Friday, July 18, 2008

What Is a Chief Operating Officer Anyway?

According to a published article, today, in the New York Sun, Elizabeth Green reports that Michael Mulgrew has been named "in a memo to executive officers" to the post of "chief operating officer." While the article confuses special education with alternative education it is unclear what this appointment means since there is no post of "chief operating officer" in our constitution. (We have no by-laws so we didn't have to check there).

Under the common definition of COO the position as defined in Wikipedia is "A chief operating officer or chief operations officer (COO) is a corporate officer responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the corporation. The COO is one of the highest ranking members of an organization, monitoring the daily operations of the company and reporting to the chief executive officer and/or board of directors. "

So what will Mulgrew do?

As mentioned in Green's article Weingarten, in her appointment, cited Mulgrew's handling of the break-up of District 79 as evidence of his leadership qualities. If this is the evidence we are in trouble.

Mulgrew watched as the DOE destroyed the Alternative High School district piece by piece and then finally, last year, ended by creating hundreds of ATRs and teachers required to interview for their positions. The Alternative High School District had a rich of history of providing education to populations that were not properly served by mainstream schools. The District expanded over the years and offered diplomas to under credited students, adults, incarcerated and hospitalized students in a place where best practices could be exchanged and teachers could learn from each other. Under Klein and his appointment of Cami Anderson, District 79 had to go.

Mulgrew, despite contractual requirements, did nothing to enforce the provisions which would have made this dismantling done with teacher input if it was to be dismantled at all. He watched as the District burned then made an agreement which basically gave the DOE everything it wanted.

Mulgrew can't get elected president on his own. If he stands for election for president in 2010 he'd better watch out.

How long can Randi be the head of both the AFT and UFT?

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Mulgrew watched as the DOE destroyed the Alternative High School district piece by piece and then finally, last year, ended by creating hundreds of ATRs and teachers required to interview for their positions."

I do not understand why these UFT leaders that do nothing to improve education or find solutions are being rewarded.
The same happened with Marvin Reiskein in District 20. He saw how the DOE redesigned and kicked out 47 senior teachers from P.S. 314 and did not do anything to help. After 2 years of this, we still have ATRS from this school.
"Marvin Reiskin District Rep. - NYSUT 105549". Now his reward -- a better job and more money.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew is one of several ass wipes who kissed the unity leadership and sold out members while not hesitating to stab anyone in the back. He must have been tutored by Gary Sprung who set that pattern many years ago. He must have several of the character traits that Weingarten demands from her flunkies.

Anonymous said...

If you read the Sun article Dennis Walcott states he has a Great Relationship with Mulgrew. Is that professional or personal?? Enough said, more of the same to be expected from MM.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew did what he was told, by Weingarten&Co. That is why Dist 79 was dismantled. Did anyone expect any other result from Unity..Even his title Chief Operating Officer replicates corporate hierarchy. Randi retains CEO status. What a sad but predictable outcome from the Unity Secaucus..They Stink to high heaven....

Anonymous said...

Great piece Jeff. Only a union that is not really a union would have a corporate structure.

Anonymous said...

Tweed and 52 Broadway- Perfect replicas of each other living in a parallel universe.

Anonymous said...

I'm speechless.

Thank you Mike Mulgrew.

Special Thanks to Micheal Friedman for fighting the good fight and rallying the troops.

True Story:

Time: Early June

Place: 2 NYC OES sites. Both characters talk to each other on the phone.

John: But Mike (Friedman) this is bad. Really bad. Teachers who have spent years in the classroom can become "day-to day like" subs.

Mike F.: I know John. But there is nothing that we can do. I can be one of those people. But at least we will get our paychecks. We won't lose our jobs.

John: But Mike...It's degrading. It's humiliating. It is losing your job if you are a teacher.

Mike F.: There's nothing we could do.

*************************************************

-John Powers
Former OES Teacher
and Staff Developer (D79)

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew played the usual goon role at the June Delegate Assembly when he told people to vote down John Powers' resolution on GHI/HIP privatization. Will he be on the gravy train when they go private?

Anonymous said...

Of course, he will, this Union leadership now walks in lockstep with the Bush, Bloomberg, and Klein way of operations. As long as they "get theirs" all is well. There is no fight for the common man anymore. Shameful and disgusting.

Anonymous said...

At the AFT Convention Mulgrew chaired the Labor and Economy committee. There were lies, misconceptions, cheats, etc. The folks in the committee who'd had no experience of the UFT were furious, stunned, all the things you'd be when the chair of the committee lied.

Anonymous said...

What's the surprise in Mulgrew lying? His rise to the top of the UFT is a lie. He has no credentials as a rank and file advocate. Just ask the folks at Grady HS. He has let his folks down at Grady as the principal another DOE hatchet person has run wild with U ratings. Mulgrew is out for Mulgrew as Weingarten was out for Weingarten. Delegates better wise up if there is any chance to defeat the Unity machine. First step, teachers need to know that unless retiree's are stopped from voting for the UFT president it is a hopeless fight. No other union allows retiree's to vote except the UFT. SO, they start with 15-20 thousand votes before any challenger starts. Delegates must be voted in to change this by a resolution. SO Mulgrew wins and they know it. Do you think they care about lying to AFT Delegates?

Anonymous said...

Help ICE to change things by becoming a delegate.

Anonymous said...

The ICE messiah is coming!

http://lh3.ggpht.com/normsco/SIoqF8cV0QI/AAAAAAAACrc/_gHWmTn8DSA/PICT0250%20copy.jpg?imgmax=720

Anonymous said...

The ICE messiah draws nigh...

http://lh5.ggpht.com/normsco/SIopqhjkvHI/AAAAAAAACqU/ufTs6yZtyVk/PICT0037%20copy.jpg?imgmax=720

Anonymous said...

Mr. Barr is still the Chief Staff Director. I am happy because he's been supportive and responsive.
I am not sure what role the other two Assistant Directors will have in the union.
Anyone out there care to guess?

Anonymous said...

Keep the others in line.

Anonymous said...

Barr keep Sprung in line? ya gotta be joking.

Anonymous said...

Sprung then will keep Barr in line.

Anonymous said...

I think you are all missing something very important. This is a very rare instance when someone dies and their spirit is spread over several people when they are reborn. The UFT went to a special monk who discovered that Al Shanker's spirit has actually been split between Ellie Engler, Gary Sprung and Leroy Barr. You so misunderestimate Randi.

Anonymous said...

Oh by the way, the guy who puts the union expenses on this blog, could you please look for these psychic expenses on the LM-2.

Anonymous said...

The ICE messiah is on the big screen. The top of his head is so shiny it is blinding...

http://lh5.ggpht.com/normsco/SIop-NcOuII/AAAAAAAACrE/bCEtm289Qo8/PICT0176.jpg?imgmax=720

Anonymous said...

For those of you who don't want to look, it's Norm in Japan. What a picture.

Anonymous said...

Your obsession with Norm is frightening. Norm better get an order of protection. Does your Unity job include trips to the psycho ward?

Anonymous said...

I think the world of Norm. He's great.

Anonymous said...

Help, his head is blinding me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Norm does what he does because he cares about public education, not to fatten a double pension like some of the Unity gang.

Anonymous said...

Unity man is allowed to post on this blog because it shows we are democratic, correct?

silly...

ed notes online said...

"Norm does what he does because he cares about public education."

WRONG. I do it for the free food I get at meetings.

Anonymous said...

ICE allows all sides. That makes this blog a truly democratic forum. Nobody is excluded.

Anonymous said...

Norm will only do what he does for cookies. What a guy. May the free food keep flowing.

Anonymous said...

What side (perspective) does Unity man maintain?

Please rethink this word, "democracy."

Anonymous said...

The Unity view is that democracy is for wimps who don't get double pensions. Unity can fool enough people who vote in union elections to maintain the status quo forever, unless teachers wake up.