It is a good thing retired teachers cannot vote for a contract.
The UFT Retired Teacher Chapter met last week. It was the first meeting I ever went to and it will almost definitely be my last.
While waiting to go in, a woman behind us started bitching about how long it took. She couldn't wait to get her hands on a plain bagel and of course some coffee. We got to stand and prepare our bagels and then eat on our laps. Many people spread out and took up two to three seats. As more and more people came in, the auditorium got crowded and it became harder to find a seat in some areas. I was amazed that people would not give up the extra seat.
The worst part of the meeting was the adoration most of the people present had for Mulgrew and the contract. Person after person got up and said how thankful they were that Mulgrew negotiated such a great contract. One person questioned how health care would be changed to save money. The UFT suits, one after another, made light of this question and it was passed over without any answers or even discussion.
In the scheme of things, the teachers at this meeting represented a very small portion of retired teachers, but the part they represented scared me. Overall, they think the UFT of today is the same UFT of old, which it clearly is not. They have bought into the medias presentation of ATRs and agree with the way these teachers will be treated. I was almost ashamed to be part of this group.
I'm happy retired teachers can't vote for the contract. But, on the same token it is time for the people to stand up, learn the facts about the contract being presented and make an intelligent, knowledgeable decision about voting yeah or neigh. They need to vote yes or no, not because someone told them it is the best deal they can get, or because they thing it is horrible, but yes or no based on real facts. They need to get out and vote and not assume their vote means nothing because the deal has already been decided.
5 comments:
I found that meeting to be a sad tribute to the UFT of over 50 years ago, when it was actually a labor union. It was almost pathetic how a couple of rather elderly union members got up and spoke about the glory days of our union, when Al Shanker was a true labor leader and the union actually fought for its members instead of selling them out. Today's union is a far cry from those times. Mulgrew and Weingarten are selling out NYC teachers, piece by piece. I certainly didn't understand the Unity lovefest that passed for this "meeting": the sycophantic behavior and speeches, the applause and adulation. I can only speak for myself, but I'm glad not to be a Stepford-retired teacher. I hope the hard working contract-voting teachers will think twice about voting yes for this heinous contract. There will be no career path for teachers in NYC if this contract is the template. How a union can "negotiate" non-union shops is mind-boggling; how an entity that calls itself a union can create, in collision with the DOE, an underclass of teachers, the ATRs, and then deny them the same due process as every other teacher is just beyond comprehension.
I went to meetings the first year or 2. It is a Unity fest. And under Jeannette Di Lorenzo they had better food and open mics. One Tom Pappas took over food got lousy and the took away the open mics. These people and their ilk were 52% of the votes Mulgrew got in the last election. Over 20,000 of them voted.
Open mikes back and being used to worship Mulgew.
I am assuming that your retirees get the same health package as current employees and have the same costs? That's what happens here so I take a keen interest in what goes on in these contract negotiations. As with all unions, the teacher's unions sure seem to be losing their teeth.
Thank you for doing this because I have yet to have any desire to go to one of these meetings even though I like the new director. He was a close friend of my DR when I was a chapter leader.
A few years ago someone from the retired chapter called me about an election. I was not going to vote for that candidate and asked her if she understood what was now going on in schools. Except for the occasional robo calls, I have a feeling my name was crossed off that list.
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