Monday, May 21, 2007

Staff Shake-Up at UFT Gives Strong Signal of Randi’s Departure

Executive Board Report….

Randi Weingarten, President of the UFT, in a "surprise" announcement at the May 21st Executive Board meeting, appointed Michael Mendel, the current Secretary of the Union and Staff Director, as Executive Assistant to the President. The new title recognized, as Weingarten put it, the fact the "I am not bionic."

According to Weingarten, Mendel will learn the ropes of negotiation and "all of the things I have not delegated in the past."

Weingarten did not say whether she was appointing Mendel to his duties because of any plan to leave her post but there has been wide spread speculation that she would abandon her day to day UFT responsibilities for Washington, D.C.

In related development Jeff Zahler, former Special Assistant to Randi and head of Unity caucus was appointed as Staff Director to permit Mendel more time in his new position.

We wish Michael well in his new position and can only hope he is able to win back all of the concessions we lost in the last contracts.

While salary enhancements were not announced the smiles on both Mendel and Zahler's faces after the announcement spoke thousands.

Randi decided to use her time reporting to the Executive Board to answer the "blog activity" about her recent trip to Los Angeles to visit Green Dot Charter Schools. She defended her attempts to partner with this company and tried to quell questions about the reported Green Dot's position against teacher tenure.

"Green Dot is a pro-union Charter School," she proclaimed. She argued that the loss of tenure was actually good for the teachers in this Charter School as the standard for teacher dismissal, "just cause" was "actually better."

We can only hope this does not signal a softening of the Union's position on tenure.

9 comments:

ed notes online said...

Coming Soon to UFT Staff: Loyalty Oaths?
Read the update at http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Can't wait till negotiations start for the next contract. What fun will that be with the Mendel 300 person negotiating committee.

Anonymous said...

"Just cause?" Isn't that a code for any damn reason to fire someone.

Anonymous said...

It must be hard for you guys to hold back from smirking every time you are proven correct. Once again your magic 8 ball has shown you wisdom.

Unity must go!!

Anonymous said...

Read the blog from way back; it's one big, long ICE vindication.

Anonymous said...

"Green Dot is a pro-union Charter School," she proclaimed. She argued
that the loss of tenure was actually good for the teachers in this
Charter School as the standard for teacher dismissal, "just cause" was
"actually better."

This should be mentioned in the next ICE leaflet.

Anonymous said...

Interesting story.

NYC Educator said...

Well, Green Dot is better for beginners, in that they have the same rights as 20-year vets, not that anyone's lasted that long.

But that's because there are no seniority rights whatsoever.

Anonymous said...

We have the right to be ATR's; that's all the seniority teachers in NYC have left.