Sunday, March 16, 2008

UNITY ON THE COUCH

by John Powers, Chapter Leader, Liberation High School

Unity at the DA is an interesting machine to observe. If it were to be rated according to the fairest and most practical methods used to evaluate classroom teaching and community building, it would undoubtedly receive an unsatisfactory rating. It rarely starts on time or ends on time. There is plenty of chalk and talk or just plain talk and no chalk. There is also no "accountable- talk" amongst delegates. Its agenda ("objectives") goes unchecked, unmet and off on tangential paths. Certain members of Unity feel comfortable hurling aloud words and moans meant to intimidate and stop others from voicing their ideas and disagreements about a given topic. All of the above, from my perspective, creates a culture that attempts to dumb delegates down, maintains the status-quo and ultimately makes it difficult to create a stronger, democratic union capable of beating back the no longer creeping, but rapidly advancing privatization of our school system.

It was no surprise then at last Wednesday's DA when Unity put much effort into not appearing to be caught off guard by ICE's resolution of opposition to the planned privatization of GHI-HIP (renamed Emblem Health). Ms. Weingarten's filibustering tactics successfully kept ICE's resolution from getting to the floor; however, with five minutes left, she allowed a Q and A session and encouraged anyone with a "burning question" to go ahead and ask it. This was a transparent invitation on Ms. Weingarten's behalf to entice someone from ICE to create an opening for her to minimize any potential blowback on the part of delegates who may have read and begun thinking about the seriousness of our anti-privatization health insurance resolution that was distributed to them. During these last minutes, Ms. Weingarten maintained that much had been said already about the topic and that the union continues to have reservations about the attempt to privatize 93% of city workers' healthcare plans.

"Much Said?" A recent look at the DA minutes from this school year reflects nothing about the GHI-HIP privatization issue. The only official union information that I could find was online at (http://www.uft.org/news/teacher/general/ghi-hip/). This report, written by Arthur Pepper, reprinted in a January issue of New York Teacher, and entitled, "Monitoring the GHI-HIP Merger," discusses the rationale behind the GHI-HIP merger and its attempt to privatize. Mr. Pepper casually states that healthcare mergers and privatizing are difficult to avoid today and that the GHI-HIP merger/privatization move will allow union members to receive quality healthcare and will create "premium stabilization." Sure it will!

"Reservations?" What reservations? None are hinted at in Mr. Pepper's report. But wait. Again, in an apparent attempt to undermine ICE's commitment to critical dialogue about such an important and sensitive healthcare issue, Ms. Weingarten unveiled 5,000 plus photocopies of a letter dated February 29, 2008 that she wrote to Eric Dinallo, NYS Superintendent of Insurance. In the letter she admits to a union "money-grab" motive regarding a pool of conversion money that will be available if GHI-HIP privatizes. She states, "both New York City and its unions must share in the proceeds since it was their assets and business that made possible the current financial viability of HIP-GHI. Any approval therefore, must make provision therefore." Ms. Weingarten and Unity plan to put union funds before workers' pockets and the quality of healthcare they receive. And to make matters worse, the letter also reveals an ominous sign that something might have changed between the unions and GHI-HIP (Emblem Health) from the time of Mr. Pepper's report in January and Ms. Weingarten's subsequent letter to Superintendent Dinallo. She admits that as of the date of the letter, both CEO's of GHI-HIP have not responded to her request that city unions share in the conversion proceeds. This should shock no one because CEO's do not care about workers; they care about money and profits.

What will Unity do now? How will they sell this to us if the privatization maneuver goes through and they receive a huge amount of money? How will they sell this to us if the privatization maneuver goes through and they do not receive any money? Like so much else about Unity, we will wait and see. They make the decisions, not us.

Last I want to thank Ms. Weingarten and Unity for feeling compelled to show delegates in attendance such an important letter. This type of transparency is a welcomed relief. However, as of this writing, there is still no mention of the letter on the UFT website. How could there be? Too many people would have access to it and might question why our union is behind the privatization of 93% of city workers' health insurance in exchange for filling its pockets. By the way, almost all of those 5,000 plus letters to Dinallo sat near the podium untouched after the DA ended. This is not surprising. So with that, let me ask Unity to lay down on this couch right here. That's it. Relax. Lay down. Close your eyes. Good. Relax. I'm going to count down from ten and you are going to become sleepy. You will listen very carefully to some comments and questions. These are comments and questions that a strong and democratic union might ask in regards to an attempt to privatize workers' health insurance. Ok. You are getting sleepy.


 

10


 

9


 

Good. You are getting sleepy. Sleep is good. You are good at sleeping.


 

8


 

7


 

We must not sell out to a healthcare corporation. Say it. We must not sell out to a healthcare corporation.


 

6


 

5


 

When you sell out, there are no guarantees except profit motives. We must not sell out. Say it.


 

4


 

3


 

There are many questions to ask. Yes. That's right. It's ok to ask questions. It's ok to ask all the workers you represent what they think about an issue. I know that's tough work. I know it's messy work. But it's good work. It's democratic.


 

2


 

So here are some questions to get you started. Here are some questions to help you initiate union democracy. Many of these questions can be found on the internet. It took only a few minutes for me to find them. You have a few minutes. Don't you?


 

What is the value of nonprofit assets?


 

Will the privatization preserve the assets for nonprofit purposes that will enhance the health care of New Yorkers in the long-term or serve as a one-time budget fix?


 

Who will reap the windfall when the privatized company issues its IPO? Will it include any union leaders or executives?


 

Will premiums be raised? Are there any guarantees they will not?


 

Will the privatization increase the number of uninsured in NYC?


 

Will the new privatized corporation be flipped?


 

Will regulators be asked to commission an independent health impact study to answer questions?


 

Will there be more public hearings at times that are convenient for workers. One time on January 29th at ten in the morning is not good enough?


 

Will privatization reduce competition?


 

1


 

WAKE UP!

50 comments:

ed notes online said...

Great work John. Maybe this is a good leaflet at the next DA.

Is it an accident that the letters we have to type for this comment to go through spell S-N-O-R-E?

Anonymous said...

Still nothing about the March 19 Rally? I guess your hate for Unity is greater than the your care for your school. How many hundreds of thousands of dollars will your school lose in September while you say nothing about it!

Under Assault said...

Bravo, and it's good someone can be the pointman on this one.

Weingarten's continued reticence to come clean with us on practically every issue is getting real old.

Anonymous said...

There's a rally March 19. Happy now? Let us know when the money is restored because of the rally.

We don't hate youse Unity guys. We envy you your 6 figure salaries on our backs, your double pensions, your extended day coffee breaks. While schools are cut - we love the idea that 52 Broadway will be flourishing with patronage.

Anonymous said...

Rally??? There's another rally????
Will there be T-shirts and hats????
I hear union dues are going up once again, so there better be T-shirts and hats.

Anonymous said...

Maybe there will be a button!! I loved the last button. You remember, the button with the really clear message? What was it again??? HHMMM hard to remember. Wait wasn't it something like "Have you listened to a teacher today?" Yes how brilliant! Anybody other than the few whom might read teacher blogs even remember what they were protesting? No? Oh well, still money well spent.

Speaking of money well spent, boy do I really love those expensive TV commercials the UFT is running. Wow do they send a clear strong message!?? I wish my fellow teachers and students looked like that. And the classroom??, or where ever they filmed it, fantastic. Sadly though with only minor tweaking and a change of logo from UFT to NYCDOE either side could run that commercial. Once again wasted union dues so Weingarten can look good for political motives.

On another note I was discussing the 25/55 thing with my wife this weekend and trying to decide to opt in or not? If I understand correctly I have to reach 25 yrs of service regardless of age? I'll have 21 years in at 55, which means I’ll be 59 when I reach 25? So give up all that extra $ to get out 3 years early? Why not just work 3 more years while earning top salary and not lose all that dough? Nice decision to have to make right now for 20+ years in the future. It's not like people don't move? Or get jobs in other school districts like Long Island, Westchester etc... Hell with the way our Union continues to allow the erosion of Union protections will it even be possible to last that long in NYC? Quite frankly I think no. So opt in or not? Hard decision. If only our union had gotten what it promised it's members, a real 25/55 with no "opt in" BS. A 25/55 we aren't funding ourselves. Sad really sad.

Wow look at the time! I can’t believe I spent all morning on this response. There goes preparing my lessons, not to worry though I’ll just crank up my microphone to eleven. It’s one louder than ten you know.

Unitymustgo!

Anonymous said...

My friend thought she could opt in and retire in 3 more years when she reaches 55 at a reduced pension since she wouldn't reach 25years for another 9 years.
So she went to a pension meeting just to be told that her dream couldn't happen under this new plan and it wouldn't pay for her to opt in. She also found out that it wouldn't benefit teachers like her who started teaching later in life. Basically, it is just another new tier, so before opting in, you better make a UFT pension appointment so you don't throw your money away.

However, if you want out in 3 years instead of 6, pay the blood money rather than stay in a system that squeezes every ounce of your own blood.

Anonymous said...

according to Unitymustgo!, you shouldn't have that either. Make sure ICE runs on that platform - "We were aginst 55/25, too!"
The truth it doesn't help everybody but I know that it helps about 60% of my staff and they are almost in tears of joy. And unlike other union's deals, if it doesn't benefit you, you don't have to pay.

Anonymous said...

So much for mobilizing your staff for action. I guess it isn't politically helpful to you to be at this rally - but last year's rally had to happen. At least you guys are consistently inconsistent. Hence a lost election.

Anonymous said...

Over 40 people from Jamaica have signed up to attend the rally.

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty fired up after reading the article about the GHI-HIP merger. I think it was a great article that really addresses the inconsistencies and hypocrises that Randi and Unity participate in.
What does the March 19th rally have to do with any of this? It's a left field tactic, designed to move one's consciousness away from the real issue at hand. The bottom line is this: GHI-HIP should not be privatized. What are we going to do to prevent this from happening?
I'd like to plaster this article EVERYWHERE!!
GO ICE!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Budget cuts in the middle of the school year might not have happened if we had last year's rally and opposed the mayor and Klein. In fact, we should have opposed this mayor before reelection, but that rally never happened either.

Unfortunately, the new pension plan does not help my friend who must work another 10 years even though she will be 55 in 3 more years but not close to 25 years of service. She was willing to pay in and take a pre-years of service penalty, but the UFT told her she couldn't under the new plan.

Anonymous said...

Dear Unity,

The end is nearer than you think!

Where will you fit the other 2,000

delegates when they come knocking on

your doors???????????????????????????????

Anonymous said...

Thank you Mr. Powers, your post is enlightning!

I've learned many things from it.

The number one thing that I observed from your arrogance and failed attempt at wit is that you must be a mid to late 20 year old trying to make a name for himself as the next great ICEsickle.

Clearly Marjorie Stamberg must be proud of you.

So ahead, aspire to be the next Norman Scott, I don't think you'll have any challengers for that title. And just as every family needs to have that crazy uncle, the UFT needs to have that bumbling mascot.

BTW, go ahead, put your post out as a leaflet at the next DA. I'm sure many will find it amusing...and we can all use a good laugh.

Anonymous said...

Typical Unity response: Can't find anything wrong with the post so you make a personal attack.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Anonymous, do your homework before you start making assumptions.

Mr.Powers has been teaching for a long time and is respected by all who know him.

Guess you're awake and cranky now after reading his article. That's exactly the point: WAKE UP!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Anonymous, do your homework before you start making assumptions.

Mr. Powers has been teaching a long time and is respected by everyone I know.

Guess you're awake and cranky now after reading his article. Put your energies in the right place, and stop making personal attacks.

Anonymous said...

For those of us who remember when the delegate assembly was run in a democratically, it must be hard for new hacks not to understand why an autocratic system is not good for the rank and file. I remember when Randi wanted a resolution calling for us to denounce the police department after the Diallo shooting. When we overwhelmingly voted against denouncing another union before the trial, she called for a revote and was visibly upset she was not getting her way. Not long after that, the assembly rules started to change.

Anonymous said...

Hey Ice Folks,

Consider taking the Unity critique of non-participation in the demo to heart. In fact, mobilizations should be the "specialty" of any good rank-and-file group. Difference is rank-and-filers do not go out for meaningless spectacles in rain-drenched police pens.

Problems with Mayor Mike? Lets set up a picket in front of his house. DOE troubles? How about some action there.

Break out of the silly symbolic politics - we are here in the rain look how much we are suffering now we go back to work - and contest power.

Oh, and to the Unity folks...watch out. The GHI/HIP cat is out of the bag and this cat scratches! Good luck putting him back in...

Sincerely,
A Budding Ice-cikle

Anonymous said...

Hi Anonymous,

It's me...John Powers...Norm's crazy nephew.

Thanks for taking the time to attack me.

Any thoughts on the post?

BTW: I am 40. I am a 12 year vet. If you want, we can compare resumes...

Please feel free to check my credentials with the following two Unity Executive Board members: Michael Friedman and Marc Korashan.

Look forward to hearing from you soon!

Bye!

John

Anonymous said...

If you want us to attend rallies, then don't go and cancel important ones because it's not politically correct!!!!

Anonymous said...

That's funny that you ICEsickles presume that I'm from Unity and not someone who worked with John before the reorg last summer.

Powers did have some good ideas, but he reeks of an arrogance which he shouldn't have considering his tendency to lose it and and start bugging out while speaking in public.

That was always kind of funny.

And YOU John know exactly what I am talking about. Probably best you stick to writing memos.

Anonymous said...

Unity seldomly makes comments on the posts. They just engage in personal attacks and fear mongering.

Anonymous said...

8:54,

If you aren't in Unity, maybe you should be with a comment like that. It's right up the Unity tree. Please comment on what John had to say to move this dialogue forward.

Anonymous said...

Someone needs to stop being a baby.

Stop focusing on the author and start focusing on the issue.

If you don't agree with the article, then deconstruct it and explain why. If the facts are wrong, clarify them. Sometimes the truth is a tough pill to swallow. Just calm down and count to ten because the only one who is losing it and bugging out is you.......Will your next blog invite Mr. Powers to "meet you at the schoolyard at 3:00"? Grow up.

Anonymous said...

Dear 7:32/8:54:

Are you the best operative that Unity has? You're not too swift. In your first post, you guess that John must be in his mid-twenties and in your second post, you claim to have worked with him.

Pretty pathetic.

I did work with John before the "reorg." What you meant to say was OES (Offsite Educational Services) and not "before the reorg." No one from OES would say "before the reorg." You hack.

The only public meetings in OES ( a former program with over sixty semi-autonomous sites) were on Staff Development Days, where John quietly and professionally provided teachers with teaching strategies.

Enjoy your twenty coffee breaks this week!

P.S. The next and each subsequent "personal" Unity attack on any ICE member will result in a continuing barrage of damaging pieces of information regarding how Unity spends our money.

Stick to the topic. Disagree all you want. But don't slander.

Anonymous said...

Hello:

check this site out:

www.aflcio.org/issues/healthcare/facts.cfm


Why is our union supporting GHI-HIP's conversion to for-profit status?

You have an Informative site and blog. When do you guys meet? I know some of my colleagues would be interested in coming down?

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

You know...I have been complaining about ICE's lack of public persona for quite awhile now. And, have told you guys more than once to rethink your marketing. This is the reason I am not an ICEberg even though I voted the ICE slate. Teachers, especially elementary, have fears about you.
This may also be a big reason why the majority of teachers didn't vote in the last union election.
Learn from Randi. She knows how to use a calm voice to work a meeting. She is a master speaker even if I strongly disagree on what she is communicating. Even if your ideas are radical, you don't have to sound like one. Know your audience! It's never too late to make inroads.

ed notes online said...

For more on the GHI/HIP merger see the post on ednotes March 3 which includes the text of a letter Anthony Weiner wrote asking for a congressional investigation, thus ensuring the permanent enmity of the UFT when he runs for mayor. Watch the UFT and Bloomberg team up to stop him.

The permalink is: http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/2008/03/will-ghihip-merger-and-privatization.html

ed notes online said...

My advice: Ignore the Unity schmuck. It's just one more idiot with a cushy job.

Anonymous said...

We're teachers; not marketing experts.

NYC Educator said...

I'd like to know how privatizing our insurance can possibly benefit us. "For profit" is just that. It seems fairly obvious that someone has to help the company turn that profit, and it's utterly logical to expect that help will come from city employees.

Personally, I don't think any health insurance should be for profit, and that the entire country would be better off with a system like every other industrialized nation has.

That's too much to ask with GW in charge, I know. And it's more than either Democrat has proposed. But it makes sense for us to keep as close to it as possible. Working people need more, not fewer, protections these days.

Anonymous said...

Unity is destroying our union. Now that is radical.

Low Voter Turnout = Fear of ICE? Oh boy.

There is much work to do.

Anonymous said...

What do you think a "campaign" is?
It's marketing. If you're just a teacher with no marketing abilities, it's hard to run a meeting and persuade your target audience.

Anonymous said...

There was even lower vote turnout in LA and the former "opposition" is in power - they couldn't get the vote out.

Campaigns are built with people on the ground - see Hillary and Obama - people in the trenches.

Talking about an election campaign comes after building the machine to execute a campaign. If there's anything to criticize, it is the lack of a machine, not the campaign.

Can you fear a group you've never heard of?

Anonymous said...

This is for anon. 8:16 -- March 18.You mention that in your school 60 percent of the people had tears in their eyes because they will benefit form the 25/55. Please let me know what school is that? I've been an ATR teacher for 2 years and would like to apply for a job in your school. I imagine that there will be so many openings there. CALLING ALL ATRS FOR FUTURE JOBS -- REF.. ANON. WITH 60 PERCENT OF THE TEACHERS RETIRING SOON!!

Anonymous said...

Yes, that's exactly the point I am trying to make. If you represent ICE on the school level, you cannot come across as an angry radical. Instead you need to learn the art of persuasive communication. Learn from Randi. You want grass roots, then you have to redefine not only your message, but how it is communicated. It wouldn't hurt if ICE started to address this issue at their meetings and conduct workshops the same way Princeton did for me when I became a CC years ago. I learned how to conduct a meeting without getting angry. How to handle angry members. How to run and respond to a principal during the policy meetings and how to write a good newsletter. Our current ICE CC writes newsletters that is antiteacher. Her very first newsletter told teachers that while she understood their childcare issues for missing her 7:30 am meetings, she will NOT answer any questions about what was discussed at these meetings. If they want to know, they must make every effort to attend. OMG! Not only did I have a prepared agenda, I had a newsletter that addressed all the issues discussed and I made myself available during my 4 extra UFT preps. Since her takeover by only one vote, nothing has changed. She refuses to bring up major issues because she does not want the principal to get angry and leave because having the AP will be worse. With thinking like that, why even have a union?

Anonymous said...

The Principal attends union meetings? Are you serious? That should stop immediately whether you are a Unity, ICE or any other caucus Chapter Chair.

Anonymous said...

I will forgive you're inability to read "policy meeting". They are also called consultation meetings and yes, they are with the principal. btw, a former CC did allow our principal to speak at a UFT meeting to convince teachers to do away with seniority transfers. I had a big fight with the CC over that one.

ed notes online said...

Anonymous 11:45:
I'm not sure why you call your chapter leader an ICE chapter leader. ICE people pay dues and generally attend ICE meetings. Your chapter leader is not active in ICE and branding her that way is misleading people - maybe she gave out ICE lit and had some petitions signed but she did not run with ICE in the elections or have much of anything to do with ICE.

Chapter leaders who are ICE regulars do not function the way you describe and are extremely oriented to serving the people who elected them - with Unity always looking to knock off ICE people, they sure better if they want to get reelected. If she is who I think she is, I met her maybe 3 times and no one else in ICE has ever met her.

ICE is proud of the amazing work the active ICE chapter leaders do in their schools.

Anonymous said...

Well I never asked if she is a "card carrying member" of ICE. I save that kind of questioning for anti-communists. But for all the years I have known her (before her election), she has talked up ICE and sent ICE emails to other teachers. She talked up the new pension deal being a "new tier" even before it was posted here. However it was I who handed out ICE literature against the last contract which btw she supported. And how can you possibly know who I am talking about????

Now where's the "oops" for accusing me of having the principal attend my chapter meetings????

Anonymous said...

I will forgive you for using an incorrect contraction. The word you're means "you are".

Take the time to proofread and have a great day!!

ed notes online said...

I'm just guessing who she is since there is one female chapter leader I know of who might fit that description. If it's who I think she is, she sent in a full page of signatures for the election.

The point I'm making is that by not having any regular contact with ICE she cannot be looked at as an ICE chapter leader but an indidual who supports ICE at times. This is an important difference because your description allows Unity people to say - "See, ICE CL are no different in ignoring the needs of members." I can see a quote like yours popping up in Unity lit. What if a Unity person who would toe the line completely ran against this person you would have to judge who to vote for solely on which one will do the best job locally in dealign with school problems and ignore the Unity thing though that might be worse in the long run.

Anonymous said...

Oops! sometimes people make spelling errors. Unlike Annon who is a complete idiot not knowing about different types of union meetings. Not very union savvy, are you?

Norm,
This person ran anti-Unity, but once elected forgot about that. I don't blame her as much as I blame the staff for complaining to each other but refusing to press any issue further. I suppose it would be even harder for an ICE CC to break the mold unless the staff is behind them.
Have you asked her to join? I think the DR knows she has a connection to ICE.

ed notes online said...

The connection is that she might have given out some leaflets. No more than that. I think there may have been some pressure from the DR - maybe subtle - or she just imagined it - the sense that she was concerned that too open an ICE affiliation - like running - might leave her out in the cold with the union. If you have any weaknesses as a CL, then there is fear. That is why the open, strong ICE CL get union support. But if you don't attend meetings and get that strength and knowledge how to fight from the group, there is fear.

There are lots of people around the city who do that. They also give out TJC stuff. So there's no formal connection to ICE.

We actually just are establishing a concept of membership in ICE. Basically, being in ICE has meant attending meetings. ICE has been open enough so that if one shows up for the first time they have an equal platform. ICE rarely votes so it is a matter of speaking out.

ICE has not functioned like a caucus in the traditional way - a strength and a weakness. I've pulled back to do other things and people running things seem to want more of a traditional caucus operation, which is fine with me, but not my thing. I'm generally more interested in the contention of ideas and understanding the depth of what is happening - not conducive to contention in the election arena, which is necessary but not interesting. Thus, the forums with Teachers Unite where we do attract a wider range of people than those who might come to ICE. Some of them may even be anti-union and one of the goals it to make them less so. After that, who knows? They may move in the direction of active caucus activities with ICE or TJC or somewhere else if it gets started.

At this point, anything people are willing to do is ok. That's why we appreciate your CL for whatever she feels/felt she could do.

Anonymous said...

On one hand you can appreciate her (when she is pro ICE), but what about the rest of the time. The teachers she represents would benefit more if she didn't flipflop on issues that are important to us instead of her personal well-being. I can see your point that such actions would not be happening if she were truly committed to ICE.

Anonymous said...

Great going John! Very articulately said. I would be proud to have you as my Union Delegate! All the best!

ed notes online said...

"I can see your point that such actions would not be happening if she were truly committed to ICE."

I can say this personally that the support I got from a group like ICE in my early years as a teacher helped give me the understanding I needed on how to walk the minefield as a chapter leader even though that happened 10 years later.

There is often no one in the school to talk these things out with so an outside group gives you confidence and advice.

Yesterday I was at a meeting with a fairly young Teach for America activist who is staying in the system and about to get involved in the union - possibly running for CL. She was real excited at the idea of having some ICE CL to mentor her and assist with any issues that come up.

The ICE chapter leader support network is informal but always there for people who feel the UFT is not really supporting them.

Anonymous said...

Do all CCs know that you offer such mentoring? My CC was always aware of ICE before she became CC.
Yet, still refuses to take big issues to policy meetings.

Anonymous said...

Go to this blog and you will observe that the ICE Chapter leader support network has responded and will respond.