Sunday, September 24, 2006

UFT Leadership Blinks: Still Refuses, However, to Admit Appointment of DRs Is Illegal

As reported here last week Randi could offer no explanation as to why selection of District Representatives was still being made even though the temporary resolution authorizing it expired last June. In the agenda for Monday's Executive Board meeting Randi and her leadership committee approved a resolution calling for the continuation of this illegal practice and the formation of a "bipartisan" committee to study the matter. They have no reason; no emergency; no strategy to explain why selection must continue. Rather they have to form a committee to dream up an excuse.

Study what? Whether democracy is better than autocratic rule?

The selection process for Queens High Schools District Representative is a prime example of how the appointment process passes over clearly competent candidates over a less qualifed applicant who is of course a member of the Unity Caucus. Just like the C-30 process the Union has fought to expose as a sham the DR selection process takes this bogus process one step further; there is no right for non-Unity members to take part in the process or be involved in the final decision making. Thus the "qualification" for DR becomes a competition for who is most loyal to their Unity pledge. And this is democracy?

If it weren't for Federal Law they would try to appoint all of the officers.

I am embarrassed to be part of an organization that touts democracy in other Unions and countries but shuts the door on a process that would make DRs accountable to the Chapter Leaders they serve and become more democratic.

I guess it's not hard to figure out why they want to restart the selection process.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

A few of the definitions of democracy in Webster's Dictionary. Hopefully Unity will read this.

1. Government by the people: esp rule of the majority
2. A government in which the supreme power is held by the people.
3. A political unit that has a democratic government.
4.
5. The commeon people esp. when constituting the source of politcal authority.
6. The absence of hereditary or arbitrary class distinctions of privileges.

Anonymous said...

You may recall Leo Casey writing about the proud tradition of union democracy and how ICE had the gall to besmirch it. Apparently he hadn't examined the UFT's tradition of absolute loyalty or expulsion from Unity lately, or the rewrite of the constitution that prohibited high school teachers from selecting their own VPs.

It's remarkable what they get away with. And they seem to have been doing it for many years. David Selden wrote of teachers being expelled from Unity for opposing the Vietnam war.

Anonymous said...

There you go whining again! Next, I suppose, you'll want teachers to vote for principals!

JustdaTruth said...

They will break! The fire is not hot enough yet for that to happen. I think along with circulating ICE literature. Teachers should stand outside of schools getting all the UFT members they can, to sign a petition for a more democratic union. This could be delivered by hand to UFT headquaters. A great "photo op" for campaign literature (you take good pictures Norm). We've only just begun to fight.

Anonymous said...

Unity claiming they want a democratic union is a joke, but it's not funny at all. As long as Unity is in power we can never have a democratic union, their track record speaks for itself. Lets turn up the heat, it's time we throw out this Stalinist Unity Regime. UNITY OUT!

Anonymous said...

You guys can criticize Unity all you want but I guarantee when you get in trouble we will be forced to defend you. You should be grateful.

Chaz said...

last anon:

I do appreciate that my union defends me. That is what I pay dues for. However, when the high schools cannot vote on who they want to represent them and non-democratic decisions are made without member input, then there is something wrong with the union.

Further, when a clueless & vindictive educrat like Leo Casey complains about global issues but can't see the abuses in the classroom, aided by his Unity friends, then anon that is a real problem!

Anonymous said...

Anon:

The Union (UFT) supports us no matter who is in control!

Second, whinning would not be an issue if our present contract protected our rights instead of eroding them.

Anonymous said...

Just a reminder... Unity is not the UFT. They are just a caucus that happens to have a stranglehold on our union, and uses it for their own personal gain. By the way, you don't have to thank your union for protecting you, thats what we pay them to do. They should be reminded of that

Anonymous said...

Let's contact Al Franken so that he can add a chapter to "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them," featuring UNITY and Randi.