Mulgrew Report Card -- Retireee ADvocate NEWSLETTER: Election is coming, VOTE UFC

 

RA NEWSLETTER: Election is coming. Vote for United for Change

 

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Join Retiree Advocate/UFT - Become a member: $20. Send check made out to Retiree Advocate/ UFT P.O. Box 22567, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2567 or click this link to pay with Paypal Retiree Advocate is a member of  UNITED FOR CHANGE Come and work with us on this historic election campaign!

RA hosted a successful Zoom meeting of 240 participants on March 7  Here is a link to FAQs and Information about the upcoming election and health care Issues for UFT and other municipal union members.

Ballots for the upcoming UFT Election will be mailed out the first week of April. It is very important to update/confirm your UFT mailing address asap. Here is how you can do this: https://bit.ly/uftaddress Ballots must be received by Monday, May 9th at 5 pm to be counted on Tuesday, May 10th at UFT headquarters

The Mulgrew Report Card 2019 - 2022                                                                                                   from New Action Leadership 2020 - Failed to close schools in a timely manner in March 2020, putting teachers and students at risk from COVID Leadership 2021 -  Failed to report ongoing failrure of the DOE in testing and infection rates of both staff and students in unsafe schools Support for Chapter Leaders - Failed to protect Chapter Leaders from abusive administrators, weakening the union Program for addressing abusive administrators - Abandoned the Principals In Need of Improvement Campaign 2014, allowing over 200 principals citywide to harass members Evaluations -  Allowed Danielson-based APPR to be weaponized to intidimate teachers.  Failure to restore the right of members to grieve unfair observations and letters in file Probationary Teachers- Failed to gain due process for probationary and fails to protect them from abusive tenure extensions and to restore jobs after discontinuations Health Care - Secretly negotiated to lower retiree health benefits in Winter 2021.  Currently developing a plan to lower benefits for in-service members. Pensions -  Stood by letting politicians and a corrupt governor form Tier V and Tier VI pensions for our active members and failed to improve the COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) for retirees. Class Size - Failed to improve on 1960s class size contractual limits and failed to implement the CFE lawsuit to bring class size limits down to State averages. Only recently released TV ads during the election campaign but failed to deliver on legislation. Democracy - Abandoned the bipartisan organizing committee helping chapter leaders. Does not support the election of District Reps by the members. Doesn't support proportional representation in all Union Elections. Favors one party (Unity) control. United for Change Platform

Mayor Adams said he would appeal the Judge's decision even after he called the original MAPP a "bait and switch"  move.  Now the folks who sponsored the legal case have filed a counter appeal  To find out more, read the city's appeal, counter appeal and sign the petition.  click here.

from Len Rodberg, Professor Emeritus of Urban Studies, Queens College, CUNY. I don't know if substantive arguments are permitted in an appeal, but if they are, the ones the City is making on MAPP are simply false. Not only is MAPP not better than Medicare + SeniorCare, it is an inferior cut-rate product that will harm anyone unfortunate enough to get sick while in it. The City is simply wrong in thinking (a) that the federal government will make up for the reduction in what the City is spending and (b) that the private sector is somehow more efficient than the public sector. Both assertions are demonstrably false.  Here's the link

Well over 45,000 NYC retirees have rejected the MAPP by opting out to stay in their traditional free Medicare Plan in spite of the fact that they will have to pay a $200 a month premium.  Opt Out  GHI Senior Care Co-Pays:  Since the judge did not decide on the issue of the newly imposed Co-Pays, (once you meet your deductible, they will go into effect) please pay them and keep your receipts

Still wondering about MAPP? Read the PSC report on the first draft contract from last November The draft contract between the Alliance and the City is deeply flawed. First, it provides for little accountability to retirees or the City of New York (identified as the plan sponsor with the Municipal Labor  Committee) as to medical care, health outcomes, or cost. Second, the contract gives the Alliance wide  latitude to make changes in benefits, pre-certification requirements, and premiums charged the City. This draft contract should not be approved.  ie.  The Alliance asserts the right to “waive or modify any referral, authorization, or certification requirements, benefit limits, or other processes contained in the Evidence of Coverage [Plan] if such waiver is in the best interest of a Member or will facilitate effective and efficient administration of  claims.” (Section 13B, p. 7) Defining the "best interest of a Member" or what"facilitate[s] the  effective and efficient administration of claims" should be the subject of consultation and approval  between the insurer and the sponsor (NYC/MLC), not left to the Alliance alone.  Want Answers? Petition against Federal plan to privatize our healthcare automatically. FAQs from the NYC Retirees Organization Updated MLC FAQs Evidence of Coverage UFT Welfare Fund Prior Authorizations Court Documents  Message from United for Change We will fight to remove private greed from our profession, our livelihood, and our schools.  Reverse privatization of Medicare for NYC municipal retirees. No in-service healthcare givebacks. Support single payer public healthcare.  Rescind mandatory HMO enrollment for new UFT members. Bring back choice. End high-stakes testing. Replace with fairer forms of student assessment Fight the privatization of public education. Reverse the spread of charter schools in public education.                Retiree Advocate is a member of UNITED FOR CHANGE

Retiree Advocate Platform SAVE RETIREE BENEFIT Protect our Healthcare from being privatized Expand our Social Security benefits and ensure that they are not diminished or removed Win a (single payer) universal health program, support and organize for the NYHealth Care Act Increase our COLA (cost of living adjustments) PROTECT WORKING EDUCATORS and SAVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH FULL FUNDING•UFT Take immediate steps to support teachers working under abusive administrators Fight for Pension Equity- tier 1 for all. Equal work deserves equal pensions Restore the Retiree Organizing Committee. Defend our public schools and take a more active role in preventing them from being privatized Say No to Charters, vouchers and any system that creates unequal worker tiers Reduce Class Size! Cut administrator costs EXPAND UNION DEMOCRACY Working members should have greater voting weight when electing union leadership Change the current “winner take all” election system using proportional representation for union slate Represent a variety of views and interests in our chapter. Diversity of ideas leads to better decision making (which results in a stronger union) FIGHT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR ALL We support The Black Lives Matter movement. End systemic racism and oppression We call for an end to police brutality, real police reform and the end of the militarization of police departments We support raising the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour. The federal government should institute a massive jobs program to address racial and economic disparity. Support economic and health victims of the pandemic Work to cut the excesses in the military budget and redirect monies to expand social services and benefits in local communities.

Follow Us On Social Media Copyright © 2022 Retiree Advocate/UFT, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you requested through out e-mail Our mailing address is: Retiree Advocate/UFT P.O. Box 22567, Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn, NY 11201-2567

#ifyoucanrunclassroomsyoucanruntheUFT - Unity Caucus "professionals" attack on UFC Mocks Classroom Teachers who are never treated as professionals

Unity people fear UFC might beat longs odds and win, forcing them back to the classroom. Then they will find out they are NOT treated like professionals.

Unity calls UFT a union of professionals while allowing people to never be treated like professionals.

I read an astounding Unity hack attack on UFC that made me LOL. 

They actually brag about PD which teachers hate. Like I'm teaching a dozen years and I need more PD from people who often don't have a clue.

Professionals actually make decisions affecting their workplace. Teachers are totally ignored in the process. The UFT/Unity never make demands to give decision-making rights to teachers. UFT members are rarely treated like professionals partly due to union not fighting for them. Faux branding of something that can never be. Like failing to challenge abusive principals.

The same with the bullshit #Wedothework theme - mocking classroom teachers who really do the work while union bureaucrats leach off them.

And how about those attacks on UFC classroom teachers as not ready to run union? Like working at the UFT is not a dream gig for those wishing to get out of the real hard work of teaching. 

#ifyoucanrunclassroomsyoucanruntheUFT

Chicago classroom teachers came right out of the classroom to run the union much better than the Unity like machine that had been in power in the big upset 2010 election.

Do you see how desperate some Unity people are over the fear UFC might beat longs odds and win, forcing them back to the classroom.

Electioneering on Union Time: Unity HSVP Janella Hinds Visits Camille Eterno's School but doesn't stop by to say hello

This seems like a rather obvious electioneering event, especially with all of this literature with her image on it just sent out to members there.... CL Comment

UFT Team High School's facebook page - this is one of only three posts they've had since 2020. It's the only school visit they've posted since at least 2019 if not longer....https://www.facebook.com/UFTTeamHighSchool

Here is clear proof of the misuse of UFT personnel for electioneering. So we are tracking UFT employees, paid for with our salaries, engaging in electioneering on union time. I don't even think they should be engaging in breaking trust with people who pay their salaries on non-union time somewhat iffy.

Naturally, the visit of HSVP Janella Hinds and Queens HS District Rep James Vasquez to Camille Eterno's school was all about union business. I wonder if Unity leaflets were included in the visit as a gift to the staff.

Camille would welcome a visit from Mulgrew for a debate.

Nick Brings the Bacon - Filibusters and Fabrications - UFT Delegate Assembly Notes, With Context March 2022

Mulgrew's "report" yesterday took up 3/4 of the meeting and then he claimed the 1 minute of point of order was the reason they didn't get to any of the 11 resos on the agenda. 

• Today I'm speaking to three lunch hours at an elementary school in Unity territory and should get some read on how the election is playing out. There is a strong Solidarity person in the school. Yesterday a UFC person handing out leaflets to people going into the DA said an elementary teacher wanted leaflets for her school because "everyone is talking about UFC." But I'd bet in some schools there is no clue about the election.

I used to say Putin uses the Unity caucus model of control but hasn’t yet achieved where Mulgrew is at. I guess a little sensitive issue now. But if you look at party in power I can only think of China as a longer running autocracy than Unity and they even had some term limits and more internal accountability than Unity - the longest running autocracy where each of 4 leaders over 60 years hand chose the successor. And yesterday all 700 nysut delegates were told how to vote at the upcoming NYSUT RA convention. Mulgrew used their 6:30 meeting as an excuse to not extend the DA  by claiming they had a meeting at 6 - Nick who is still a Unity Caucus delegate challenged him saying he has the paper that says 6:30 - some think that was the funniest moment of the DA. There is no democracy inside Unity Caucus. Plenty of people are not happy with Mulgrew, which is why they are trying to Hide Mulgrew in Plain Sight. But there is no way to even challenge him without losing their jobs. Maybe one of the reasons Nick Bacon left Unity.

  

When we get honest DA reports we see through the cracks. If Nick Bacon continues his DA reports, they will be a gold mine. And if he gets elected to HS Ex Bd, expect more great reports.

I've always maintained that dry DA minutes without context is like diving without a steering wheel. I don't believe any DA reports are devoid of political influence, so we might as well get a point of view. Are people fine with Mulgrew taking up 3/4 of the time with his practiced report and then claiming they are running out of time because some took 30 seconds to make a point of order? These Unity hacks remind me of the Republican idiots questioning Ketanji Brown Jackson. Unity is fundamentally the Republican Party. If UFC were to win Unity's role would be the same -- to stop anything from being done. A hack is a hack is a hack is a hack.

Finally we are seeing DAs getting covered with context and political analysis as UFC HS candidate Nick Bacon posts notes on the New Action blog. 

The DA outside game: Retiree Advocate was there and will be there in the future

I was outside the DA with over 3000 copies of the hot off the press United for Change leaflet which I shlepped in my famous suitcase and left an hour an a half later with one leaflet. I still have 17,000 in my garage. Reps from MORE and Solidarity and ICE are coming over after school today to pick up for their groups and I'm offering a pizza party to celebrate the UFC alliance. RA was there in force to back the OT/PT rally for the pay they have not gotten, which Mulgrew passed off when asked a question. 

The Inside game  - Nick Brings the Bacon

Filibusters and Fabrications- Thoughts on the March, 2022 Delegate Assembly

Published March 23, 2022 Uncategorized Leave a Comment

The March DA was December all over again, as Mulgrew avoided giving any space to members of United for Change by using every tactic under the sun to silence us, and really all non-Unity members of the Delegate Assembly.

1. Abnormally Long President’s Report: Mulgrew’s report dragged on for over an hour and left virtually no time for official business. He even invited some speakers to make the report particularly long, a tactic he uses when he really wants to filibuster. That presentation, full of glitches, was about an online system for chapter leaders that could have just as easily been an email. (Keep in mind, most delegates at the DA are not even Chapter Leaders…they’re delegates). It’s worth mentioning that one of the presenters was Unity Caucus’s Maggie Joyce, who Mulgrew suspiciously called on in the last DA too, even as he couldn’t manage to allow a single UFC delegate to speak in either of the last two DAs. Watching the talk, one couldn’t help being reminded of the December DA, when Mulgrew called on a staffer to give a time-share like presentation about how good Mulgrewcare was. Mulgrewcare, of course, was later scrapped after UFC’s own Retiree Advocate (working with some other groups) exposed it for the fraud that it was and won in court. And, despite a pretty interesting question period, with speakers making critical points about things like abusive administration, undelivered vacation days, and delayed payment to OT/PT, Mulgrew’s answers left much to be desired, though he spent tons of time answering them (to avoid taking other questions).
   
2. Making up rules: When Camille Eterno tried to make a minor parliamentary inquiry about a mistake on last month’s minutes regarding what she had said then, she was ruled out of order and not allowed to speak. The reason? Mulgrew claimed that parliamentary inquiries can’t be made during the President’s Report. Of course, the Delegate Assembly is deliberative–and as such uses Robert’s Rules. Searching as we have, we’ve found no place in Robert’s Rules specifying Mulgrew’s rules. That leads me to think he may have, you know, made it up, so that he could silence Camille. It’s worth noting that Mulgrew erroneously accused Camille of electioneering, even though she mentioned nothing about the election or about caucuses. Ibeth Mejia, who I’m running with for High School Executive Board, tried to use a point of order to advocate for them to take Camille’s point, stating that it was absurd for Mulgrew to interrupt her with a simple request about the minutes, but was also shouted down.
3. Not Calling on UFC Members (Redux): We at United for Change are used to not being called on by Mulgrew at this point. Indeed, we haven’t been called on for a new motion since November, and to this day I think I was only called on to read our resolution on healthcare back then because Mulgrew still thought I was with Unity Caucus. This time, when many UFC delegates were amongst the first to shoot their hands up, Mulgrew waited and palpably searched the audience for Thomas Conavoy, so that he could read the inherently uncontroversial resolution on recognizing Diwali. Another non-UFC person was called on after, and this was the last person recognized by Mulgrew. Earlier in the DA, Daniel Alicea asked a point of parliamentary inquiry about needing to rotate between those for and against given motions, and Mulgrew answered that when there is a debate they do have such a procedure, which of course begs the question: why was that procedure so conspicuously not followed in February, when a debate followed Camille Eterno’s motion to appeal the chair. Of course, that ‘debate’ consisted of Mulgrew recognizing the Secretary, the Assistant Secretary, and another Executive Board member, all of whom of course agreed with Mulgrew. Indeed, in that debate, not a single person was called on who disagreed. Not a single person was called on from United for Change.
4. Not allowing the meeting to be extended: Mulgrew talked for so long during this DA that there was no way we were going to get to any resolution on this month’s agenda. He also prevented UFC from raising an important resolution on mayoral control, as well as another resolution on Tier 6 (which, ironically Unity was also prepared to present a similar motion on…if only Mulgrew hadn’t run out the clock). Peter Lamphere tried to make a motion to extend the time, but was ruled out of order for technical reasons. Mulgrew claimed there was too much important business to conduct right after the meeting, because the UFT members of the RA were meeting right at 6:00. I made a point of order, because I hold the invite, and it clearly says 6:30. He claimed that 30 minutes was needed to prepare the room. So I stuck around after the automatic adjournment at 6:00. When I left at 6:20, the chairs were exactly where they left them. There was no need to end at 6:00 PM, but I think we all knew that. (And by the way, Mulgrew, if you know in advance that you ‘need’ to adjourn at 6:00 PM, why not make your President’s report a little shorter in the first place so there’s no need to make a motion to extend)?

 Also see Eterno abridged report:

ICEUFT Blog

LIVE BLOGGING FROM MARCH DA -

 

DA Today: Hiding Mulgrew in Plain Sight - Scripting, Rehearsals. Shutting down critics: Internal polling on Mulgrew not good

Autocracy is autocracy, whether in Russia or 52 Broadway.

Unity has a new campaign strategy.... 60, or 130 or 200 thousand glossy flyers to United Federation of Teachers members. And you know who’s mug was missing? Mulgrew’s. His name’s not on there, at least on the teacher ones. I mean, it’s not a surprise they won’t let him debate. If he had a huge lead a debate costs nothing, makes you look open, confident. But this election they are shaky, and not confident in his performance when he doesn’t control the chair. But leaving his grin off tens of thousands of leaflets? ... people are so angry at him, some of that anger gets turned into anger at the UFT, which is bad for all of us......... 

Jon Halabi, Campaign Strategy: hide Mulgrew

I was going to blog about how Unity leaflets and shills are hiding Mulgrew by not mentioning him but damn, Jonathan beat me to it with his incisive post.

They may have even done some internal polling. They would have discovered what every teacher knows: Michael Mulgrew is not very popular. 

I had some confirmation through various sources that they have done internal polling and it ain't good for Mulgrew. I'd be shocked if you saw him run again in 2025.

One place they can't hide Mulgrew is at the monthly UFT Delegate Assembly, which insiders tell us is the most stressful thing for Mulgrew - and was for Randi too. After all, despite almost total Unity dominance of the DA, even a few critical voices scare the hell out of the Unity hierarchy in even a semi-open forum. And Mulgrew is particularly bad at spontaneous. In the past he used to make numerous visits to schools. I haven't heard of any at all, even to Unity friendly schools.

After his bad performances in October and November, Unity has tightened things up to totally shut out non-Unity voices, which prompted his opponent Camille Eterno to call a point of order as a form of protest for shutting down ABU - All But Unity. And by the way -- it is not even much rank and file Unity but almost all people in salary who get to speak.

Scripting, Unity speakers bureau, practice, practice, practice

We hear from inside the fortress that they actually run DA practice sessions with live bodies in the actual hall - twice. In fact at this very moment Mulgrew may be practicing where to look - maybe with a seating chart - to review the questions he will be asked to eat up those ten minutes. Unity will toss on some motion to eat up the ten minute motion period. 

 

And of course Mulgrew will filibuster for an hour -- practice that report Mike, including the tepid attempts at humor.

 

And this time they will be ready for interruptions with a finger on the remote mics to shut them down. 

 

If a motion manages to slip through, there is always a "call the question" Unity hack ready when given a signal -- like Leroy Barr taking off his glasses. 

You see autocracy is autocracy, whether in Russia or 52 Broadway.

 

More from Jonathan:

He’s taking the blame for Unity mishandling the pandemic, sending teachers into unsafe conditions, not backing us enough, or soon enough, inventing “instructional lunch.” He’s taking the blame for sucking up to Andrew Cuomo, looking like a dishrag instead of a union leader. He’s taking the blame for the UFT getting pummeled in the Spring 21 primaries – and Adams – one of the two guys we wanted to stop, becoming Mayor. And he’s taking the blame, despite Unity trying to keep it out of the news, for Unity and the MLC trying to privatize retirees’ Medicare.

In any case, they are hiding him.

They will try to hide Mulgrew at today's DA. There will be many people taking notes on the DA to assure an unbiased report so look for them over the next few days.

 I will be outside with RA people supporting OT/PT protests,

Retiree Advocate Outside March 23 UFT DA 

Stop by and say hello. I will be the guy wearing a Mulgrew mask.

 

Meet UFC Officer, Middle School Candidates, Retiree Advocate Outside March 23 UFT DA

 

Join us outside DA Wednesday!

Retiree Advocate will be outside the DA, Wednesday March 23 supporting  OT/PTs For A Fair Contract as well as flyering  for Untied For Change.

(And see info below for Meet the Candidates Sat. night Zoom)

DEMO AT THE DA: Support the group OT/PTs for a Fair Contract as they bring their demands to this month's UFT Delegate Assembly. Visit otptsforafaircontract.com to learn more about the issues occupational/physical therapists in the UFT face!

 

 

Meet the officer candidates this Saturday at 7pm: register here. And see the United for Change events page for more in-person events!

 

Calling all Middle School educators!

UFT elections are coming up. Meet the candidates ready to bring a stronger union forth on Day 1. We are hosting an informational session on Sunday at 4pm.

Sunday's registration link is here https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkdeyvqD0uHNeqT3yrQv2icRkEcC_Sw55c

Handicapping the 2022 UFT Election: Can United for Change Win? Part 1 - UFC Unique Coalition, Unity on the Attack, Will UFC Hold Together?

Mah nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot?  
How is this UFT Election different from all other UFT Elections? 

Tentative Ans: The UFC Unique Coalition, Unity on the Attack 

UFT Unity is in a lose lose situation. If the percentage of their vote dips below 65 percent there will be a bloodletting in Unity and if not we will have a hobbled union when contract negotiations start in earnest. ....South Bronx School, running with UFC

This year they're (Opposition) making nice, but next year they'll devolve into the same incomprehensible ideological battles on which they thrive."... NYC Educator, running with Unity.

It was perhaps the best lock in all of sports — until it wasn’t. A No. 16 seed had never defeated a No. 1 seed in March Madness until UMBC shocked the world by toppling Virginia in 2018. ... Oddsmakers

Unity Caucus is the longest running continuous autocracy in the world over the past 60 years - except maybe the Chinese Communist Party -- but I'd maintain that even they have had more internal party democracy than Unity. There are no Las Vegas odds on the UFT election - yet.

Monday, March 21, 2022

This is my 6th UFT election cycle since the 2004 election and I think I've learned a few things - or not. In the past I never expected us to win.  There was always hope we would make heavy gains as a way to build a serious opposition to Unity but have always been disappointed.

Results have been remarkably similar (I'll do a year by year breakdown as part of this series) with the 2019 three caucus oppo to Unity disaster being an exception which we mostly toss out in our analysis except for a few lessons - lessons that have driven those three caucuses to come together along with others into the United for Change COALITION -- NOT CAUCUS. This is an important point to keep in mind over my next few blogs about the UFT election.

Whither United for Change Coalition
We cannot emphasize enough: UFC is a temporary arrangement for the elections with no post-election plans at this time, though there has been some back door chatter. Of course the future of UFC to some extent depends on the election outcomes:

• Partial win: some ex bd with big gains with retirees, divisionals and functionals: 
• Partial win similar to the past: Winning HS seats.
• Total loss with no change from previous elections.
• Winning it all - In past years I'd always say Zero chances. This time I wouldn't even consider it a #16 vs 1 seed but I'd actually give some odds of possibilities if everything broke right -- a subject for a future post in this series- what would it take to win. Crucial point- UFC would be a sort of parliament with lots of points of views and no one is shy so a win would be very vibrant and in fact UFC would actually make changes that would decrease the power of a victor by reducing the winner take all policy -- and if they didn't do that much I would join the new opposition- which would be Unity - YIKES!  But there also might be food fights at Ex Bd meetings.

Every one of these options is on the table in this election.

 

What is different? UFC - a remarkable coming together of almost every voice opposing Unity (and some backroom voices allied with Unity) over the past 50 years plus a plethora of newcomers - and young newcomers, including some key people who either ran with or voted for Unity in 2019. 

• New Action
• Solidarity
• MORE
• ICE
• Retiree Advocate
• Educators of NYC
• Independents - The Uncaucus including ex-Unity supporters
  

Danger signs for Unity

Nick Bacon, elected on 2019 Unity slate, is running for UFC Ex Bd HS-- is now co-director of New Action and has been doing great work on their blog and has brought a young perspective to New Action. Some blog pieces:

• Unpacking Mulgrew’s Concession of ‘Mulgrewcare’

• Open Market is Not the Solution to Abusive Administration

• Unpacking the February DA

Daniel Alicea - who voted for Unity in 2019 and has become a glue of sort to bring all the oppo groups together. He is now co-host of the WBAI Talk Out of School with Leonie Haimson. His program Saturday had two fab interviews: A Conversation with Noah Teachey and Arlene Laverde.

While we have seen defections from the oppo to Unity, these two represent a reverse defection and have brought creds to the oppo and function as a uniting force since they don't carry old baggage.

A New MORE -- One story-- In the past month I have been working closely with a youngish MORE member who joined after I left and brings well-needed diversity to the oppo and became very active in the election around the end of petition time, one of the most remarkable people I've met. She's organized and relentless in getting even old farts like me to do stuff. If she and others like her remain active, that represents the biggest long-term threat to Unity. One day I will tell the entire story. 

 

Bonding -- Yes, there may still be some old resentments from the past but every day I see bonds being formed between people from different caucuses. If that lasts and grows ----- 

There is a delicate balance between caucuses that compete with each other for members and influence - always fragile -- and the affiliation of what I call the Uncaucused - people who do not want to be affiliated with a particular group's ideological - they find the boundaries too limitiing - but are opposed to the Unity leadership. 

 

This forces an even more delicate balance but the input of this unaffiliated group has actually kept things relatively peaceful once the stresses of choosing candidates in a balanced manner where every group felt represented  - was out of the way.... An  excruciating process where consensus was the rule turned out to give UFC the best field of candidates I've every seen plus the largest group running in decades -- around 400. And we could have had more but as the chief of petitions I begged people to stop recruiting as I had only 2 suitcases.

 

Unity Caucus leaders full well know the long-term stakes which explains their high level of push back compared to previous years. Peter at South Bronx Schools thinks their response is due to fear of losing: UFT Unity The Smell of Fear. "In the past, the opposition had won high school seats and in my opinion UFT Unity just dealt with it." 

 

This time they really want to bury the opposition and shut them out of winning anything. Imagine if they are successful and the oppo gets a significant portion of the vote and gets no ex bd or AFT/NYSUT positions. I can see going to court over dues taxastion without representation.

More control to Unity than even Putin has in Russia. Unity may invade the pockets of resistance to their rule -- oh, I forgot -- they already do that by using their district reps to get their lit on teacher boxes.

 

I believe Unity is too arrogant after 60 years of power to think it can really lose. Unity is putting up an extraordinary effort in hope of ending the UFC coalition threat and relegate the other caucuses back into the competition with each other. 2019 was a dream year for Unity and they kept the opposition completely out of the Executive Board for the first time since the 1993 election.

 

I will go deeper into the founding, the evolution of UFC and its potential in future analysis, most likely after May 10. 

I see the long-term possibilities of UFC, win or lose as more important than the election outcomes itself. Winning some seats on the Ex Bd is important but the oppo has been doing that for decades with similar outcomes. Winning a significantly larger share of support from UFT members, even it UFC loses the election, is a key to the future health of UFC and the union as a whole. Getting larger turnout would be a major move. Getting in the high thirties approaching 40% would be win.

 

Some people connected to Unity don't think there is much of a chance of UFC surviving the election:  Arthur Goldstein, who is once again running with Unity for HS Ex Bd says, "I tried working with opposition for years and it's a dead end.  This year they're making nice, but next year they'll devolve into the same incomprehensible ideological battles on which they thrive." Arthur, who I still consider an over 15 year friend despite some recent rancor, has some legit gripes against MORE from past years -- I had similar gripes but would never have been driven to run with Unity. Well, maybe I will when Unity is the opposition caucus.

I would have agreed with Arthur a year ago about future infighting. Unity has always known that the more oppo caucuses there are competing with each other, the better for their control. Having had negative experiences (I'm too libertarian in oppo groups over the years I have some to see consensus coalitions, where individual caucuses cooperate but are free to operate on their own, as a potential model for an effective opposition in the UFT.

Some people who are skeptical of the opposition and also of Unity control have told me they want a vibrant opposition that won't win in order to present a credible threat to Unity that would wake them up and make them better. I can see that point of view. If you think UFC can't win, that is one reason to vote UFC - for the health of the union. Even Unity people who hate Mulgrew are thinking that way -- close the gap and get rid of Mulgrew.

The biggest disaster the UFT would face would be a massive victory for Unity with an 80% vote and a breakup of UFC where an arrogant autocracy will continue to make bad decisions and take the membership for granted. And most of all, consolidate the power of Michael Mulgrew. To see just how bad that would be for everyone -- 

• A Halabi MUST READ: An unheeded plea to Unity to Do the right thing? and dump Mulgrew.

Jon Halabi, who was with New Action, is now independent and also works with Daniel and Nick as glue to keep the UFC coalition working together, hopefully post election.

More Halabi reads:

Saving Medicare: Why is Unity anti-Optout today?, March 20, 2022

Mulgrew on Medicare?, March 19, 2022

Yes, UFT members can defeat Unity / Mulgrew