerned about young people, stalwart CL with a sense of humor. We had divergent opinions on some issues. Just part of life. As CL, she always had our backs. When you work in the trenches, Camille is the person you want next to you! 

Friday, December 24, 2021

After months of deep discussions and building a working coalition out of constituents parts, United for Change (UFC) made its first public statement Sunday evening. I gave some background on the constituents of the United for Change coalition: Four Caucuses and an Uncaucus - What Is United for Change? 

The focus of the announcement addressed the health and safety issue re the massive COVID outbreak. Since Sunday, things escalated in the schools, with Mulgrew coming under increasing criticism for seeming indifference to the crisis UFT members, especially those with children of their own, have been facing. The DOE/UFT endorsed testing program is a disaster. Now Mulgrew is talking - for PR purposes - about testing. But he is toothless to do anything about it unless he called for teachers to walk out of unsafe schools -- and he will not do that because the UFT/AFT doesn't want to face media criticism that they want unsafe schools to close. Our unions are part of the educational industrial complex.

Of course I'm thrilled that Camille is the candidate. I met Camille when James invited me to a Queens diner to meet with some dissidents over 20 years ago and we attended their wedding around 17 years ago. James was the ICE/TJC candidate for president in 2010 - the first time a husband and wife have run for that office -- except for the Clintons but let's not go there. Camille has been receiving comments of support from many of the people she has worked with over the years -- there's no better endorsement than from your colleagues.  

How the pandemic will affect the elections is a growing concern. How do you petition in schools? And campaign? This certainly benefits Unity.

Blogs made the announcement days ago but I've been too busy doing retirement couch potato things.

 





Posted by Norm @ at No comments:
Labels: ,

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

The winter solstice of our discontent - Angry Unity Longtime Chapter Leader Slams DOE/UFT, Eduwonkette - History will judge those who sacrifice children health, Petitions Going Around like hotcakes

How does the UFT endorse and support and back these half-baked policies of the DoE? Is accountability vestigial? It’s almost like those in charge of the UFT and the DoE simply couldn’t be bothered because Covid, whilst rampant in the schools, does not directly impact any of you. How many of you work in sparsely populated offices, with ideal ventilation. When was the last time any of you spent seven hours in an over-crowded school-building (196% capacity) for five days in a row, since September?  .. ..  Please be safe and always maintain a safe social distance from others. We cannot, where I work, so we'll fake it for now. ...... 

Adam C Bergstein, Chapter Leader Forest Hills HS, Longtime Unity Caucus member.

What happened to testing in NYC?-- Jonathan Halabi --

We are in a health emergency, and tests should be widely available. Running out of capacity at one site and supplies at another represent small breakdowns – but repeated breakdowns make a pattern – a scary one.... The City, de Blasio, doesn’t like testing because it hurts the stats on sick people. But testing is needed to limit (not stop, unfortunately) the spread. Lots of testing is needed. The City needs to make widely available testing a priority. And it has clearly not done so so far.

Breaking - January regents, Adams inauguration event cancelled but schools remain open with no remote option- 

Here is just one of many examples of the anguished issues people in schools are facing. 

 

 

 

Eduwonkette - the extraordinary Jennifer Jennings - put out this tweet this morning:
 

Look at that rising chart. I commented that UFT leadership is among the complicit and she replied with "Can we have an amen?"

Tuesday, December 21, Winter Solstice - the winter of our discontent

Winter is officially here and while today is the longest day of darkness of the year, tomorrow the daylight starts getting longer - but not for the UFT leadership's constant mishandling and mismessageing of the growing crisis. Mulgrew sent out a letter Friday. He's already given up on his buddy de Blasio and aiming at Adams while acting like this week of hell for educators and students is over.


Have we reached a Nero fiddles while Rome burns moment for UFT president Michael Mulgrew? 

 

 

It's one thing when the opposition slams the leadership over the growing healthcare crisis -- UFT retirees of the virus/testing chaos in the schools - but when a long-time Unity Caucus stalwart chapter leader who has done battle with the opposition in the past writes a letter like the one below as posted by James on the ICE blog, the signs of disarray inside the mother ship are growing as the disconnect between those who are  safe at 52 and the borough offices and the Unity rank and file in the schools seem to be growing.

Below the Bergstein letter is a petition organized by a still current member of Unity and a 2019 voter for Unity. These three are the most dangerous signs for the UFT leadership.

Here is the full Forest Hills HS letter on the ICEUFT blog:

FOREST HILLS HS CHAPTER LEADER EMAILS CHANCELLOR AND UFT PRESIDENT ON LACK OF COVID SAFETY

This came our way late last night. We are printing it with the permission of Adam Bergstein, the Chapter Leader of Forest Hills High School.

To: M Porter, Chancellor NYC DOE & M Mulgrew, UFT President

From Adam C Bergstein, Q440 Chapter Chair

Date: Sunday, December 19th 2021

Re: Covid Mismanagement

Attn: M Porter & M Mulgrew,

I have but one question to ask. Does the DOE and/or UFT actually have a plan in place to deal with all of the Covid outbreaks happening throughout the NYC school system? Is the prevailing ideological philosophy for all NYC schools to channel their inner-ostrich and basically wait until 3 PM, December 23rd? And if so, what then will be the plan come mid-January, when Covid has another spike and numbers are exponentially greater?  Should we prepare now for the spin, and just expect an apathetic, doppelgänger of a response? And what will the administrative guidance be in three to five weeks, invariably to sit back and wait until the February recess arrives? I would like to say I’m awestruck or dumbfounded by the ineptitude, but having spent two decades working for this bureaucracy, sadly I am just inured to the distribution of the bovine fecal accumulation. 

And how does the UFT endorse and support and back these half-baked policies of the DoE? Is accountability vestigial? It’s almost like those in charge of the UFT and the DoE simply couldn’t be bothered because Covid, whilst rampant in the schools, does not directly impact any of you. How many of you work in sparsely populated offices, with ideal ventilation. When was the last time any of you spent seven hours in an over-crowded school-building (196% capacity) for five days in a row, since September? I’m no psychic, just a huge fan of the redundantly rhetorical.

And this quasi-scientific theory that schools are still the safest places to be, care to peruse any security footage of a Q440 hallway during passing? This DUOFET propaganda is just another manifestation of an autocratic Big Lie to dupe the rubes! Empirically, sending thousands of human beings into a poorly ventilated petri dish is reprehensible. The fact that you’re all completely aware of that and instead game the system to make it look like everything is safe, is malfeasance extraordinaire. Please do not feign umbrage with my accusation. I’m in a school with 4,000 humans and only 1.5% of all people are being tested weekly, that includes only 30 staff in total! Care to debate my intentional and deliberate syllogism? What is the situation with the Situation Room? How do you have a central reporting system that does not allow anything to be reported? Please See Criminal Negligence.  

The fact is that the Department of Education and the UFT could work in concert to remove all staff and students, in order to give this virus some time to run its current course. However, you choose not to out of political allegiance and a saccharine sense of propriety, that’s mendaciously feckless. Unless something changes, the actions of DUOFET are all but assuring and guaranteeing that children and adults will unnecessarily contract and spread an opportunistic and ever-mutable virus. And please, please, don’t send some Deputy Superintendent or Deputy Chancellor or Safety liaison to pram the halls in an attempt to project concern, it’s demeaning and reeks of a dysfunctionally bloated bureaucracy. 

Please be safe and always maintain a safe social distance from others. We cannot, where I work, so we'll fake it for now. 

Sincerely,

Adam C Bergstein 

Petitions: MORE has one going and this one initiated by another Unity defector, Nick Bacon and Daniel Alicea, who voted for Unity in 2019 ------- Bergstein, Bacon and Alicea are the real signs of danger to the UFT leadership. This one is focused on chapter leaders and delegats, though anyone is welcome to sign.

Are you a UFT chapter leader, delegate, educator activist, or parent/family advocate and want to add your name?  Fill out the form here and your name will be added:

https://forms.gle/RKvnU5UgUmmJYysf7

December 21, 2021

Dear Mayor Bill de Blasio, Mayor-Elect Eric Adams, The NYC Department of Education, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and UFT President Michael Mulgrew:

The undersigned New York City public school UFT chapter leaders, delegates, educator activists, and parent/family advocates have joined together to support the petition initiated by MORE UFT, and in collaboration with the calls for action and demands of United For Change, are seeking an immediate response to the current COVID surge emergency.

We echo and support these words and demands:
https://forms.gle/RKvnU5UgUmmJYysf7

The number of COVID cases in NYC is the highest it has been since the beginning of this pandemic. The NBA, NHL, and other professional sports have postponed games, colleges and Broadway shows in NYC have shut down in-person events due to the rise in cases, and nations across Europe and the rest of the world are re-engaging in lockdown protective measures. Despite this, there have been no additional safety measures implemented in NYC schools as students and staff now make up hundreds of NYC positive cases daily. From 12/13-12/19 alone, 4,584 staff and student cases were confirmed by the Situation Room, comprising 23% of all school cases reported so far this school year, and this number of cases is likely an undercount due to little COVID testing and data transparency.

Early data suggests that the Omicron COVID variant is much more infectious than other COVID variants and may evade vaccine and antibody protections, contributing to the current surge in known school cases. Early data show that those with two vaccine doses may not be as protected against Omicron; as of Dec. 19th, only 40% of children ages 5-17 have been vaccinated with two doses, and as of Dec. 9th only 8% of children 5-11 were. Those with booster doses may have more protection against the Omicron variant, but there is no available data for how many NYC adults have gotten boosters, and children 15 and under are currently not eligible for boosters. Children under 5 cannot be vaccinated or tested at all.

Due to this alarming spike of cases in NYC, rank and file members of the UFT are calling for immediate policy action to stop the spread of COVID-19 in New York City Public Schools, including: 

Short-term transition to remote learning for schools with COVID cases 
An immediate remote option for students and families 
Universal Weekly and Baseline COVID testing 
Increased citywide testing resources and schools used as vaccination sites 
Data Transparency 
Those exposed to COVID quarantineVentilation Fixes
 

Remote Learning Options

We demand a short-term transition to remote learning for all schools with current COVID cases. While in-person learning is best for our students in healthy conditions, the spike in COVID cases has made it impossible for many schools to staff classrooms and for students to stay safe due to staff and substitute shortages. Furthermore, lack of COVID testing and ambiguous school closure guidelines have led to a lack of trust in the DOE’s ability to identify and abate school spread. Transitioning to remote learning temporarily will stop COVID from spreading in schools, allow students and staff time to test and quarantine, and keep students and staff safer in-person in the long term. Students and families need to be prepared with devices and WiFi to access remote learning. The threshold for the amount of cases leading to a transition to remote learning needs to be clear and known to the public; schools that meet said criteria should transition immediately to remote learning.

We demand an immediate remote option for students and families with concerns about COVID, without punitive measures taken against students, staff, or their families. While the DOE has not publicly shared attendance data, frontline staff know attendance numbers in NYC are dropping as families grow more concerned about COVID cases and large groups of staff/students are in quarantine with no remote option. Students, staff, and families are rightfully worried about the rapid increase in cases, especially right before winter break and gatherings to come. This school year, families who have chosen to keep their children remote due to COVID concerns have not only been denied a remote learning option, but have had ACS called on them, despite legitimate concerns about COVID.

Universal Weekly and Baseline COVID Testing

We demand universal weekly PCR testing of all students and staff, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, including for 3K, Pre-K, and Kindergarten students. The current policy of testing a random 10% of consenting non-vaccinated 1st-12th grade students is woefully insufficient. PRESS NYC reports that last week only 4.5% of students were tested in-school and about 87% of all positive NYC schools cases were found from outside testing. Weekly PCR testing is done at NYC private schools like Poly Prep and throughout the Los Angeles school district, the second-largest U.S. school district after New York. In addition, all people entering school buildings with symptoms of COVID should, in addition to passing the health screener, be required to take a rapid test to stay in school buildings, and schools must be supplied with rapid tests for this purpose.

We also demand baseline PCR testing results for all students and staff prior to returning to schools in January and prior to returning from other breaks such as Mid-Winter Recess and Spring Break. Prior to school reopening this fall, Los Angeles had baseline testing of all students and staff in its schools and found 3,654 cases that did not get into school sites. New York should implement the same policy for our safety. Schools should be used as testing sites during breaks towards this goal. If it is not possible for students and staff to receive results of PCR testing by January 3rd, school reopening should pivot to remote and resources be allocated so that students and staff can get PCR tested prior to returning to school in-person.

We demand that students and staff have increased and ready access to COVID tests towards this goal. All students and staff should have ready access to antigen at-home testing in addition to weekly PCR tests. Mayor de Blasio closed 20 city-run COVID sites prior to the onset of Omicron and winter COVID surges; these and other sites should be restored, and people who are immunocompromised, disabled people, and essential workers at high-risk of COVID such as educators should be prioritized for testing.

Schools as Vaccination Sites

Many schools this fall served as city-run first-dose vaccination sites for our students; this program should continue and with second doses offered to students. Schools should be trained as sites of vaccine education.

Those Exposed to COVID Quarantine

We demand that all staff, including but not limited to out-of-classroom educators, aides, and providers be informed of possible exposures and be able to give information of other possible close contacts, students and families be informed about classroom cases, and that those who are considered close contacts quarantine. Current DOE policy directs only those who have tested positive and those who are unvaccinated within six feet for 15 minutes to quarantine for ten days; however, based on what we know about COVID know this may not be enough to stop COVID spread at schools. Due to the collapse of the Situation Room, close contacts are often not notified. Close contacts must also include those who share space with others while eating and drinking unmasked. Staff and students whose household members test positive should also quarantine. If test-and-trace responsibilities fall to school staff, time spent should be compensated.

Data Transparency

We demand data on school attendance and COVID cases that is current, accurate, accessible and user-friendly to the public. The NYC Department of Education has not been transparent about attendance rates, number of staff and students testing positive in schools, or about cases in schools. The NYC Situation Room has not kept up data on schools, including on its Daily COVID Case Map, as it is completely overwhelmed with cases. Situation Room data has also recently been inaccurate: according to Professor Jen Jennings of Princeton University, between 12/13-12/19 the Situation Room dashboard undercounted daily cases by 1,470 when compared to cumulative positive cases reported on the same dashboard. The Situation Room should remain adequately staffed and open evenings and weekends to provide logistical support to students, staff, and schools.

Ventilation Fixes

We demand actual HEPA filters be provided to classrooms, including possible provisions of supplies for Corsi-Rosenthal boxes, especially for classrooms and schools that do not have mechanical ventilation. Gothamist found that classrooms without mechanical ventilation had higher rates of COVID. All schools have CO2 monitors to measure air changes per hour (ACH), which should be utilized regularly to test classrooms occupied with students and staff and results posted publicly for the public to see. Classrooms found not to have adequate ACH should immediately be provided HEPA filters or not be used. Meals should be scheduled outside when possible. All non-essential meetings and events should not be held in person until COVID rates are curbed.

We demand the United Federation of Teachers, our teachers union, advocate for its members rather than wait for the next Mayoral administration to fight for school safety and protections for students, staff, and our community.

In solidarity,

Daniel Alicea - Delegate, MS 53, Far Rockaway

Nick Bacon - Chapter Leader, High School for Law and Public Service, Washington Heights


Posted by Norm @ at No comments:
Labels: , , ,

Sunday, December 19, 2021

Four Caucuses and an Uncaucus - What Is United for Change?

The United for Change (UFC) coalition could have turned into Four Weddings and a Funeral regarding the UFC coalition of groups that have come together for the UFT elections, which are taking place this spring. Some wags were saying the Palestinian/Israeli conflict would be easier.

What are the formal caucuses?
New Action, Solidarity, MORE and Retiree Advocate (RA).

The non - or Uncaucuses - ICEUFT. EONYC, Independent non-affiliated. I'm part of this strand -- we don't think any one caucus or even a bunch of caucuses can reach deep enough into the schools  unless indendent non-affiluated are attracted to the campaign. Too far left turns the center off and too far center turns the progressives off so a meeting of the two is necessary. There are actually some right of center anti-Unity people angling to get in on the action.

Represented so far are people from various left points of view, some non-left progressives, some center left and even some center right people. So far, no funeral, but I always expect the worst so I don't get too disappointed.

Let me explain some thinking. There is a wide range of opinion in the UFT outside the dominant Unity caucus and its supporters. Trying to bring a sense of a united front against Unity from across political lines requires some very sensitive negotiating along the fault lines. Unity can only be seriously challenged if there is one united opposition even if they all don't agree. Now there can be dangers if the group happens to win and I will address the chances of that happening and what it would mean in a follow-up piece,

Let's remind people that just two and a half years ago in the 2019 UFT elections the first three opposition caucuses independently ran against Unity and the results were a disaster with Unity sweeping every elected position overwhelmingly. The oppo vote dropped drastically from 2016.

RA was not formally involved in 2019, though key members were with New Action. ICEUFT, a founding member of MORE, having recently disengaged - or been disengaged from MORE -- sat the election out, though individuals supported carious candidates and caucuses. In essence, ICE had Uncaucused.  I remember one semi-sage urging the groups to run together or just sit the election out with a boycott and let Unity run unopposed--- OK I was the semi - or quarter - sage. 

So this time I did whatever I could to support a coming together while also supporting the alternative idea that if they couldn't agree they shouldn't run -- but also calling for a general uncaucusing for the election. My original idea was to actually uncaucus and form a general election committee that would ask individuals to run, not formal caucuses but that clearly was not an option. I wrote about the United Front idea in April - The United Front: Retiree Advocate/UFT

Retiree Advocate leading role in bringing people together 
Looking back a year ago, I can see that Retiree Advocate, though running in the spring Chapter leader elections with a cast of 130 retirees and its militant leading of a fightback against Mulgrew Care

 (All- Star Cast Joins Retiree Advocate/UFT Slate to Challenge Unity Caucus in Chapter Election)  played an instrumental role in forging the coalition as all caucuses and many independents came out to support us.

RA itself is an example of a merger of various caucus elements. It began as a New Action project over 25 years ago but around 2014 voted to no longer be solely affiliated with New Action in order to attract non-caucus members. 

That turned out to be a good move in that some of us from MORE, ICEUFT and independents joined RA and became part of the organizing committee. The experience of bringing different perspectives to the table was an example of working together --- I often joke that I was now working with people who I hadn't  talked to in three decades. The positive experience was a lesson.

We also received support from independents voices, the most prominent of which was Educators of NYC led by Daniel Alicea, a working teacher who lent us his tech and political expertise. He became a conduit to some of the caucuses and when we proposed joint inside and outside actions at the Delegate Assembly around healthcare issues, a basis was set for all the groups to work together at the Delegate Assembly in the final months of last school year.

That joint work escalated at the September CL meeting and the  October and November and the UFT elections.

 Behind the scenes feelers went out to the various caucuses and independents (like the venerable Jonathan Halabi) about setting up a potential structure this fall to address the spring UFT elections. That this has actually come together, no matter the ultimate outcome, is an exciting event in UFT oppo history. maybe the first time since the 1980-early 90s era.

 Coming next: Does UFC think it can win? Define Win.

See -Ed Notes Sept 12, 2021 - 

UFT Elections: Boycott?- Why Run at all if Unity stacks the deck? - The Sunday Special

Posted by Norm @ at No comments:
Labels: , , ,

Friday, December 17, 2021

MulgrewCare Snafu - UFT/Unity Silent as New York City Mailed Misinformation on New Health Insurance to Retired City Employees — and Won’t Send Out a Correction

Guides sent to a quarter million retired city employees contained false information on the availability of dozens of treatments under the new plan....  Legal documents show that under the new plan, health care providers will have to get approval in advance from insurance companies before conducting certain doctor’s office visits, mental health care treatments, home health care services, and tests such as bloodwork and x-rays, along with dozens of other procedures or treatments. But the city mailed enrollment guides falsely saying that these and other treatments would not require pre-approvals to all retirees who will be covered by the new plan....

Reporter Sam Mellin, NY Focus

This is excellent coverage and I spoke to Sam Mellin who wants to expand the coverage of the UFT role. I gave him a UFT 101 primer.

He was not surprised that the city would try to impose a plan like this to save money but was surprised that the unions were complicit. I explained that this is not just the city but a partnership with Mulgrew and the UFT, which is the largest component of the Metropolitan Labor Council (MLC). Our union bears equal responsibility. 

That the city purposely sent out false info as a way to sell the plan and used car salesman Mulgrew didn't say boo to the members to correct the false info is not incompetent but purposeful malfeasance.

Mulgrew alter ego

Now the city is nor correcting the false info because they claim there is a paper shortage -- Double LOL.

But how about the UFT using its resources - like the NY Teacher - to correct the false info? I know, I know, no one reads the NY Teacher -- but there is also a UFT web site and social media. 

I just made sure to hit every doctor I have over the past month.

Let's remind people that Mulgrew is denying MulgrewCare is privatized because Medicare is paying a private entity to run it. That's the same bogus argument charters use when they claim to be public schools -- they are getting public money to run a private system.  Both charters and health insurance companies make profits even when they say they don't. Our union is working with the scammers to help bankrupt Medicare, which both parties which are bought by private insurance want to accomplish and funnel all that money into profits. 

Just look at the Joe Namath MedAdv ads - Mulgrew is claiming MulgrewCare is not the same - maybe it isn't but these companies are not in it to make no money -- and even if a lot of that money is coming our of Medicare, the long term effect will be to kill it. Does it surprise you that the UFT is perfectly in line with anti-Medicare for all policies of the Dem Party? 

Check this Intercept article out -

The stealth privatization of Medicare is afoot --

In January 2019, ahead of the launch of a new direct contracting model, the Office of the General Counsel for the Health and Human Services Department warned, in comments on a draft of the proposal, that it appeared as if the new project was being set up to benefit specific companies.

“We are concerned based on [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services]’s regular references to organizations like Chen Med, Oak Street Health, and Verily in the comments and otherwise, that this model has been designed with specific private sector entities in mind. If accurate, this could create ethics concerns, as the creation of this model would give those entities a leg up in the market,” read the guidance, a copy of which was obtained by The Intercept.

The direct contracting model was announced publicly in April 2019 and began its implementation phase in October 2020.

Our union is being pulled into that orbit -- what next? Take social security away from government hands and give it to the financial crooks? Can't you see Mulgrew saying that is not privatization. (MULGREW SAYS PRIVATIZED HEALTHCARE ISN'T PRIVATIZED).

Here is Sam's article ----

New York City Mailed Misinformation on New Health Insurance to Retired City Employees — and Won’t Send Out a Correction

Read more »
Posted by Norm @ at No comments:
Labels: , , ,

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

UFT Exec Bd Vote Opposing Electronic Voting: Mike Shirtzer and another are Lone Dissenters, 13 Reasons For Electronic Voting as Unity Echoes Republican Vote Suppression, MULGREW SAYS PRIVATIZED HEALTHCARE ISN'T PRIVATIZED

Breaking -- UFT Latest Leak - Mulgrew demands leaks be plugged

Do Mulgrew and company really believe that dues-paying members would have voted down an electronic voting option that would increase our union participation and give members increased access?... Mulgrew’s caucus-laden executive board used arguments against our members’ further enfranchisement that were reminiscent of those seeking to suppress and obstruct increased voting rights and voting access in our national and statewide elections. ..... EONYC

UPDATE - Jan. 5, 2022 - Word has filtered through that there was another dissenter in the vote in addition to Mike. 

Oh what fun we are having in the twilight of our life. Later today we go to the Del Assembly (right after a painful urological procedure - hope I can walk) for a holiday party outside 52 Broadway from 3:30 to 6:30 -- come on down. -- Retirees Invite you to celebrate at Dec. 15 Del Assembly as Mulgrew Seeks UFT Women to occupy stage to counter 3 Men in A Room Image of UFT leadership..

UFT Ex Bd report from Monday Dec. 13 - MULGREW SAYS PRIVATIZED HEALTHCARE ISN'T PRIVATIZED

The focus of Arthur's report -- NYC Educator UFT Executive Board December 13, 2021--Spring Break, Medicare, Election Committee-- from Monday night's Ex Bd meeting was on Mulgrew's distorted report on healthcare for retirees -- as James reported it - MULGREW SAYS PRIVATIZED HEALTHCARE ISN'T PRIVATIZED and reports are he will hit the issue hard at today's DA. 

Let me explain to Mulgrew -- when someone is making a profit on our healthcare that is privatized - just like people running charter schools are making a profit but are calling themselves public schools. So the wonderful people Mulgrew is raving about are private insurance companies scamming and scuttling the public Medicare plan.  And behind the rising costs of healthcare which Mulgrew is abetting.

Is Mulgrew even aware of this? Major Survey Finds 100 Million Americans See US Healthcare System as 'Expensive' or 'Broken'

I will have more to say about Mulgrewcare - which apparently is going into effect on April 1 - Mulgrew comes off as a sleazy used care salesman. Did you see this NY Focus piece from Dec. 9?

New York City Mailed Misinformation on New Health Insurance to Retired City Employees — and Won’t Send Out a Correction -

Hundreds of thousands of retired New York City employees received incorrect information from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration regarding a key provision of a new health plan that the city wants to replace their current insurance with — and, citing a “global paper shortage,” the city is declining to mail out the correct information. Legal documents show that under the new plan, health care providers will have to get approval in advance from insurance companies before conducting certain doctor’s office visits, mental health care treatments, home health care services, and tests such as bloodwork and x-rays, along with dozens of other procedures or treatments. But the city mailed enrollment guides falsely saying that these and other treatments would not require pre-approvals to all retirees who will be covered by the new plan.

Mulgrew silence on this aspect of Mulgrewcare. Then there was this NYC Focus report from last night: 

Judge Orders City to Delay Retiree Health Care Switch Until April 1 Retired city employees will be able to opt out of their newly-privatized health insurance until June 30, the judge ruled

Mulgrew is actually bragging as if this was his idea instead of retirees hiring a lawyer to go to court. I have opted out and will remain opted out at the added costs for both of us of almost $400 a month. Actually, in terms of the UFT election, the delays help Unity because the full effects of the change will not be in effect long enough to piss people off. So maybe it was Mulgrew's idea though I imagine he would have preferred June 1 when the election is over.

Electronic voting Nixed by Ex Bd 99-1--- Mulgrew Says NO video


The other key issue at the Ex bd was endorsing the election committee recommendation not to include electronic voting in the upcoming election following its meeting last Thursday which I reported on last night - UFT Election Committee Meets, Petition Dates Set, Unity (Paid) Election Committee Reps reject UFC call for electronic voting.

If you went to any school in the city and took a poll on electronic voting would 99% oppose it? This is a true indication of how the UFT EB represents the 1% union bureaucrats, not the 99% membership.

Arthur Goldstein reported - I'm not including the lame Unity arguments -- you can read them at NYC Educator--

Michael Shulman--(Election Committee member; Head of New Action, not on Executive Board)Thanks LeRoy Barr for invitation. Thanks Carl Cambria for chairing. Wants to discuss balloting. Favors voting electronically due to low voter turnout. That is key. Not a caucus issue. Big issue is getting membership to participate. Important to be proud of union democracy. We are not moving with the times. About 25% of our membership vote. That is unacceptable. There have been proposals to GOTV, but we are lagging. 

Since pandemic, our union uses secure electronic voting for DA, for CL, for SBOs. Not a radical new proposal. Other public sector unions doing this. We have capability, not as sole source. We could use both. If someone votes both, we could distinguish which came first and that would take precedence.  I come from older generation. I believe many younger teachers use electronic voting. Snail mail alien to them.

I put Shulman's entire comments down below, followed by the 13 points.

Mike Schirtzer (Independent)--Agrees with Shulman. PSC (Professional Staff Congress-CUNY union) has option of online voting. We are in a battle to enfranchise folks who lost right to vote. Eric Adams is looking to union bust. Need to show we are strongest and best union. DA and Town Hall numbers are staggering. We trust AAA to get it right. Teachers under 30 don't know where mailboxes are. Need to open options. 

Mike was elected on the Unity line in 2019 but has remained independent and it showed here. Mike has been nominated to run on the UFC slate for Ex Bd. I trust Mike's political instincts and actually would support Mike if he decided to run on the Unity line, which would make sense for Unity to be able to claim they have one independent voice on their slate

 Here is Shulman's comments to the Ex Bd:

A Missed Opportunity! Unity Votes Down Electronic Voting

By Michael Shulman, Chair, New Action Caucus

The UFT Executive Board had an opportunity to strengthen union democracy at last night’s (Dec. 13) meeting. Instead they clung to time-worn arguments that there was no evidence electronic voting would increase voter turn-out. My request to speak at the Exec. Bd. was agreed to, as I had fully expected. Unity would not leave itself vulnerable to the charge of being undemocratic. After 51 years of union activism, I was certain publicizing a negative reply would only embarrass Unity. They frankly would never allow it. And as an appointed member of the UFT Election Committee, I was in a unique position to make a presentation to the Board.

My arguments were pretty straightforward: Electronic voting would increase voter participation. 

In city-wide UFT elections around 25% of the membership usually vote. I stated that this was not a caucus issue (of course, I suspected otherwise) since it was in everyone’s interest to want higher voter participation. I pointed out that since the pandemic our union was utilizing secure electronic voting at delegate assemblies, voting for chapter leaders and delegates, and for school based options. I pointed to the fact that other public sector unions, such as the Professional Staff Congress, are now using this method for their general elections. I concluded with the reality that the younger generation of educators are using electronics on a daily basis. Why couldn’t we use both – electronic voting and mail-in ballots.

Here are some of the responses from our Unity colleagues:

1)     Nothing indicates electronic voting would increase turnout.

2)     There are a couple examples of voting in functional chapters that did not produce more voting.

3)     Members will use DOE email and cause problems.

4)     Voting on SBO’s has not been a success. We’re not there yet.

5)     The voting in one district is poor and did not increase voter participation

6)     There isn’t time to institute. It is questionable whether it would work. It is an untried idea.

7)     The head of the Retiree Chapter stated it is not certain it would work. We must campaign like Hell. We must do better outreach. The retiree chapter election produced greater turnout.

Only one member of the UFT Executive Board spoke in favor of my proposal. With one exception the motion was denied. Another victory for union democracy?? VOTE UNITED for CHANGE in the spring election. Run with us!

Daniel Alicea of Educators of NYC, a UFC coalition member, came up with the case for electronic voting. He may nail the 13 points to the door of 52.

13 Reasons Why We Should Have An Electronic Voting Option In the Spring UFT 2022 Elections - even if Mulgrew And Company Want To Stop You From Having It.

Do Mulgrew and company really believe that dues-paying members would have voted down an electronic voting option that would increase our union participation and give members increased access?



CommentShare
Last night, Mulgrew and his executive board refused to extend an electronic voting option that was proposed by some in our union’s Election Committee for the 2022 Spring city-wide general UFT elections.
The proposal asks that in addition to our union members voting using a traditional mail-in ballot that we also have an option of securely voting digitally, in lieu of the paper mail-in ballot.
Only 1 executive board member stood up in support of those making the proposal.
Do Mulgrew and company really believe that dues-paying members would have voted down an electronic voting option that would increase our union participation and give members increased access? Who are they representing? Not us.
Mulgrew’s caucus-laden executive board used arguments against our members’ further enfranchisement that were reminiscent of those seeking to suppress and obstruct increased voting rights and voting access in our national and statewide elections.

Last fall, we fought side by side to ensure states like George did not suppress the vote, and yet here is our own union leadership making arguments similar to the voting obstructionists and suppressionists?
Why would they refuse to allow electronic voting in our next election? We can only surmise that large voter turnout threatens Mulgrew and company’s tight grip and hegemony over our union affairs.
The reasons for our union membership being extended access are plentiful, reasonable, and beyond sound.
  1. Since the pandemic, we are currently using electronic digital voting in our local chapter leader and delegate elections and for SBOs (School-Based Options).
  2. Since the pandemic, our union is currently utilizing secure electronic voting at our virtual and hybrid delegate assemblies among those delegates using the remote option.
  3. The recent use of virtual technology has significantly increased member participation in our delegate assemblies and town halls to unprecedented numbers in recent history. Thousands are participating in union matters and union business that were not previously engaged.
  4. An electronic voting option would markedly increase member voter turnout and promote greater democratic participation in light of our triennial general elections being typically underrepresented with only about 25% (sometimes less) of the total membership casting a paper ballot.
  5. Other local public-sector unions, such as PSC, are now conducting their general elections safely and securely through mail-in and electronic means.
  6. In the final cost analysis, it may be a more cost-effective means. We have spent millions in printing mail-in ballots and in paying for workers to help tally the paper ballot votes.
  7. When the COVID-19 crisis began, 14 major union organizations, including our umbrella organization, the AFL-CIO, asked the National Labors Relations Board to allow for an electronic voting option within private-sector unions. The subsequent support by our unions for the Protecting to Organize Labor Act, which was recently passed by the House of Representatives, asks for electronic voting as a provision to be codified into law
  8. We are disaffecting an entirely new generation of educators by not using the electronic means they use daily for every aspect of our lives. Our elections are over-represented by retirees who may still be using traditional snail mail but we are not capturing the will and votes of our younger in-service members.
  9. Today we can apply, sign and pay a mortgage electronically. Many no longer use snail mail, at all. There's no reason that if these types of secure transactions happen daily that we can't vote in our next election, electronically and securely. The technology is readily available.
  10. The transition to an electronic voting option would be seamless with the American Arbitration Association, the company our union has used for years to conduct fair and secure elections. They offer an electronic voting option and use many of the reasons we delineate why this is an optimal and preferred option.
  11. With an antagonistic new mayoral administration being sworn in, in January, we need a union that is energized, active, and mobilized. Nothing more would signal weakness than if our union feels disconnected and disengaged and that it displays apathy by not turning out in huge numbers for our union matters.
  12. We are seeing a new surge of COVID-19 this winter and our own state has tightened up on mandates once again. We don’t know what things look like for us in the spring and with the United States Postal Service in the midst of flux, shortages, and increased delays relying on mail-in ballots, right now, is not the most reliable or safest method.
  13. Ultimately, increased member voter participation fosters trust and an empowered democratic voice to build a better and stronger union.
It’s time we vote out Mulgrew and Company. Vote United For Change in the Spring 2022 elections.
Meanwhile, let’s make sure we mobilize now and tell Mulgrew and our union leadership that WE DEMAND an online electronic voting option for our next election.
Send them an email. Call our union office. Let your district and boro reps know we will not relent on this option.


AAA details the benefits of online electronic voting. This is the company the UFT presently uses for conduct its elections.
CommentShare
The views expressed by the individual authors of The Wire are their own. They do not necessarily express the views of The Educators of NYC community.
If you liked this post from Educators of NYC: The Wire, why not share it?
Posted by Norm @ at 2 comments:
Labels: , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)