July 6 - UFT Contract Vote Count in the Catacombs and Retiree Court case rally at Thomas Paine Park

Join me at the UFT contract vote count Thursday - 

• Rushed UFT Contract Ratification Process Leads to Integrity Questions

 
Join www.nycretirees.org for help make a donation and subscribe to their newsletter

 

July 5

 

Tomorrow, July 6, two events are taking place related to the UFT.

 

Resisting Mulgrewcare: Party time outside the retiree law suit

The deadline for opting out of the Medicare Advantage Plan was extended to July 10 - let's see if the judge has anything to say about that, given that some doctors are not even aware of it and people don't have the info they need. My immediate sense is there are a hell of a lot of people willing to waive their benefits - in some cases ten grand - to stay in Medicare -- the city benefits by not havign to pay -- I'm not letting them get away with that so I will not be opting out.

Thomas Paine Park is an appropriate spot for meeting up in an era of UFT/Unity leadership of increasing suppression of democracy in the face of attacks on critical voices.

So 90 degrees won't stop us boomers - actually, I'm a pre-boomer, having breathed the same air as FDR for the first month of my life. I will also be going to.....

 

The UFT contract vote  is also tomorrow and members have a right to observe -- I'm intending to go if I can find out where it is - I have attended contract vote counts as an observer a number of times in the past.

Do I expect the increasingly oppressive UFT leadership to toss obstacles in the way? I do. They see information as an enemy, to be attacked and they engage in the Trump tactic of shouting "fake" news.

The likely suspected places to observe are either at the American Arbitration Association at 120 Broadway, the UFT at 52 or some arbitrary subway catacombs. 

We pretty much expect the contract to pass but by how much is the issue.

And what about the snafus pointed out here:

Rushed UFT Contract Ratification Process Leads to Integrity Questions

Mistakes were made, never by the UFT leadership but by some gremlin. Maybe Chat AI. Did some packages mailed by schools get to the AAA or get lost? I'd like to see a list of schools that were returned and those that were not? 

Here is the letter sent by the 7 UFC Ex Bd members on June 27 - with as far as I know, no reply:

 

June 27, 2023

From: Ronnie Almonte batresalmonte@gmail.com Nick Bacon, bacon.nick.a@gmail.com
Ed Calamia gonzojour2002@aol.com
Alex Jallot alexjallot@gmail.com

Ibeth Mejia i.rosiomejia@gmail.com
Ilona Clara Nanay icnanay@gmail.com
Luli Rodriguez rodriguez.luli1@gmail.com

High School Representatives to the United Federation of Teachers Executive Board To: Hiro Kawahara

AAA Director of Elections, 120 Broadway 21st Fl, New York, NY, 10271 AAAelectionsdirector@adr.org

Cc: Ken Egger, AAA National Vice President of Elections, eggerk@adr.org
Michael Mulgrew, President, United Federation of Teachers mmulgrew@uft.org
Melinda Person, New York State United Teachers President, melinda.person@nysut.org Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers President, rweingarten@aft.org

You are no doubt aware of the challenges in the UFT contract ratification process regarding delays in ballots arriving at schools and challenges with return mailing labels for ballot packets.

Many chapters did not receive ballots until Thursday or Friday June 22nd or 23rd, resulting in rushed balloting on the last two days of school on the 26th and 27th and potentially affecting turnout.

Even more worrisome, the mailing labels sent out for the return of ballots from schools had to be corrected and re-sent three times, in successive emails on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, June 21st-23rd. The last email informed chapter leaders that some post office personnel were not accepting the new return labels and they instead had to be sent via a self-service kiosk (which is not available at all post office locations). We have received reports that this has resulted in difficulty in chapter leaders returning their ballot packets, and may have resulted in some packets not being received at all by AAA.

The integrity of the contract ratification process is of utmost importance to our members as it will determine the working conditions in schools and learning conditions for a million New York City school children for the next four years.

We would like to request that the AAA record and publish the number of ballots returned from each school chapter in each category (teacher, paraprofessional, secretary, guidance counselor, lab specialist). This would allow chapter leaders who mailed their ballots with the faulty labels to determine if their ballots actually arrived at the count, allowing the union to understand the scope and scale of the lost vote.

We hope that the actual impact on the vote of these problems will be minimal, but transparent and public accountability will be key in retaining the trust and confidence of our members in this process.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this request. Please feel free to contact us at the email addresses listed above.

Sincerely
Ronnie Almonte, Nick Bacon, Ed Calamia, Alex Jallot, Ibeth Mejia, Ilona Nanay, Luli Rodriguez

 

Battle Hymn of the Republicans - Fred Smith

Fred Smith, the poet lauriate of good causes, is at it again. So nice seeing him at the Leonie Haimson abode last week for the Skinny Awards honoring Jamaal Bowman.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Battle Hymn of the Republicans

Their lies hath told the story,

Sowing distrust and discord;

They believe the greatest glory

Is to kneel before their Lord,

And to spread the hateful gospel

‘Til His kingdom is restored;

Mistruth is marching on.

Glory, glory rigged election!

Glory, glory misdirection!

Glory, glory resurrection!

Mistruth is marching on.

We have seen his eyes a-squinting

‘Neath an empty gilded poof;

This fountainhead of falsity,

Duping followers, forsooth,

Who echo all his sick beliefs

Without need for any proof;

Big lies keep marching on.

Fury, gaseous and expulsive,

Unrestrainedly compulsive,

Spewing noxious words repulsive,

His lies keep marching on.

His apostles spread the message--

Amen choir on the Hill;

He was blaring out the trumpet call

To do His pure blood will,

And unleash His Proud Boy army to

Discharge their one-six kill.

His legions carry on.

Hail the Fuhrer’s neo-Nazis,

And oath keeper kamikazes,

And the fact-distorting Fox-ies.

His legions carry on.

Amidst that clash, one zealot ‘scaped

Death from the crazed invaders,

And stood against the violence of

The Capitol Crusaders.

The golden idol’s dreams were dashed;

So too, the MAGA traitors’.

There is a higher law.

To those who fear replacement,

Seeking democracy’s defeat,

Remaining yet unchastened:

There is a judgment seat!

Yea, there’s a Judgment Day.

Glory, glory higher power

Above any ruler’s tower,

Who must face his final hour.

There is a Judgment Day!

 

UFT Contract and Unity Scare tactics plus Retiree Advocate Lists City Council Members to ask to co-sponsor Bill 1099 to offer option to remain in Medicare

Two main items for today. The contract vote is supposedly wrapping up with the possible count being July 6 - but there are so many snafus in how ballots are being returned, we may find votes for entire schools possibly getting "lost." 

 

Get the details on the snafu at EONYC:

Will Our UFT Ratification Votes for the Tentative Contract be Received or Counted?

A rushed ratification process along with botched mail return labels and confusing emails lead to serious questions about election integrity.

I'm not going to get further into the gritty details and leave it to Arthur, EONYC, Nick and Jonathan - hey, where are the lady bloggers in NYC Ed?

 

• 2023-2024 Calendar ‘Fixed’ – Regardless of How You Vote on the Contract

• A Different Kind of ‘Pay cut:’ When Student/Employee Data is Compromised

• Rushed UFT Contract Ratification Process Leads to Integrity Questions

• Intimidation during the vote – 37½ minutes

• Are there health care cuts in this contract?

• Union Bosses Vs. Union Members

 

Skinny Awards Tonight

Tonight is Leonie Haimson's Skinny Awards honoring Jamaal Bowman -- a bunch of us will be there --  you probably can still sign up or make a donation to the work Leonie does. Bowman is probably the only true education advocate in Congress. And he supports us on the healthcare issue.

 

 

City Council Updates

Harry Garrido  appeared on NY1 in an Errol Lewis (way over rated) interview that was sponsored by guess who -- AETNA.

Retirees Slams DC 37 Garrido over Threats at Press Conference today, June 22 Rally pics

Breaking on Tuesday Primary:

Of the contested City Council seats that may affect an eventual Medicare vote:

• It looks like our D42 Socialist friend Charles Barron is out, as of January, as he is significantly trailing UFT-endorsed candidate Chris Banks.
• Yusef Salaam will replace our friend Kristin Jordan Richardson who did not run. Salaam is nominally a progressive. He beat KRJ's centrist challenger Inez Dickens (who was endorsed by the UFT) in something of a surprise upset.
• Our solid Republican friend, Ari Kagan, will go up against our wishy-washy Democratic friend, Justin Brannan, in the newly drawn 47th District in Brooklyn.
• The newly drawn, majority-Asian, 43rd District in Brooklyn's Sunset Park Chinatown may be a close race in November featuring a hard-right Democrat, Susan Zhuang, versus a yet-to-be-determined, actual Republican (either Ying Tan or Vito LaBella).

In other contested races involving 1099-supportive friends, Christopher Marte cruised in D1 (Yay!), Lynn Schulman is well ahead in D29, and Linda Lee cruised in D23.

The UFT seems to have bumped off Barron - bad news for retirees.

 

Video from rallies and press conference:  

https://youtu.be/BEPlvjzFFPU 

 

Message from Retiree Advocate 

As many of you have heard, there is a new bill in the NY City Council that would require the City to offer Medicare-eligible city retirees and their Medicare-eligible dependents at least one Medigap plan with benefits equivalent to or better than those available to city retirees and their dependents as of December 31, 2021.

It would provide retirees with the health coverage that they have had for decades and would stop the unacceptable transfer into a Medicare Advantage Plan.

Let's do what we can to make this Bill get the support it needs to become binding.

Contact City Council Members

Ask  them to co-sponsor Bill 1099

Sample Letter

Good morning CM               ,

I am a New York City retiree, and I am urging you to support Council Member Barron's Retiree bill 1099  which guarantees all city retirees and their dependents the right to remain on traditional Medicare with a Medicare Supplemental (or Medigap) plan paid for by the City of New York as required under Section 12-126. 

I ask and expect your support for this bill. Will you co-sponsor, support and vote for bill 1099 to protect retirees' healthcare options? I request  your response asap.  

https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6267700&GUID=9021FA22-8CC9-48BA-AB3F-4AA87098B367&Options=ID|Text|&Search=barron

Thank you, 

Name,

?? year retired teacher, UFT retiree

Email

Phone Number

City Council Spreadsheet with Contact list- June 26, 2023

Yellow = Co-sponsors of Barron’s Healhtcare Bill

District 1-Christopher Marte- COS-Caitlin Kelmar ckelmar@council.nyc.gov  Leg. Dir. Ian Wang Iwang@council.nyc.gov 

District 2- Carlina Rivera- COS is Katie Loeb-kloeb@council.nyc.gov   district office-212 6771077, leg. office-212 788 7366 

District 3-Erik Bottcher- Leg. Dir. Pam Comerford  pcomerford@council.nyc.gov  District Office: 212-564-7757

District 4- Keith Powers- Hayley Brundige  legislative director and budget director hbrundige@council.nyc.gov  COS is Ben Jacobs bjacobs@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7393 District Office: 212-818-0580

District 5- Julie Menin- District5@council.nyc.gov  Chief of Staff Jonathan Szott  JSzott@council.nyc.gov Leg Dir-Brandon Jordan  bjordan@council.nyc.gov  Scheduler/Director of Constituent Services -Cameron Koffman CKoffman@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-6865

District 6- Gale Brewer-Shulamit Puder, Chief of Staff spuder@council.nyc.gov d06scheduling@council.nyc.gov  Rosalba Rodriguez- rorodriguez@council.nyc.gov 

District Office: 212-873-0282 Legislative office 212-788-6975

District 7- Shaun Abreu-COS-Amber Moorer-amoorer@council.nyc.gov Policy and Budget Dir. Jalissa Quigley-jquigley@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7007 District Office: 212-928-6814

District 8- Diana Ayala-COS Elise Encarnacion eencarnacion@council.nyc.gov  212-788-6960. Ashley Aviles-Asst to Office of Deputy Speaker-Asaviles@council.nyc.gov Dir of Budget-Stephanie Herrera- sherrera@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6960 District Office: 212-828-9800/ 347-297-4922

District 9-Kristen Richardson Jordan- kjordan@council.nyc.gov  646 960 1344 COS Jack McClatchy@council.nyc.gov   or ghearne@council.nyc.gov 929 595 4586 Lisa McKraken lmccraken@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7397

District 10-Carmen de la Rosa-COS- James Burke-jburke@council.nyc.gov  Leg Dir- Kiana Diaz-Kdiaz@council.nyc.gov  (646) 670-6901Legislative Office: 212-788-7053 District Office: 917-521-2616 

District 11-Eric Dinowitz-Chief of Staff Jenna Klaus Jklaus@council.nyc.gov    For scheduling inquiries contact d11scheduling@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: (212) 788-7080 District Office: (718) 549-7300

District 12-Kevin C. Riley- COS is Simone Jones- sijones@council   Budget Director- Jahmal Yapp Jyapp@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: (212)-788-6873 District Office: (718) 684-5509 or 347-326-8652

District 13-Marjorie Velazquez- district13@council.nyc.gov COS- Jackie Crossan jcrossan@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7375 District Office: 718-931-1721

District 14- Pierina Ana Sanchez- constituent services -Adrian Cacho acacho@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7074 District Office: 917-409-6376‬

District 15-Oswald Feliz- Theona Reets-COS and Budget Director- treets@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office:212-788-6966 District Office: 718-842-8100

District 16-Althea Stevens- COS Kate Connolly  kconnolly@council.nyc.gov . Dep. COS- Tyreke Israel  tisrael@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6856 District Office: 718-588-7500

District 17-Rafael Salamanca-  Salamanca@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7384 District Office: 718-402-6130

District 18-Amanda Farias- Randi Malman rmalman@council.nyc.gov . Leg. Dir. is Rebecca Nieves-rnieves@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6853 

District Office: 718 792-1140

District 19-Vickie Paladino- Constituent Services Evelyn Mallo  emallo@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7250

 District 20- Sandra Ung- COS-Alexander Hart ahart@council.nyc.gov  Community Liaison- Dan Lin dlin@council.nyc.gov District Office: 718-888-8747

 

District 21-Francisco Moya-  COS is Meghan Tadio  MTadio@council.nyc.gov Leg. dir- Rebecca Beaver rbeaver@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6862 

District Office: 718-651-1917

District 22- Tiffany Caban-COS Steph Silkowski -ssilkowski@council.nyc.gov Leg. Director-Madhuri -mshukla@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6963

 District Office: 718-274-4500

District 23-Linda Lee- COS Amanda Vazquez Amvazquez@council.nyc.gov  

District 24- James F. Gennaro- COS- Henry Yam hyam@council.nyc.gov  Leg. Dir.-Nabjot Kaur-Nkaur@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6956

District Office: 718-217-4969

District 25- Shekar Krishnan-  COS is Chuck Park-cpark@council.nyc.gov Leg. Dir. is Greg Clark-gclark@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7066 District Office: 929-293-0206

District 26- Julie Won - Carolina Gil Chief of Staff CGil@council.nyc.gov   Legislative Director - Isaac Blasenstein IBlasenstein@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7370 District Office: 718-383-9566

District 27- Nantasha Williams-  Budget and Leg Dir. Everton Smith esmith@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7084 District Office: 718-776-3700

District 28- Adrienne Adams-Chief of Staff Jeremy John- Jejohn@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-6850 District Office: 718-206-2068

District 29- Lynn Schulman- COS Seth Urbinder  surbinder@council.nyc.gov - (718) 544- 8800

District 30- Robert Holden- COS-Daniel Kurzyna dkurzyna@council.nyc.gov  Leg Dir-Craig Caruana-ccaruana@council.nyc.gov Budget Dir-Sally Wong swong@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: (212) 788-7381 District Office: (718) 366-3900

District 31- Selvena N. Brooks-Powers-district31@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7216 District Office: 718-471-7014 or 718-527-4356

District 32- Joann Ariola-COS Phyllis Inserillo   pinserillo@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7069  District Office: 718-738-1083 or 718-318-6411

District 33-Lincoln Restler-  COS Mariana Alexander malexander@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7348 District Office: 718-875-5200

District 34-Jennifer Gutierrez- COS-Anna Bessendorf - Abessendorf@council.nyc.gov  Leg Dir-Anya Lehr- alehr@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7095 

District Office: 718-963-3141

District 35- Crystal Hudson- Dir. of Policy and Budget Andrew Wright anwright@council.nyc.gov. COS- Cassie Addison caddison@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7081 District Office: 718-260-9191

District 36-Chi Osse - Chief of Staff, Naomi Hopkins, nhopkins@council.nyc.gov  Policy & Legislative Director- May Vutrapongatana  - mvutrapongvatana@council.nyc.gov-   Scheduler is Christina Serrano cserrano@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7354 

District Office: 718-919-0740

District 37- Sandy Nurse -COS-Carlos Munoz  cmunoz@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7284 District Office: 718-642-8664

District 38-Alexa Aviles-Chief of Staff- Edward Cena ecerna@council.nyc.gov. Leg. Dir. Christina Bottego-cbottego@council.nyc.gov scheduler- JAlort@council.nyc.gov 

Legislative Office: 212-788-7372 District Office: 718-439-9012

 

District 39- Shahana Hanif- Nora Brickner Chief of Staff  nbrickner@council.nyc.gov Leg dir- aliao@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6969 District Office: 718-499-1090

District 40-Rita Joseph -  Leg Dir jdesouve@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7352 District Office:718-287-8762

District 41- Darlene Mealy- Legislative Office: 212-788-7387 District Office: 718-953-3097

District 42-Charles Barron-COS: William Clay wclay@council.nyc.gov Also: Vinson Verdree- viverdree@council.nyc.gov 718 649-9495 212 788-6957

District 43-Justin Brannan-Chief of Staff- Christopher McCreight -CMccreight@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7363 District Office: 718-748-5200

District 44-Kalman Yeger- Budget Director- Maria Markh mmarkh@council.nyc.gov   COS? Linda Pillcorema- Lpillcorema@council.nyc.gov  askkalman@council.nyc.gov  

Legislative Office: 212-788-7357 District Office: 718-853-2704

District 45-Farah N. Louis-  For leg. and budget Dir. Ruth Guillaume rguillaume@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6859 District Office: 718-629-2900

District 46-Mercedes Narcisse- COS   Saye Joseph  sajoseph@council.nyc.gov  Frank Shea- Dep. COS fshea@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7286 District Office: 718-241-9330 

District 47-Ari Kagan-  COS Jeanine Cherichetti   jcherichetti@council.nyc.gov Also Ather Tirmizi- Budget Dir. atirmizi@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7045 

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