Sunday Treat: Deep Dives on Dem Party Moves from working class to neo-liberalism - Two Must listen podcasts

EDUCATE, ORGANIZE, MOBILIZE -- IN THAT ORDER --- EdNotes Mantra

Sunday, July 3 -- Only 59 days till September

The first step - EDUCATE.  I don't mean that in an arrogant manner like I have info to shove down your throat but I am learning stuff I want to share. You can't organize people based on misinformation of weak analysis. Logical dialogue can move people in your direction.

I  know people who consider themselves organizers who could use more knowledge to engage people they are trying to organize. The other day a friend said she had trouble with using the term "neo-liberal" and I mentioned the Gary Gerstle,  book The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era.

I heard him on Sam Seder Majority Report - links below.

 

People confuse today's poltiical liberals with classic economic liberals (Adam Smith)  and current market works/govt doesn't neo-libs. 

It's worth studying the evolution of the terms which started out meaning freedom from kings who controlled govt then - economic and political freedom -- this was pre-capitalist - and capitalism was a freeing from those mercantile controls- a good thing initially.

 

But then capitalism ran amuck and the New Deal brought it under modified control which the post 60s Republican Party and the late 70s Dem Party have decimated. Neo-liberalism has been a process of releasing those controls - which also included tariffs and controls on trade - and sold globalism as the ultimate freedom -- for a few.  Carter (de-regulate everything to fight inflation), Clinton and Obama escalated. Biden actually gets some credit for moving away because it no longer plays politically.

 

The actual good thing about the Trump election and the Bernie campaigns was  dagger to the heart of neoliberalism which so decimated workers in so many economies. The party is actually split between Neo-libs and anti-globalist proto-fascist element.

The anti- neo liberals on both sides of the right and left line up very differently but when I argue with Trumpise we actually do find areas of agreement.

My crowd is supposedly trying to organize NYC teachers -- and our union leadership is neo-liberal - you'd best have a good explanation on how and why that is.

Just as important is this analysis by Robert Kuttner -- a progressive Dem for 50 years but not hard left. He does this deep dive on The Intercept podcast: Deconstructed. 

 

Both MR and Intercept are not hard left -- let's say Social Democracy leaning. In other words they may be highly critical of capitalism but don't necessarily call for it's downfall -- even if they think it may be in such danger as to fall on its own. But fall where and what takes its place? I'd say a form of fascism before socialism.

Both podcasts go hand in hand with an analysis of FDR years and how the New Deal began to be undermined almost immediately in the late 40s with the Taft-Hartley anti labor act - and the beginning of the Dem Party separation from Labor. Kuttner emphasizes that the Dem party was closest to a Labor Party -- even with the racist southerners.

I was brought up a Democrat by my mom's immigrant family. My aunt told me when I was very young that only the Dems were on our side. By the early 70s's, after she moved to South Miami, she had become a right wing racist -- if she lived she would have marched in Jan. 6.

So that coalition did not have as tight a bonds as Kuttner makes it out to seem. I loved that he agrees with me that John Fetterman if healthy should be the Dem Pres candidate in 2024.

How the Democrats Forgot the New Deal and Paved the Way for Trumpism

Author Robert Kuttner on how Biden can keep American fascism at bay.

Deconstructed

July 1 2022, 6:00 a.m.

 

In Robert Kuttner’s new book, “Going Big: FDR’s Legacy, Biden’s New Deal, and the Struggle to Save Democracy,” he explains how we got to our present political inflection point, how high the stakes are, and what comes next. Kuttner — who co-founded the Economic Policy Institute as well as The American Prospect — joins Jon Schwarz to discuss.

Transcript coming soon.

https://theintercept.com/2022/07/01/deconstructed-fdr-biden-new-deal-robert-kuttner/

I love Sam's show and listen every day at noon for almost 3 hours. Sam brings a POV you don't get on the left -- not off the wall and I agree with 75%.

How can you explain neo-liberalism? One of the clearest explanations I've heard:

Episode https://majorityreportradio.com/2022/06/06/6-6-the-rise-and-fall-of-neoliberalism-w-gary-gerstle

6/6 The Rise and Fall of Neoliberalism, & A Vision of What’s Next w/ Gary Gerstle

June 6, 2022

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Sam and Emma host Gary Gerstle, Professor of American History at the University of Cambridge, to discuss his recent book The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era. First, Emma and Sam dive into the continued rise of mass shootings over this weekend, the Uvalde Police’s continually changing story, Dr. Oz’s victory in the PA GOP Senate Primary, and Elon suddenly scrapping his Twitter deal after finding out about Twitter BOTS, but definitely not his crashing Tesla stock. They’re then joined by Professor Gerstle as they work through the concept of political orders as these prolonged eras of dominant ideologies, with the two that he largely covers being the New Deal political order, lasting from FDR’s reign up until the ‘60s or so, and the Neoliberal Order, burgeoning in the ‘70s and lasting up until the end of Obama’s presidency, looking at these two orders in contrast, with the former compelling the right to assimilate into a democratic socialist ideology, and the latter seeing a Clinton-lead democratic party assimilating into corporate liberalism and deregulation. Next, they get into the factors that drive the emergence of new orders, starting as a modest movement of political organizations and actors, before networks of donors, constituents, think tanks, and policy networks and political actors arise around it as it proves itself as a viable political system. They then look to the crises that left the vacuum for these orders to step in, with the 1930s Great Depression marking the largest capitalist crisis in US History, and the ‘70s recession occurring alongside rising racial tensions, US imperialism, and a reemergence of international industrial competitors seeing US Capital suddenly threatened from all sides. Sam, Emma, and Professor Gerstle then walk through the evolution of political orders and how one took issue and influence from its priors, first looking to FDR’s desire to create a new form of liberalism, one that puts everyday Americans in a position to actually enjoy their freedom, before Freidman and Hayek come around and reject his appropriation of liberalism, but still looking to government as a corporate facilitator, particularly with the role of the military in ensuring the safety and freedom of markets worldwide. After covering the role of the fall of the USSR and Clinton’s assimilation to neoliberalism, Sam, Emma, and Professor Gerstle walk through our contemporary moment as the neoliberal order stalls, and the difference between a fight between a far-right and a progressive left and the single-camp transitions of previous orders.

And in the Fun Half: Sam and Emma discuss Dr. Jill Biden’s unveiling of a new Nancy Pelosi stamp, just as pride month starts, in an unfortunate moment of institutional fetishization, Dave Rubin obsesses over Elon Musk fighting to get his workers back to work, before inquiring about who died and left COVID in charge. Sam and Emma discuss the original rise of TERFism in England, cover the Ohio GOP’s new bill requiring genital inspections of young girl athletes, a Wisconsin high school gets bomb threats for trying to teach their students to respect queer people, Miles from LI talks the evolution of “based,” and Louie Gohmert comes to the defense of the Right’s right to lie right to the Government. Plus, your calls and IMs!

Check out Gary’s book here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-neoliberal-order-9780197519646?cc=us&lang=en&

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Betrayal - Anger and distress at Gov. Hochul refusing to sign class size bill But did on mayoral control

“It is inexcusable and unfathomable that the Governor would refuse to sign the class size bill when she signed the Mayoral control bill. The legislature passed this bill almost unanimously.... Press release

HOCHUL SIGNS MAYORAL CONTROL EXTENSION THROUGH 2024 BUT DOES NOT SIGN LOWER CLASS SIZE BILL - ICEUFT Blog

Saturday, July 2, 2022 - For working UFTers - Only 60 days to go till September (we retirees never notice dates or time of the day -- I haven't worn a watch in 20 years).

I never believed for a minute Hochul would sign the class size bill or let mayoral control lapse. She and Adams are allies. The UFT of course endorsed her and will continue to endorse her because the Republican alternative is so awful. But no matter what they say, I don't think the UFT leadership really cares very much about class size becausethey are not affected. 

Remember it was district rep Bill Woodruff who called the question at a DA on a class size discussion and was challenged by Daniel Alicea over a UFT employee killing debate on an issue that doesn't affect him. He told Daniel he never wants his name to come out of Daniel's mouth again. Woodruff is fast moving from Unity hack status to Unity POS.

 

Norm

For immediate release: July 1, 2022

Contact: Marina Marcou-O’Malley: marina@aqeny.org

Leonie Haimson:  leoniehaimson@gmail.com

Anger and distress at Gov. Hochul refusing to sign class size bill last night

Parents, education advocates and elected officials reacted with dismay and alarm at the fact that Gov. Hochul signed the mayoral control bill last night without also signing the class size bill, A10498/S09460  at the same time.

“It is inexcusable and unfathomable that the Governor would refuse to sign the class size bill when she signed the Mayoral control bill. The legislature passed this bill almost unanimously. The only thing standing between smaller class sizes and a better learning environment that students desperately need is the Governor’s signature. Parents fought for the Campaign for Fiscal Equity and won. The Governor recognized the need to act on that and delivered two years of funding for Foundation Aid, so that, among other things, class sizes can be reduced. Thirty years after the CFE lawsuit was filed , class sizes are worse, not better. We urge the governor to sign the bill and signal that she continues to recognize what needs to happen for our students’ sake,” said Marina Marcou-O’Malley, Policy and Operations Director for the Alliance for Quality Education. 

Leonie Haimson, Executive Director of Class Size Matters said, “The fact that the Governor signed the Mayoral control bill without signing the bill that would require him to reduce class size at the same time is particularly outrageous. There can be no accountability without smaller classes for NYC kids, which the State’s highest court said were needed to provide them with their right to a sound basic education under the State’s constitution.  Smaller classes are also the top priority of K12 parents nearly every year on the DOE’s own surveys, and the class size bill passed 59-4 in the State Senate; 147-2 in the Assembly.  It is particularly outrageous that the Governor has chosen to renew the Mayor’s control unconditionally,  just at a time when he is slashing the budget for schools, causing class sizes to increase rather than decrease and students to lose critical programs and services. “

“New York City’s parents are sick of our children’s education being used as a political bargaining chip. We passed the class size legislation with a considerable bipartisan margin, and thirty-eight elected officials from Congress, the state, and the city, as well as over 7700 petition signatories  urged the Governor to sign the class size bill this week. There was no such groundswell for the renewal of Mayoral control. Signing it into law would be such an easy win for the Governor. The last-minute, late night negotiations have become a pattern in this administration’s first term, and it is hurting our children,” said State Senator Jessica Ramos.

“Large class sizes were a main driver behind the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) lawsuit I brought against New York State with parents in 1993. The 2007 court ruling found that, ‘tens of thousands of students placed in overcrowded classrooms is enough to represent a systemic failure,’” said Senator Robert Jackson. “New York City governance must make class size reduction a priority. It is a shame that the class size reduction legislation was not signed into law with Mayoral Accountability. The resulting impact of school budget cuts will harm students further as class sizes increase, affecting educational outcomes. I urge the Governor to follow through on the state’s obligation under the CFE ruling and sign S9460 into law.  Answer the call of families across the city, sign that bill!” 

“We ask that the Governor sign the class size bill as soon as possible, which would also help to limit the Mayor’s damaging cuts to school budgets, which if left unchecked will further undermine the ability of NYC children to receive the quality education that they desperately need now more than ever before,” said State Senator Julia Salazar (SD-18).

The Governor must make good on her promise and sign the class size reduction bill. It was part of the deal for renewing mayoral control. The Mayor's dyslexia initiative needs smaller classes to be effective. As a former teacher of deaf students, I know just how critical smaller class sizes are to students’ ability to succeed. Small classes improve outcomes for all students, especially those of color and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Parents and educators are reeling--stretched to the limits by the pandemic and now with school budget cuts--and we can't let them down,” said Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon.

As eminent education historian and advocate Diane Ravitch concluded, “ Governor Kathy Hochul is double crossing the students, teachers, and parents of NYC.”

Halabi should be HSVP - But Unity Cheats Like Republicans in UFT version of gerrymandering -

Halabi: I am challenging Unity’s moral compass. This is one of many seats they control. But because they might lose it in a fair election, they made the rules unfair so they can continue to control it. 

If this were a borough-wide election, and the Bronx was going the “wrong way,” would Mulgrew try to change the rules to get Manhattanites to participate in Bronx elections? Because that’s kind of what he does when he has elementary teachers vote for the HS VP..... Jonathan Halabi, https://jd2718.org/2022/06/29/how-many-union-offices

We've done a number of articles matching Unity policy of control and repression to the Republicans controls enforcing minority rule and suppression of the majority. 

• The Cheat Goes On - UFT Democracy/Election Outrage...
• UFT Elections 2022: United for Change Files 71 pag...

Unity rigs elections beforehand -- 20K HS teachers disenfranchised

While we can't say that about the union as a whole, we can definitely say that about the high schools with its 20 thousand teachers. Dems rail about the fact that out of the past 20 years, only once has a Republican president received a majority of the votes. For the UFT, we can say that over the past 30 years, only in 2019 and 1993 has the Unity HS VP candidate received a majority. This is the Electoral college in spades.

So while we filed out 70 page report (still unanswered) on 2022 election violations, there are a lot more pre-election violations in the way Unity has controled the structure of the UFT.  30% of retirees voted for UFC both in this year's election and last year's chapter election. We get not one of the 300 delegates to the DA not does this 30% get a glimmer of a voice at the AFT/NYSUT conventions or on the Ex bd.

Then there are the non-election of district reps since Randi changed the rules 20 years ago because non-Unity Bruce Markens dared to get elected Manhatten HS DR for a decade -- she knew if she tampered while he was still there there would be howls of protest so she waited till he retired to abolish DR elections.

 

Jon Halabi looks at HS details in his piece about his history on union offices he's held. https://jd2718.org/2022/06/29/how-many-union-offices. 

Would the UFT and high school teachers be better off by having a Halabi like diverse voice on AdCom? Hell yes!

High School Vice President

High School teachers chose me to be their Vice President in May. I got most of their votes. But I did not win. Let me explain.

This Spring I ran in the United Federation of Teachers election. I ran for High School Vice President. I lost. The Unity Candidate, Janella Hinds, received 66%. I got 34%. That’s a little less than two-to-one. Actually, it’s a pretty good result for a non-Unity candidate, perhaps the best… since… hmm.

So you can see the numbers. I see the numbers. How can I claim I got more votes? Actually, I don’t claim I got more votes. I claim I got more high school votes. I did.

In 1985 Michael Shulman of New Action beat the Unity candidate, George Altomare, for High School Vice President. When Unity took the seat back they started playing with the constitution. And eventually what they came up with was what you see above – we do not run for “HS Vice President” but for “Vice President At-Large/High School (Academic)”. That “At-Large” business is so that elementary teachers participate in the selection of the HS Vice President. Elementary supports Unity. (or at least it has, up to now). High School does not support Unity.

So among all voters – mostly not high school voters, I received 34%. But in the high schools?

There were 2,508 slate votes for United for Change in the high schools. Most of those are academic high schools. And most of those votes are mine. Unity had 1,981. Most of those are Janella’s. There were perhaps a total of 200-250 non-slate votes. Those would not have made a difference. I got more high school votes. I got around 56% of the high school vote, and lost to someone who got about 44%.

I’m not challenging the election results. I knew what the rules were going in. Unity followed correct procedures in transforming the VPs from representing a division, to being “at large.” But I am challenging Unity’s moral compass. This is one of many seats they control. But because they might lose it in a fair election, they made the rules unfair so they can continue to control it.

If this were a borough-wide election, and the Bronx was going the “wrong way,” would Mulgrew try to change the rules to get Manhattanites to participate in Bronx elections? Because that’s kind of what he does when he has elementary teachers vote for the HS VP.

This is a naked power grab. They know the rules are anti-democratic. They know this is essentially the same garbage the republicans pull all over the country. It is an internal union equivalent of voter suppression. Taking what is not yours because you can and no one can stop you – no need to characterize that.

 

Poison PEP - Chancellor Banks - Not Even a Competent Bullshitter, Rally Against Budget cuts - If You can call it that

I watched the recent PEP last week for hours - on and off - the Panel for Educational Policy -- PEP - which I am renaming PECS - Panel for Educational Charter Schools. They want to starve the beast to prove public schools except for a few don't work.

Goal to starve the beast - the public scbool system -- to drive the move for vouchers and other options. And it will work. Imagine a totally fragmentized and Balcanized non-union system. Once those pesky UFT salaries are out of the way, the charters won't have to compete on salary -- or even on competentce of teachers --- just drag them off the street for the schools in poor neighborhoods.

Banks made a few appearances and they were almost embarassing. He can't even lie effectively and uses phony charm to try to get over.

MORE came up big at the PEP --maybe 30 people spoke -- no one from the UFT leadership - I repeat - totally absent from a major meeting dealing with massive cuts. 

I posted the Ronnie Almonte speech and newsletter -- Ronnie gets what the political agenda is about: Starve the beast -- and show how government doesn't work.  There was a rally of sorts where MORE had more people showed than Unity. I mean this is a union of 197,000 people. Getting a few hundred out makes the union look weak. Sometimes its better to stay home.

Leonie is on the case on the budget cuts.  (And on Class size -- big event for Skinny Awards Monday night.)

Class Size Matters

$1.1 billion in unspent funds by DOE for FY 2020 and FY 2021 – making cuts to schools even more outrageous - See below; a budget presentation by the DOE dated June 21, showing unspent allocations to schools and districts of $1.1 billion from FY 2020 and FY 2021, w... 

 

BTW - UFT endorsed Hochul -- who obviously won big -- has not yet signed the class size bill --- And her buddy Adams doesn't want her to. 

Video - Ronnie Almonte - Recently elected Ex Bd member - Riveting Speech and Article: NYC Schools Deserve Budget Boosts, Not Cuts

Adams intends to advance his party’s national crusade to privatize education and bust teachers unions. Surely his cuts will accelerate enrollment decline, providing the pretext for further cuts and reallocation of public funds to privately-run, ununionized schools.... Ronnie Almonte

Note Mulgrew and Barr watching

Ronnie was just elected to the UFT Ex Bd and he really gets the agenda of the privatizers now running NYC schools - a total echo of the 12 years of Bloomberg. They are creating a budget cut "crisis" to force the debate on lifting the charter cap for NYC. Make public schools less attractive is the goal and leave them for the people who can't find a way out. Sift off the higher academic achievers into the privatized system and use public money to pay. Instead of managing an effective system, they are looking to offload as much of the system as they can into non-unionized schools, thus weakening an already weakened UFT.

At the rally to protest budget cuts on Friday called by the UFT, MORE had an enormpus presences and Ronnie made this awesome speech - and note Mike Mulgrew and  Leroy Barr in the background either cheering him on or dreading seeing him every two weeks at Ex Bd meetings.

https://youtu.be/htb_lAlHmE4

I think I may have met Ronnie once in person, but am looking forward to seeing more of him. You can subscribe to his new newsletter by using the link below his article.

NYC Schools Deserve Budget Boosts, Not Cuts

The Mayor and City Hall's attack on education must be met with mass resistance

Ronnie Almonte Jun 27

NYC Schools are under attack from the Mayor and City Hall. At least $215 million, but probably closer to $1.7 billion, has been slashed from next year’s school budgets. Teachers, counselors, and other workers are learning that their positions have been cut. Next year’s short-staffed schools will struggle to meet their students’ high academic and social-emotional needs as they grapple with larger class sizes and heavier case loads. Mayor Eric Adams—who controls the schools—could fully fund the system from the Department of Education’s $5 billion of federal relief money. His refusal to do so amounts to nothing less than an assault on public education.

Adams claims he’s simply adjusting budgets to match declining enrollment. It’s a lie; he’s also reduced the dollar amount a school receives per student, so those with the same enrollment will see their funding cut. His “adjustments” are first and foremost to expectations that the DOE will use its federal cash to make long overdue improvements to learning conditions. He’s squandered the chance to answer the decades-old call to reduce class sizes to levels comparable to white, suburban districts throughout the state. It’s not ignorance or mismanagement, but strategy. Adams intends to advance his party’s national crusade to privatize education and bust teachers unions. Surely his cuts will accelerate enrollment decline, providing the pretext for further cuts and reallocation of public funds to privately-run, ununionized schools.

He can be stopped, but our resistance must be strategic. Adams and City Hall’s budget boost to the NYPD shows that their commitment is to guns and riot gear over books and counseling. The UFT’s rally at City Hall on Friday was a good start, and surely we should continue protesting, writing to our representatives, and penning open letters to our communities. But the union must plot a course for escalating tactics in the event that the cuts are not restored. Everything good from the labor movement was gained by workers acting together to disrupt business as usual, with picketts, slowdowns, and strikes. We’re a big union with tremendous power. It’s about time we leverage it.

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Dems and UFT want everyone in Privatized Medicare Advantage (MulgrewCare)- Machinist Retirees Resist, Threats to Working Member HealthCare

Our leadership is willing to sacrifice our health care needs for their own narrow political ends.  

 

That may not be such an easy sell as:

...it looks like Mulgrewcare might eventually be coming to active people. Only a judge stopped a healthcare plan that would have denied a choice of free plans for retirees. We called the inferior plan Mulgrewcare.--- James Eterno, ICEUFT Blog

This is not only a local but a national issue as a project of the Dem party since the Clinton days:

A Biden administration official in charge of the program has said they intend to have all the traditional Medicare beneficiaries in such for-profit programs by 2030..... Daily Kos

And the UFT/AFT/NYSUT anti progressive agenda is tied to Dem Center right corporatists where the health care industry pores millions of lobbying dollars.

Saturday, June 25, 2022

 

There's a lot on this plate for you to chew on. Retiree Advocate continues to work toward fighting the attempt by the city and our own beloved union to remove us from Medicare and into a higher expense MedAdv plan to save money. Someone explain how much higher expenses save money unless it comes out of services.   

 

June 30 will be a year since our big march and rally to protest MulgrewCare. Posts from June/July 2021:

• Reminder - Noon rally plus Compare and co...
• MEDIA ADVISORY: Rally and Tour to save Medicare fo...
• Are Municipal Unions Selling Out Retirees? Hell YES - 
• Cross Union Retirees Organizing - Hundreds of Ret... 

Last week we had another rally at city hall. I've been trying to keep up with the story:

• Successful anti-MulgrewCare Rally - Politicians su...
• Changes coming to working UFTers, Noon Rally Today...
• MulgrewCare Update: Biden Hikes Medicare Prices an...

And James has an update:

• ICEUFT Blog ACTIVE CITY WORKERS NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR UNIONS DISCUSSING HEALTHCARE SAVINGS - UFT Chapter Leader Update: Efforts begin to rein in health care costs. The Municipal Labor Committee, the umbrella group of nearly 100 municipal labor unions including the UFT, negotiates the health care benefits of all city workers. The top priority of the MLC and the UFT is to maintain high-quality, premium-free health care for all city workers even as costs increase year after year. The city, with the MLC’s support, issued a request for information on June 16 to let the health care industry know that the city is seeking a 10% decrease in health care costs without sacrificing any of its employees’ existing benefits

This cutout from the article on the Machinists resistance sums up the situation:

the Medicare direct contracting pilot program that Trump initiated where equity firms and insurance companies could come in and basically buy up clinics and medical facilities and move people over to that private system without having to really notify them or explain to Medicare recipients that they were now in a different system,” Lux told the members.....  there is about $1.6 trillion in the Medicare Trust Fund that these private equity firms and insurance companies are just waiting to get at—to make a profit 

While we know it's impossible that we will see Medicare for All nationally, there is the NY Health Act which both the UFT and DC 37 oppose. Why? One answer is they employ many people to handle our healthcare and those, often patronage, jobs would disappear. The other is that they can claim to members that the leadership has delivered health care and once that's out of their hands, what else can they deliver? Bupkus. So our leadership is willing to sacrifice our health care needs for their own narrow political ends.

 

It is important to connect what's happening locally with the national trend which is privatization to save money on the backs of the patients while insuring massive profits to industry. I posted a story from The Lever on how Biden is pushing privatization:

• Just like MulgrewCare - The Lever- Biden Hikes Med...

BTW - Biden has appointed a guy who wants to privatize social security too.

Reality check -- 2024 will be a disaster and will have the even more awful Rep a trifecta and a DeSantis will be a smart Trump and give us our own Viktor Orban. For me the only Dem who could have a chance is John Fetterman but given his health etc that is a dim chance. Pete or Harris? OY! We're dead.

Here are two more stories to check out: An update from the lawsuit that has stopped MulgrewCare so far and  -- this union is fighting back:

Machinists’ Retirees 751 Resolve to End ACO REACH & the Privatizing of Medicare

VOTE NO on Whatever Contract Unity Negotiates/ Resist UFT Cone of Silence, Calls for Open Bargaining

We simply cannot surrender our right to share with our coworkers information that affects their livelihood. We were elected to the Executive Board to amplify the needs of our members, not to make decisions unilaterally behind their backs....
Alex Jallot and Ronnie Almonte, UFT Ex Bd High School (as of July 1, 2022)

The cone of silence descends on the UFT negotiating committee. Some UFT Ex Bd members refuse to sign the Non Disclosure Agreement. 

I believe just about all contract issues have been pre-decided by the leadership already - including what they will accept. Don't hold your breath for inflation matching raises. Any hint of preventing this farce by open bargaining has been disparaged by Unity -- you don't bargain in public.

Until you do:

Turning the Tables: Transparent, Big, and Open Bargaining ...

https://janemcalevey.com › Speaking Engagements

Feb 8, 2022 — from Jane McAlevey ... How unions negotiate is a strategic choice. Seldom do union members experience the actual process of collective ...

Seven Steps to Opening Up Bargaining | Labor Notes

Is Open/Public Bargaining the Future for Public Schools?

Should unions say no to closed-door negotiations? 

Open- versus Closed-Door Negotiations - JSTOR

UFT will put a giant version of the cone of silence over contract meetings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, June 23, 2022

I've been mocking the UFT/Unity leadership over its faux negotiating committee farce for years.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

UFT Contract UFT Cast of Thousands Contract Committee
I raised some questions on the then 350 member Neg Comm, now expanded to as many as can fit in the cone of silence dome.

Questions on the Negotiation Committee: How are people chosen to be on this committee? Of the 350 committee members how many are in Unity Caucus? Does secrecy mean that Unity Caucus members don’t discuss the issues brought up for discussion among themselves? Are we to believe that the only discussion that takes place among Unity Caucus members is in the committee room?

If you think top level Unity don't discuss the issues beforehand, take a walk on the bridge you just bought.

In fact, I believe just about all contract issues have been pre-decided by the leadership and their main problem is how to filter the info out to the negotiating committee and how to do it to make it look democratic. Every committee will echo the election committee with a Unity majority. I like that there are people who want to be on the neg Comm even if having to sign the NDA and also that there are people who won't sign.

 

 

We know the contract will suck and many in the opposition will call for a Vote No campaign - in fact I'm starting the campaign right now -- oh, shit, retirees don't get to vote on the contract. You working stiffs have my proxy.

Some Unity slug will stop by to comment on how dumb I am.

 

 I urge people to accept the reality and just call for a NO VOTE NOW.

But most people connected to United for Change who are on the committee are signing the NDA - but we do have some newly elected Ex Bd people who were added to the negotiating committee but are refusing to sign and therefore will not be on the committee -- and they came under attack by ubber Unity Hack Richard Skibbens.  But who cares?

 

 

Here is the statement by these two members of MORE:

 

WE believe our union's contract should be open and transparent to all members and stakeholders (see the work of Jane McAlvey). 

 

Under the duress of our union leadership's decision to keep talks with management confidential. I am compelled to sign today's agreement because the interests of my chapter must still be represented in these negotiations.

As newly elected Executive Board members, we have been invited to join the union’s contract negotiating committee. In a time of pandemic and budget cuts, it’s critical that we bargain for better salaries, benefits, and working conditions.

As workplace leaders, we also believe that our union’s strength depends on making decisions collectively with openness and transparency. Unfortunately, the UFT has a long practice of requiring members (who are hand-picked) to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) as a condition for serving on the negotiating committee. We oppose this policy because it prevents the membership from holding the committee accountable, puts pressure on the UFT to broker backroom deals with politicians rather than rely on the strength of the union membership, and thus undermines the union’s ability to win a strong contract. For this reason we oppose the NDA, and refuse to sign it as much as we would like to join the committee. We simply cannot surrender our right to share with our coworkers information that affects their livelihood. We were elected to the Executive Board to amplify the needs of our members, not to make decisions unilaterally behind their backs.

The upcoming negotiations with the city must be open and transparent. In this way the membership can be made aware of what’s at stake, can follow the progress of negotiations, and can be mobilized in moments where the city refuses to compromise. Our members are the union, and their activity is the source of its power. Open bargaining is the path to securing the working conditions we deserve, and the schools our students need.

Signed,

Alex Jallot, Ronnie Almonte

Ex Bd meetings will be fun again next year. 

 

Join the June 23 People’s Panel for Educational Policy!- Make your voices heard

Shades of the Bloomberg era - it's time to go back to the PEP - except they got an emergency reprieve from having to face the public in person through the July meeting -- so this is zoom only. 

I have little doubt that Adams etc are privatizers of public schools. Cut the budget deeply and create demand for the charter school cap to be lifted. The class size law? Hochul hasn't signed it yet. Adams doesn't want it. Watch the primary outcome to get a clue to see if she signs it.

Norm Scott

 

Calling all Parents, Students, Educators, and School Staff

Make your voices heard – In Unity There is Strength!

Join the June 23 People’s Panel for Educational Policy!

Budget Cuts? Layoffs? School Closings? Class size? Charter School Takeovers? High Stakes Testing?  Homeless Families?

Defend Our NYC Public School Communities

Whose Schools?  Our Schools!

Hosted by the Coalition to End Mayoral Control https://www.nycmayoralcontrolnot.org/

Thursday June 23, 2022.  6:00 -7:30 PM

Register for the zoom call below.   If you wish to speak sign up  when the meeting begins

You are invited to a Zoom meeting. 

When: Jun 23, 2022 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us04web.zoom.us/meeting/register/upIpdumrrjwpGtRwUNpm6YT8jecxeg06wVfS

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.