Thursday, August 24, 2017

LIVE BLOGGING FROM AFT TELEPHONE TOWN HALL

I have no idea why but I am considered an AFT activist. The AFT just called me and a few thousand other activists, out of our 1.6 million member national union, for a telephone town hall tonight.

AFT President Randi Weingarten started by talking about our reaction to the events in Charlottesville and how teachers and other AFT members are on the front line in defending our country against racism and anti-semitism. Also, Randi later in the hour will be updating us on new union contracts and how we are dealing with the Janus Supreme Court case. New people from the Association of Teachers of Puerto Rico and another AFT local in Washington will be on the call later.

AFT working with NAACP and other civil rights groups after Charlottesville and have gone to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and state attorney generals to seek to prosecute domestic terrorism. Getting resources on Share my Lesson to focus on bullying, teaching tolerance and making sure people are supported. White supremacists will target college campuses and we will help organize counter demonstrations. Go to AFT All in.org for more on participating in a counter-demonstration.

Next up was Mark Herring, the Virginia Attorney General. He complimented teachers and then talked about the events in Charlottesville and combating hate crimes. Herring thinks teachers will be on the front line of  fighting the forces of hate and intolerance.

Next was Maureen Costello from the Southern Poverty Law Center on teaching tolerance. She said we need to find allies so we know people have support and we are backed up.

The head of the Boston Teachers Union, Jessica Tang, was the next speaker who also commented on being against white supremacy and will rally against racism, prejudice and bigotry. We were involved in counter protests against hate. We had 40,000 people out there.

Randi came back and talked about training to promote tolerance and hold public officials accountable. You are against racism, bigotry and anti-semitism or you're not.  Ten minutes of questions and comments from people on the call will follow and then we will hear about Janus.

Question about college campuses and reacting after Charlottesville?
Randi Answer: We need to encourage people to stand up and speak up. Union will speak out against vile racism. Much work on college campuses.

Question about retirees, many in Florida. How do we mobilize retirees against hate rhetoric?
Answer: Pass AFT resolution that has many activities in it. Mobilize retirees and speak where people can get together and be part of the group in public.

Question about a tolerance curriculum.
Answer: AFT puts things on Share my Lesson. Get an alternative to hate. Huge appetite from in service members to engage in these fights.

Question about people conspiring being held accountable
Answer: AFT wrote a letter to all 50 attorney generals. We have a 30 minute documentary. One person charged because of what he said that day.

Part II 
We are a week out from Labor Day. Randi says last election was about shaking up the system. Workers part of a rigged system where wealth is concentrated. Donald Trump hijacked our message but he is ruling for the elite. Defunding public education is a goal. Janus vs AFSCME being done by right wing to starve unions. Even if you get services, saying you have a right not to pay a fair share is the goal of the right wingers so they can starve unions of funds. AFT wants to send Labor Day message about what unions are about and who we fight for. When forming strong unions, workers can support themselves and their families by getting increased wages and benefits and better working conditions like lowering class sizes in schools. We are confronting the rigged system Randi says.

Two locals in Vancouver, Washington and the head of the Puerto Rico Teachers Union that both just joined the AFT spoke next. Vancouver has a contract and Puerto Rico teachers are proud to be in the AFT.

Randi said Puerto Rico facing fiscal crisis and helping their newest local fight against budget cuts and for dignity. Ida is a leader who Randi thanks. 40,000 new AFT members.

Fight back in Janus is to show how right wing is saying people have the freedom not to join a union. Jeff from Peoria, Illinois working on engaging members. He got to speak about organizing and having power through our numbers. Peoria Peoples's Project  leader explained how union's grew and became strong. Jeff saw the power of door knocking and wants to expand the project nationwide. We are building power to fight injustice.

Fred Schneider got to speak next. In NY, we had letters to the editor that gave two sides to an issue. We need to get the white radicals in a debate. They are not so numerous. Call out the Anarchists too. Fred supports the union but we have to have a dialogue with everyone.

Randi does not agree with violence to fight the white supremacists. Randi is for peaceful non violence a la Martin Luther King. Randi says on regular issues we need to hear from all sides. On racism, we have to be unequivocal on where we stand.

Question about what we are doing about racist groups like NAACP? Why are we only worried about white supremacist groups?
Randi answered that the NAACP is not the same as a hate group. They are promoting equality. Randi says the mission of the NAACP is to create equality not to hate. (I totally agree with her on that.)

Randi closed by saying AFT is committed to fair wages, decent retirement pensions, pluralism and democracy and to the fight against hate and bigotry and for tolerance and respect.


That's about it folks. I actually listened to the whole thing. This is our fight back at the AFT level. Are you ready?

P.S. I hope I didn't give away any state secrets by reporting on the town hall.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where's the meat?

Abigail Shure

Anonymous said...

Vegan lite.

Pogue said...

Jobs and the rebuilding and strengthening of unions would go a long way towards solving many issues in this country. The topic is consistently avoided by faux Dems and fake Union Leaders.

NYC Educator said...

You are more patient than I. I hung up after three minutes.

James Eterno said...

Kids were out with their mom. I was playing on the internet so I listened in. I am always hopeful something will change. You never know.

Anonymous said...

No talk of actually improving working conditions in our schools? No talk of trying to reduce class size? No talk of fixing our crappy evaluation system? No talk of putting some muscle back in the tenure fight? Of course not. The whippings will continue as usual in 2 weeks.

James Eterno said...

Randi did mention lower class sizes and we did report on it. We will be fair.

Anonymous said...

As I read comments people post, the more confused I think they are. The Union is what we make it to be. We just can't rely on what we want it to be. We all must be active and help shape the direction we want the Union to move in. I'm tired of all the talk and no action. I pledged I would be at the a Labor Day Parade. I will be st every DA. I will be vocal to ensure every member at my school is participating in the conversation. Don't just complain on a blog. DO SOMETHING, WE AS UNUON MEMBERS SRE UNDER ATTACK. PEople are looking to destroy us and take away everything we have gained. If we become complacent we will lose everything!

Anonymous said...

it would be nice if the UFT had our back.

Anonymous said...

i just hope, once columbus comes down, we then purge the oppressive imperialist language he brought with him.
then we can start from the beginning: swarm the Met and destroy those statues of oppressive egyptian gods and pharoes. im compiling a list of cultural artifacts that offends me, and that list is long. people power!