Wednesday, August 26, 2020

A DISSIDENT'S Q & A ON A POSSIBLE STRIKE

In the last week, I've been hearing from UFTers who are attending the virtual meetings that the UFT District Representatives, Borough Representatives and Officers are holding. The UFT should be putting out something logical, direct and fairly straightforward explaining how a strike or other kind of job action works that includes the possible advantages and discusses the risks openly. Instead, we get meetings with people who are used to selling subpar Contracts and lousy evaluation system agreements trying to sell the need for militancy and union solidarity. This is not a criticism as some of them have never done anything like this before and it isn't easy.

I understand some of you may have a little trouble believing some of the same people who told you the 2005 and 2014 Contracts were wonderful. Think about it, the leadership from the Unity Caucus is switching from a concessionary, bureaucratic, stance to a fighting one at lightning speed. Let me try to answer some of the questions and comments that I have seen so you can hear from a union dissident who from day 1 has believed that a militant union led by an informed and engaged membership is the best way to achieve our goals.

Question: Can I be fired if I strike?

Answer: NO! Read Section 210 of the Taylor Law for yourself, please. The penalty for striking is a fine of two days pay for each day out on strike, not termination. The Union can be fined heavily too and lose automatic dues checkoff. The UFT is risking a great deal more than individual members by talking strike.  

Question: When would we be fined?

Answer: No time soon in all likelihood. The Taylor Law in Section 210 2 (f) gives employees 20 days after being sent notice that they engaged in a strike a chance to appeal. Then there is a review process at the Public Employees Relations Board that can be appealed in state court. The last time I looked one was innocent until proven guilty in the USA. You don't even pay a parking ticket while you are appealing it. The appeal process could take a long time to sort out. Norm Scott,who was involved in the UFT strike in 1975, told me yesterday that it was years, not months, before he was fined. The UFT would have a very good case that there were mitigating circumstances here. One of the factors PERB and the courts have to weigh when penalizing a union is "the impact of the strike on the public health, safety, and welfare of the community..." This would not be an ordinary strike as our potential safety strike would be to benefit, not harm, the public health, safety, and welfare of the community. While it would drag out in court, we could certainly make dropping the case against us a condition for a UFT mayoral endorsement next year. Repeal of the anti-strike provisions of the Taylor Law that the United Nations International Labor Organization ruled is a human rights violation should be a major state legislative goal.  

Question: If we engage in a sickout, can we get around the fines?

Answer: It's possible since the DOE is almost encouraging us to stay out of buildings if we have something as common as a headache or a runny nose which are both symptoms of COVID-19. However, I don't want to get anyone's hopes up too high. The risks of Taylor Law penalties are real.

Question: Will we be terminated en masse if we strike?

Answer: NO! There was a risk of teachers being terminated in the 1959 Evening High School Teachers Strike and the 1960s UFT strikes when we were operating under a previous law that made termination the penalty for going on strike. Those teachers went on strike in spite of the risk. Today, the Taylor Law fines employees for going on strike. The penalty is not termination. This isn't 1981 with Ronald Reagan firing the Air Traffic Controllers for striking illegally against the federal government. If the DOE did try to use the disciplinary process to charge tens of thousands of strikers with misconduct, where would they find the lawyers and hearing officers? They could not.

Question: Can I lose my medical benefits if I strike?

Answer: Technically, yes but in reality the chances of it happening are slim to none. During the most recent GM strike, management threatened to take away healthcare benefits from the striking employees but they backed off. If we strike, we are violating our Contract (the DOE is violating it too by not giving us a safe work environment) so yes Mayor Bill de Blasio could try to take benefits away but our mayor fancies himself as a progressive champion of workers. He was a Bernie Sanders supporter. Do you honestly think de Blasio is going to go to the right of General Motors and take away health benefits during a strike for safety? Bernie would probably support us and join us. The Mayor would be siding with President Trump if he tries this. He would be to the right of GM management. In addition, I don't know if we will get 100% support for a strike but does the DOE even have the capability of taking off all of the strikers from health benefits but leaving the scabs on? I don't want to say it's impossible but it seems unrealistic.

Question: Will I lose my tenure if I strike?

Answer: NO. Once again, the Taylor Law fines public employees for striking. A previous version of the law may have taken tenure away for a year but I don't see it in the current law.

Question: Does the UFT need to take a strike authorization vote to strike?

Answer: Since a job action is not covered in the law, I don't think a membership vote can be compelled but I have never heard of a union going on strike without first getting the majority backing of the membership. The Delegate Assembly in my opinion would not be a sufficient mandate but I would still support the action if it were for a just cause. Back in 2002, the last time there was a UFT strike authorization, we voted in the schools. For those interested in precedent for a live vote of the UFT membership for an illegal strike, please read this account of the buildup to the successful 1962 Strike that was led by my UFT heroes Roger Parente and Sam Hochberg. Going on strike was opposed by Albert Shanker and then President Charles Cogen until after the majority voted to strike. The membership is ultimately in charge of a union, not the leadership. (The account of the 1962 strike I cited was inexplicably taken down from the UFT's website as was an earlier reference to the 1959 Evening High School Strike. All we have online are ICUFT blog excerpts.) 

Question: Will this be a long safety strike if we were to actually do it?

Answer: In all likelihood, though one never knows, the job action would not last more than a day or two. If the UFT was to strike or do a sickout or remote out, the City-DOE would almost certainly seek an injunction to stop it while we would be in virtual court seeking an injunction to close the school buildings because they are not safe. While we play dueling injunctions in court, the UFT's hand would be incredibly strong, I mean stronger than ever, if there were 100,000 UFTers who were not reporting to the school buildings. If 50,000 UFTers report to work in the buildings, we weaken our hand considerably, not only for right now but for the next generation. All of you who have been screaming that the UFT does nothing will be creating a self-fulfilling prophecy because when the UFT tries to do a safety action, you will have undermined that effort. Militancy will be set back another few years and we will be at the mercy of the City-DOE even more. As mentioned over and over, we have a contractual right to a safe work environment. 

The only other possible course of action is for the city to try to wait us out by refusing to negotiate. Comptroller Scott Stringer and Speaker of the City Council Corey Johnson have already showed up at the press conference announcing a possible job action and the UFT has plenty of other allies in the political and activist world who will support us. The progressive mayor will not ignore this; it would be an international story. There is no such thing as a guarantee but the odds are this would be a very short strike or that just us having a viable threat of it will force the City-DOE to settle. We will have plenty of community support. The UFT has cultivated that through the years. 

Question: If we engage in a job action, we will play right into de Blasio's hands and lose all public support. The city has no money. Won't this lead to layoffs?

Answer: Layoffs and the safety of the buildings are two different issues. 1/3 of the families have already chosen remote learning full-time for their children. That's a whole lot of people who think it won't be safe for their children in school buildings. I predict that number is only going to go higher and higher if the news keeps pouring out about how unsafe buildings are. If the UFT just waits for the City-DOE plans to fall apart without taking action, it could produce during the time we go into the unsafe buildings a spike in the virus that nobody wants. The UFT did not strongly advocate for members to leave or not enter unsafe buildings in March. It looks like they are trying not to make the same mistake twice.  If you don't believe buildings are unsafe, read this excerpt from Gothamist last week:

Speaking on WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show on Tuesday, Dr. Irwin Redlener warned that schools are "going to become hotbeds for the infections to take hold again and spread through the community."

"It's almost inevitable if we are in fact going to even hold some classes in real time in real classrooms," he added.

Earlier in the month, Redlener penned an op-ed in the Daily Beast in which he argued that schools should not reopen until point-of-care rapid testing and a vaccine are available.

"Until then, most school systems should hit the pause button rather than run that cruel experiment," he wrote.

A widely respected authority on pediatrics and public health who works at Columbia University, Redlener has informally advised the mayor throughout the pandemic. He now joins the chorus of critics led by the teachers' union that the reopening of New York City schools will put children and teachers at risk for contracting coronavirus.

On layoffs, with federal stimulus money in doubt, layoffs are on the table, safety strike or no safety strike. Those who are saying the mayor will be mad at us if we do a job action and we will require fewer teachers online so he will downsize the teaching staff have it all backwards. The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association is no friend of the mayor. They are one of his fiercest adversaries and they don't hide it. Guess who is being exempted from layoffs under the current layoff proposal: The NYPD apparently. When you fight, you may lose but you also may gain respect. 

Furthermore, the city needs borrowing authority from the State Legislature and the Governor in order to meet its needs unless the federal government bails us out. We have plenty of friends in the State Legislature. The big mistake Al Shanker made in 1975 was not getting a no-layoff agreement before we used our pension fund to buy all those city bonds. The UFT did not make the same mistake twice and got a very nice package in 1991 in exchange for loaning the city part of our raises. (Scroll down on that link to my speech that I never got to deliver.)  

Question: NYC's infection rate is very low and the City-DOE are doing all of these inspections to make sure buildings are safe. Shouldn't we rely on their expertise and go to work in schools?

Answer: I am not a scientist by any means but top scientists are urging that opening school buildings should be delayed as we stated earlier. Sending hundreds of thousands of students and close to 100,000 DOE employees back into the school buildings might spur on a second wave of COVID-19. Doctor Anthony Fauci said we would be engaging in an "experiment" if we open school buildings. No school system that I know of suffered the losses that NYC did in the spring. I am not willing to take the chance of risking lives. My own kids will be learning fully remotely in the fall. I don't trust anything the DOE says and neither should you. Watch this video if you want to see part of a DOE's toilet paper and yardstick school air inspection. In addition, this was in Chalkbeat NY concerning the inspections of schools:

With about two weeks left before school starts, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday a last-minute effort to send teams of engineers from the School Construction Authority to conduct classroom-by-classroom inspections of ventilation systems.

Meanwhile, the education department had already tasked hundreds of educators — instructional leaders, achievement coaches, and others who work in the city’s borough offices — to begin doing walk-throughs of school buildings this week. The education department only announced the engineer inspections after Chalkbeat inquired about having educators who felt unqualified for the task doing detailed inspections. These educators will still make a determination about whether school buildings are safe to reopen. Many say that they haven’t been trained what to look for and that they are being asked to wave inspections through even if they find red flags.

“Under no circumstances should you complete a survey and indicate that the building is not ready to open without consulting the Director of Operations,” stated a memo obtained by Chalkbeat that had been sent from the director of operational support to education department staffers tasked with conducting walk-throughs.

Anyone who trusts the DOE inspections or much of anything the DOE says needs help that I can't provide. 

Question: UFT President Michael Mulgrew seems to go back and forth with his emails, Town Halls and press conferences between militancy and concessionary unionism so why should we trust what he says?

Answer: Michael Mulgrew is not the UFT. Yesterday, he seemed to be falling back on his natural anti-militant tendencies when he wrote: "We have a responsibility to try to reopen school buildings because the infection rate in New York City is so low. But if the mayor attempts to open a school building that is unsafe, we are prepared to go to court or take a job action." That was no call to action and didn't even acknowledge that the goal should be to get all of the schools to delay opening. However, at last week's presser he was singing a more militant tune. He can only go where the membership takes him. Mulgrew is feeling the heat from below. He needs to know the membership is close to 100% with him if he takes us in a more activist direction. Otherwise, as said earlier, we will set our cause back another decade or more. If the UFT doesn't get militant when member lives are possibly at stake, when will we?

In 2002, the UFT threatened a strike. The main issue was how to use the extended time being negotiated. It was not easy convincing the Jamaica staff to go on strike but in the end we pretty much got there. Randi Weingarten promised us voice and choice in the use of extended time. She put one of her biggest critics, me, on the UFT Strike Committee. I learned a great deal that spring from Staff Director Tom Pappas as he talked logistics and the trick of the strike he told us was not actually striking but being able to convince the City we were serious. One day that spring, I was travelling home from a relative's house in New Jersey. I remember it like it was yesterday. I turned on Newsradio 880 to hear the traffic and Chancellor Harold O Levy was being interviewed. The reporter asked him about a teacher strike that we were voting on. He answered in the most condescending way: "There's not going to be a strike." Everyone but me knew we didn't have the guts to do it. The result was management controlled extended time; the provision was so bad it was renegotiated four times and then the UFT finally surrendered on so much more with the 2005 Contract. We refused to battle like a union so we lost. That could repeat itself now.

I want to add here that I understand Mulgrew's reluctance to be strong and I get a little down myself when looking at some of the anti-job action comments here and on Facebook. My whole UFT life was spent fighting the activist fight in whichever way was possible. I was only ever successful because a huge majority, not everyone, in my chapter was with me. Peaceful struggle when it is called for is in my DNA. 

Mulgrew's career has been to play the political game. UFTers could have voted for me when I ran against him in 2010 but over 90% of you who voted, chose him. I was vindicated slightly in 2016 when a majority of the high school members who actually bothered to vote, chose me to be their Vice President but Vice Presidents are elected at large and the High School Division is but one of four in the UFT. That election did propel some independent thinkers to be on the UFT Executive Board. Mike Schirtzer is still there now. Show them support.  

In the end, Mulgrew will get as far as a united membership will take him. It's up to all of you more than him.  Understand your power and use it wisely. 


118 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why not have problems campaigns...phone calls, media ads, blitzes to rally the public against deblasio's short sighted plan?why are we doing this ourselves? Would the admins, nurses, and other staff be with us?what about nypd/safety agents and custodians?it seems to fall on us and I think many who are remote won't strike.

Anonymous said...

The Taylor Law replaced the Condon Wadlin act. That act called for termination as one of the penalties for striking; the Taylor Law does not. As for the air traffic controllers, they are under 5 U.S. code 7311 Loyalty and Striking, a different law. Them being on strike was also considered a matter of national security. A judge ruled they had to go back. The controllers also apparently had taken an oath never to strike.

James thank you for this post, hopefully it will enlighten those who need enlightening. - Hawk

Anonymous said...

Unlike what carranza said, my school will have 2-4 students per class. It will be online, even students who are there in person. Teacher will stand there, like a regents proctor. Why risk traveling to work?

Unknown said...

What about untenured teachers? Can they be laid off while on strike?

Anonymous said...

This is once again speculation as to the interpretation to the Taylor Law. In one breath we can't be fired but in the other we are violating our contract and could lose our medical.

If the city had major cash flow coming in I would say termination is unlikely but with the finances the city is facing in my opinion, albeit uneducated in the law, I believe we should not take anything for granted. The only job safe in NYC is with Thrive NY.

There is a video going around showing crews checking ventilation with a long pole and a tissue. This is anything but reassuring. Please let it all fall apart on it's own.

Jonathan Halabi said...

Thank you, James.

On the length of a possible job action, I think we are best off saying that it could be long, but the more solid it is, the more pressure we bring, the greater the chance of it being short. I learned from people with much more experience than me that it is important to paint an accurate picture, and not tint things rosy.

But I don't take other issue, and appreciate the opening and closing paragraphs especially. Do you mind if I share this?

jd

James Eterno said...

Layoffs have to go by reverse seniority citywide in license whether there is a strike or not.

James Eterno said...

That is what section 2588 of NYS law says

James Eterno said...

I said the likelihood of us losing our medical was slim to none 7:02.

Anonymous said...

James when we use the word "layoffs" are we talking "excessing?"

For tenured teachers as I understood it with excessing, you still had your salary, benefits, sick days and had to placed in the district you work in. I keep hearing the word "layoffs" being used and that leads me to believe those of us in that boat would lose all of that. Or does losing all of that only apply to un-tenured teachers?

Regards,
Vin

Anonymous said...

Obviously, deblasio feels no remorse for what happened in march!nor does cuomo for his part in the nursing home deaths.he used to talk about nor being g qble to sleep at night with the crisis.i guess he is sleeping like a baby and is not doing anything to help us or address the other messes deblasio has created in this city.alarming...

Anonymous said...

Furthermore, I suspect mulgrew is looking out for his own reelection/career as others have pointed out his weak actions long term. If only a few show up, is it really unsafe?

James Eterno said...

Jonathan, I said this on the length: "In all likelihood, though one never knows, the job action would not last more than a day or two." There are probably going to be double injunctions. For this to last, city has to get injunction and ours has to fail and Mulgrew has to deny the injunction. I don't see that scenario as very plausible.

Anonymous said...

As far as having remote teachers work from school, it would not be fair to allow some without accommodations to work from home while the rest of us must absorb the risks.would or be cronyism to be lucky enough to stay hone?maybe there is a fair way to rotate...

James Eterno said...

Share away, please everyone.

Anonymous said...

So, to be clear, students now don't have to get tested to come to school? How is that safe?

Anonymous said...

Supply fans bring in outside air. My building has no supply fans. What am I to do?

Anonymous said...

Do you people care about dying or losing some wages.We either may a stand now or lose whatever power we have left.

Anonymous said...

Here are my issues:
1) Like an earlier comment: Why just UFT? Why not CSA, DC37, too?
2) Why hinge the whole strike on the ridiculous requirement of testing:
- NYC does not have the testing capacity to test 1.2 million people in 2 weeks! So why ask?
- Test results take weeks to come back. How is this going to help anyone?
- Test results are not required either - self reporting only. Again, why require this?
3) The instructional lunch, isolation room, bathroom sanitation, lack of soap and hot water
windows that don't open more than 4 inches are more pressing concerns than testing!
4) Why not just ask for all remote until rapid testing comes out?
5) why even support the hybrid plan when we don't even have enough teachers to pull that
off? Why isn't UFT screaming about this problem?
6) Why wasn't Mulgrew on every channel/ media outlet today about this Chalkbeat article -
ventilation inspection fraud!
7) Why not file lawsuits NOW?
8) Why not at least let the 1st few days happen as the MAYOR has planned it and let the
parents get a taste of how horrible his plan is?
9) Why not let the teachers who should be in complete PEP garb document and report all
infractions of the protocol to the media?
10)Why isn't are UFT "leaders" in the media explaining - teacher received no training - the
MAYOR and DOE Chancellor lie everyday they are at their presser.
11) Why isn't UFT demanding data regarding how many parents are choosing remote?
12) WHy is the UFT running ads about how unsafe building are, showing also that members
died?
13) UFT also needs to set up a more aggressive process for members to report safety
concerns like unsanitary conditions or really teachers should report to 311 - for too
long we have put up with dirty, disgusting, sweltering HOT buildings and now suddenly
we look like we are scared to go back in - when in reality we know the DOE lies
relentlessly and that is why we are scared - Cause we know it is not safe to return.
14) I don't trust the UFT as much as I don't trust the DOE. SAD to say it but I am NOT
alone. I worked in a "failing school" and the UFT was remarkably inept. If fact, we I
had to reapply for my job after the UFT failed to stop them from chopping up the
school worked - the UFT person on the hiring committee was worse than the DOE person.
THe UFT didn't do enough for ATRs and most teachers don't care about ATRs. Danielson -
Mulgrews was a smiling idiot about Danielson. I could go on about testing, grade
fraud... blah, blah... but yeah so, when all of a sudden Mike Mulgrew wants to get as
you say Militant - I don't trust him and bye the way, I voted for you, James. I meet
you once at a PEP meeting when Bloomberg was closing down schools. I went to some many
PEP meetings,,, i can't count them. I used to believe in the "Union" as I was raised on
a union paycheck ... but straight up I really can't stand the UFT because of how they
have continuously seem obsessed with pleasing the city and NOW, When finally we Know
for SURE THE CITY IS GOING TO LOOK HORRIBLE ... TERRIBLE>... UFT SUDDENLY WANTS TO
STRIKE "FOR SAFETY"???? With Positivity under 1%??? SEEM LIKE UFT WANTS TO HELP the
MAYOR AND GOV look better not worse for their school plan.

Your post was insight. I appreciate your thoughts, your blog, your efforts. I am still not convinced that a strike is a smart move. I would only support one, if and only if, the UFT went on strike after they addressed some of the concerns i mentioned above - but most importantly - show the MAYOR's FAILED plan!!! DO NOT save him.

- Ironweed



14)

Anonymous said...

The mayor will not help us. He is too busy making comments about Wisconsin while ignoring "Shots fired at Trump supporters, including children" while ignoring his own city and city workers.

Anon2323 said...

I wonder how many students are in PE classes, my gym is big and they are putting 24 with me. Seems like a lot with 12 ft distance and indoor gym basically still closed.
Guess only way we will know if it's a hotbed is by going back in 2 weeks and letting the shit show play out. We are the test dummies.

Anonymous said...

So, between Tuesday and Thursday this week...4 town hall meetings, 10 hours, for what? My principal says he knows nothing. The CL is just saying the same stuff while saying he cant speak for uft leadership. And we are nowhere.

Anonymous said...

Does the air flow test with the toilet paper on a stick determine how much pressure and speed this flow is producing? Something to think about. Science teachers, please add to this.

Anonymous said...

Agree. CSA, DC 37, Security Officers, Nurses, cafeteria workers, secretaries, etc should all be in the job action and/or safety strike. According to Mulgrew, school aides will be the ones in the isolation rooms. Why isn't DC 37 joining in? CSA with their 151 + questions should be organizing a job action and/or strike. They know how unsafe it is. Custodians barely can do their job as it is and now are expected to carry out all the new requirements for COVID-19 safety.

As a collective group, it will be so powerful and unstoppable.

Anonymous said...

You want to figure out how many air changes in an hour. I believe 6 is considered good for a medical situation like this and I've seen articles saying people in hospitals have gotten sick with that amount of air flowing when exposed. They'd have to figure out cfm of the fans and volume of the room. Also Rhys have to figure out where the air is going and what air is replacing it. Is the vital load exiting the building or going to another class and is the air replacing the old air clean or coming from another contaminated area. Basically their test is pointless. Insulting actually. Also, we're all screwed.

Anonymous said...

I saw Grace Dodge mentioned earlier as a school with no ventilation system. Very true, I spent seven of the worst years of my life in that hellhole. Some of you may not be aware it is also the school where the staff self reported in March, to the DOE and the UFT, a Covid outbreak amongst the staff and they were completely ignored with devastating consequences. The DOE and UFT cannot be trusted. Mulgrew will never allow a strike.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew drew a line with testing then backed off. The bogus inspections including using toilet paper to test airflow without addressing air flow criteria as explained by 11:26 should be highlighted and persued by teachers in individual schools and uft leadership. Most parents would be on our side if they knew that the doe was fudging their air quality reports. If Mulgrew doesn't focus on that publically, we know he's just paying lip service to members. What say you pro unity people? You've been quiet here lately. Any press releases regarding Toilet-Paper-Gate?

Anonymous said...

@11:02Pm & 11:26 PM - You are right to question the air flow based on this toilet paper on a stick test. We are screwed. The union needs to be on this.

Anonymous said...

I'll try asking this again as it looks like it got lost above.
If James or anyone else can actually answer this, I'd appreciate it.

When we use the word "layoffs" are we talking "excessing?"

For tenured teachers as I understood it with excessing, you still had your salary, benefits, sick days and had to placed in the district you work in. I keep hearing the word "layoffs" being used and that leads me to believe those of us in that boat would lose all of that. Or does losing all of that only apply to un-tenured teachers?

Regards,
Vin

Anonymous said...

NYC is not ready to safely reopen’: Brooklyn councilman asks Cuomo to delay start of school year https://nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-andrew-cuomo-public-schools-mark-treyger-20200826-7ieyy6cfpjge5ktyk2uno624ya-story.html MUST READ
@UFT

@UFT_BKOffice

@MarkTreyger718
Safe Re/Open
@NYCSchools
first! Pay attention
@NYCMayor

@DOEChancellor

Anonymous said...

Will mulgrew, sill, hinds, barr, amy sit in the infected buildings with us with no supply fans with hundreds of people who just got off the subway?

Anonymous said...

but keep paying dues everybody

Anonymous said...

True?

The @UFT has been calling for testing for months!!! De Blasio backtracks on mandatory testing comment, says United Federation of Teachers is ‘uncomfortable’ with it

Anonymous said...

We are the suckers. We pay dues like sheep for tiny raises, substandard contracts and awful working conditions.

Anonymous said...

UFT DR just said on town hall, ive dealt with weapons and violence in schools, but covid is worse. Wow. Lol. Nothing to see here.

Anonymous said...

I cannot believe professional basketball and the WNBA boycotted their own games for a dude trying to knife the cops. We should certainly strike, we have good reason.

Anonymous said...

uft dr at town hall said contract is void if we strike, must renegotiate.

waitingforsupport said...

@8:50...Byeeee

TeachNY said...

Layoffs means you’re done. Tine to search for a new job :-(. . Excess just means your school does not have a need for you and you kind of float around with all your pay and benefits intact.

Anonymous said...

Comments like 9:18 make me wonder who my colleagues are

waitingforsupport said...

Then i know you are shocked that a terrorist murdered 2 people, walked pass police (armed) and went home to bed. You have good reason to act up and out. Strike. Protest. Hell Some folks will do anything if they feel like their life is in danger.

Anonymous said...

So if we strike, contract is gone, and if/when we come back, mulgrew has to negotiate the new contract? Yeah, that's a great idea.

Anonymous said...

uft dr says we worked very hard to get what we have so we are going to keep everything...After the 205 and 2014 contracts which gave back everything

James Eterno said...

Layoffs go by reverse seniority citywide by license according to law. Excessing, where you lose your position at a school but still have a job in the system, goes by reverse seniority within a license in the school.

The only exception is tenured people have priority over non tenured in both excessing and layoff although in a layoff situation, you can revert to a prior license.

Bronx ATR said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
James Eterno said...

9:37, Remember, we are innocent until proven guilty. This will probably take years to wind its way through the courts. While it does, the Contract will more than likely remain in effect. I very much doubt the Contract will be voided with all due respect to your DR.We would also argue the City-DOE violated our Contract's right to a safe work environment so we had to strike or possibly get infected.

Anonymous said...

Um, 951, he had a felony warrant for rape of a child and several other violent arrests. Anyway, how can the uft expect us to follow them without any questions when they have destroyed the profession and repeatedly watered down the contract.

Anonymous said...

The mayor is now giving guidance for instruction at presser.

Anonymous said...

de blasio now touting the nba because of taking a stand while forcing us into infected buildings.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know what this new curriculum agreement with the UFT is about? Details?
Debozio is talking about it now.

waitingforsupport said...

@9:51...wonder no more. Stay safe.

Anonymous said...

We have had a lot of different opinions. If the uft calls for a strike, after the awful leadership and how many times hey screwed us, I dont know how many are walking out. Some might. It would cause a shortfall of staff, but certainly not 100%. This is what happens after yearsof this garbage. The is why the opt out people keep yelling here. Now we have a life and death situation and the uft cant get the membership in line.

The mayor says the kids are waiting for schools to resume. LOL. Has he been to a HS in NYC lately? That is a lie.

To follow 1034, blake also resisted and had a knife on top of a lengthy violent history and a rape warrant.

So you know the "peaceful protesters" in Kenosha a couple nights ago where 3 were shot by the "white supremacist". Well, here is exactly why the shooter will have his shoot deemed justified.
The asshole who had his brain scrambled by a 5.56 round was chasing the kid.....
....and as he chased he threw what appears to be a molotov at the kid and then continued to chase him.

Anonymous said...

Based on de blasio speaking it seems as if mulgrew has abandoned the strike talk. Talking all about blended and how to divide time. Although DR went on and on this morning in D79 town hall about a strike and what we would lose.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew makes another MOA yesterday without consulting the membership; during talks of a job action; and violating our contract (Hybrid Remote Teachers will have twice the contractual class sizes?!?).

Ya don't make MOA's when you're "at war" for the lives of your membership, brah.

A call for unity, yet backstabbed again :(

As you say, Mulgrew is not the Union, we are - but he's the one making these MOAs and violating our contract. President "I'll never let test scores be used in evaluations" Mulgrew & Unity are the reasons we don't have unity.

Anonymous said...

Excuse my legal/contractual ignorance--
Can someone explain if refusing to work in an environment that is perceived to be a health/safety risk is allowable by the contract's exception to insubordination?

"Failure to follow an administrator’s directive could be considered an act of insubordination and could lead to disciplinary action against you. If an administrator gives you a directive that you know violates the contract, you must obey it and then file a grievance. Through the grievance process, the union will seek a remedy that will deter your supervisor from continuing the contractual violation. The only exception to the 'obey now and grieve later' rule is if obeying the directive would endanger your health, put your safety or the safety of others in real danger, or if it would violate the law. However, before disobeying any directive, be sure to speak to your chapter leader."
https://www.uft.org/your-rights/know-your-rights/insubordination


If so, a strike would be unnecessary. Or would this refusal to work qualify as a safety action for the above reason?
I sincerely do not know the answer to this and would appreciate it if James or someone can elaborate how insubordination may or may not apply in these unique circumstances.
Thank you for your time.

waitingforsupport said...

@10:34...the leadership of the uft had support from educators in destroying the profession in NYC. How? Many educators (probably you included) kept silent about the corruption of education in NYC that affected families and the strength of the future middle class. You're asking how can the uft expect you to follow them? Well you followed before so why not continue following. I mean you do have a brain right? So use it.

Anonymous said...

Feel safe?

Dispatch from a Manhattan School: "My principal told me today that she found out the chemicals delivered to all schools for the electrostatic cleaner had been recalled because of safety concerns & they don’t have anything else yet."

Anonymous said...

Not me 1124. I fail the most in my school, opted out of the union, dont have their backing for anything.

Anonymous said...

James, Mulgrew keeps voiding the contract with his behind closed-door-MOAs as it is.

If we have to renegotiate a post-strike contract under Unity "Leadership" we'll somehow wind up working 495 days per 365 calendar year. Glad I voted against Unity and convinced many others in my HS to do so as well; sorry we're stuck with them.

I just can't wait until we see what Unity agreed to in the ultra secret 2020-2021 calendar. Mr. "I'll give up your retro, if you want me too" Mulgrew is dangerous with all his secret plans with the DOE. No offense, but are we really supposed to trust them to defend us if we strike? I'd feel much more confident to strike if Mulgrew wasn't "leading" the way. How can we be certain we won't wind up saying in a Don Adams' voice "If it isn't the old "Golden Parachute paper bag full of cash under the DOE bathroom stall" plan"?

Thanks James for this Blog and giving us a voice (even if you disagree with what we say at times)... just wish our Leadership would listen to who they're supposed to represent (hint to Unity: it's not the DOE!).

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew "I'll give up your retro, if you want me too" Mulgrew is dangerous with all his secret plans with the DOE.

Sounds like de Blasio-all parents agree with me even though 800k never took a 1 minute survey so I think agree with me.

Great leadership. Vote mulgrew. Pay dues. Vote dem. Smart. Then expect change.

Anonymous said...

Revolt! Contact Lydia and join Solidarity. They’ll help. Get enough together and protest against Mulgrew. I keep hearing Mulgrew’s not the UFT. Someone has to prove it before Mulgrew signs another hard earned right away. He’s breaking primary, paramount union rules, and signing your name to agreements you will be mandated to follow.

Anonymous said...

Scabs looking smart.

Anonymous said...

Just had mtg with DR and he said there will NOT be a vote of the membership for strike. Very democratic right James?

Anonymous said...

They could take a vote through survey monkey and find out how many are against. Then they would have an idea about how many might go into school as scabs. But nah why be prepared? Let’s just call for a strike and hope for the best. If 30% go in as scabs how divided will our union be then? I personally would never speak to anyone again that went to building during strike.

Bronx ATR said...

Why? Mulgrew is deBlasio’s bitch.

Unitymustgo! said...

Question, my school elementary school ran an SBO to alter our Extended day time, but the new inexperienced CL wrote all the times in it. So our SBO read something like: "the regular teacher work day is from at 8:20-2:40 M-F", then we list out the division and times for all the extended day stuff. Apparently our Principal is stating that she thinks that means we will have to start the teachers day at 8:20 with students reporting at 8:50? That can't be correct? I thought the elementary schedule put out by the DOE was the agreed upon schedule for all elementary schools? Is my Principal and CL incorrect? Gosh I hope so.

Anonymous said...

Just a quick question of clarification on the following:

Hybrid Remote Teachers will have twice the contractual class sizes?!?).

Anonymous said...

This city is imploding. DeBlasio, Carranza and Mulgrew are destroying public education. Eva and Andy are rubbing their hands together in anticipation. Mulgrew is right now signing givebacks to save the city from a depression - that was caused in great part by BillyBoy. Who will save us from the deadly duo, DeBozo and Moldgrew? Batman? Superman? PowerRangers? At this point, I’d take Barney the Dinosaur. In reality, it has to be us and it has to be now. This isn’t really about unsafe schools - this is about power and control.

Anonymous said...

Pay dues everybody, we are a strong, huge union, right?

Anonymous said...

Court injunction first then strike. See what happens in court first. I don’t see urgency when it comes to union. Court case should already be filed

Anonymous said...

The dumbest of ny

JP said...

Why not in court yet? How many on here have emailed uft, mayor, gov, media? I'm the only one. That is the problem.

Anonymous said...

So just like that Mulgrew completely backed down? No more strike talk? No court injunction? Has all this been confirmed or just speculation?

Anonymous said...

I had my school's UFT meeting today. I listened. I understand the situation is not good. But I still believe the union representatives are speculating on what could happen if we strike. I can't get past that we will break our contract and we can lose medical but termination is not possible. It can't be one and not the other.

I stand by my belief against a strike. I stand by my previous comments that the union has not been there for me when I needed it most. I also don't believe in the political side of the UFT specifically defunding the police, strict anti-conservative views, and poor leadership currently in place.

If there is a strike I will stand with my fellow teachers and resign from the union.

Anonymous said...

When will you guys learn? Please tell me what is enough. Killing your family? Getting 10 years of 0 raise? Knocked out by a student?

Anonymous said...

"I stand by my previous comments that the union has not been there for me when I needed it most. I also don't believe in the political side of the UFT." But I pay dues. Think mulgrew gives a shit if you are upset?

Anonymous said...

As they collect 100 million dollars in dues. As we go into unsafe buildings. As our leadership doesn't go near students or infected buildings. As they dare a strike and immediately forget it. As they change the contract over and over. After the 2014 contractual disaster. After March 17. 18, 19. Keep complaining.

Anonymous said...

By the time we figure out how to do their teaching models it will be June.

waitingforsupport said...

The point is the POS terrorist went home in spite of the cops SEEING his gun. However the cops ASSUMED Blake had a weapon. Even a blind man sees the discrepancy in treatment. Im not surprised with these comments. The president, governor mayor and UfT repeatedly treat you like Blake and many of you continue to tolerate it. Mouth shut and head down. Blake's past comes into play and the president governor mayor and uft use our passive past to possibly risk your life. Your holier-than-thou attitude can be used by the public too.

Anonymous said...

lol. w4s. retired, consulting at a failing school, a leech on the taxpayer, but runs the mouth, while picking and choosing which crime to ignore, while criticizing the uft members she claims to be in solidarity with, while criticizing those who opt out, while criticize people who pass too many AND fail too many. Pick a side.

Police dont need to see the knife, he resisted, taser didnt work, was reaching into a blind spot in a car, with children close, while having a warrant and being a child rapist. Maybe if the violence in the streets, ya know, BLM, wasnt happening for 4 months, or if they wouldve obeyed the curfew, nobody wouldve been shot. Minor details. Like how the shooter was attacked first

I would think a teacher would understand that. Because Im sure if your 15 year old daughter was raped you wouldnt mind, right? You wouldnt want that guy dead or in jail, which is what the cops were trying to do.

Anonymous said...

Yes—but even if a black man is armed with a knife, has a warrant for his arrest over sexually assaulting a minor, threatens to grab another weapon from his car, AND is physically resisting, officers still mustn’t defend themselves or else RACISM.

...Cuz Lebron James says so

Anonymous said...

What does the new MOA say?

Anonymous said...

68 people per period for remote.

Anonymous said...

If we had a strong union, our union would tell our mayor "We are going to begin the school year working remotely. We will begin the blended learning model when our requirements are met." If we are all working remotely, we are not refusing to work, we are refusing to go into buildings that our UFT leadership deems unsafe to children, families, and staff. Why was our leadership so quick to use the term "strike" when we've been working remotely since March? Why even put it that way?

Anonymous said...

Here I am off topic but since some commenters have already taken us there I feel the need to say the following. Cops didn't see the vigilante (W4S calls him a terrorist) as a threat because it was legal for him to have an open weapon and his hands were up. Why they didnt question him is a legit question to ask. When the democrats in charge not only fail to quell the violence but also enable it with their refusal to admit there is a lot of violence, a void is created. That void will always be filled by vigilantes. An opinion as to whether or not a vigilante is justified is up for debate. I want the whole story before I judge. If I legally carry a gun and am being being chased and battered by a mob, I have the right to shoot. If I just start shooting peaceful protesters, I'm a stone cold killer. Waiting for the whole story before I judge the vigilante. Some of us (teachers) are conservatives and others seem to think the liberals should have more of a say or are morally superior. I abandoned the left when the left anti free speech cancel culture bullshit took root. I'm not ignorant. I'm informed (and not by just Fox News). The left has become unAmerican. Live by mob rule and allow them to destroy your neighborhood while you stand idly by or become a "terrorist". If that's the choice I'm willing to be labeled a terrorist. I'm an American. I kneel for no one AND I think cops who abuse their power should go to prison for a long time and higher ups who ignore a history of abuse should be fired and stripped of their pension and possibly jailed too. I also think punks destroying property and assaulting cops should go to jail for a long time too. You can be pro gun and vote republican and still know that of course black lives matter as much as white lives. Portraying us as evil is your prerogative. It's just not very productive. If you're still on the left, grab hold of your party and shake the nuts out of the Democratic tree. Yeah yeah we got some nuts on the right too. But they're not burning our cities down right now. when they're done burning Portland do you think they'll stop? Or will they move through the whole state of Oregon? You know what happens when they get to rural Oregon? A whole bunch of people will be labeled terrorists. Fill the void with well trained police not vigilantes!

waitingforsupport said...

@234
You're back again with your blinders on? I'm going to respond to your ignorance today because hell, sometimes the cat likes to play with the mouse. So following your weak azz nonsensical logic, it will be just fine if the relatives of those victims go to the jail, pull out that terrorist who killed their child and exact justice because he committed a crime? Got it now--NOT. Many schools are failing but you still teach(??) there right, genius? Lovely continues to collect a salary for "pretend teaching" but calls me a leach? Perfect has commented, posted and read about the diploma mill/ passing everyone ideology by teachers for years but is now offended and views it as criticism against teachers when it is brought up by me. Either it's true or it's not. Don't be upset with me because you are treated like a cog in the wheel. It's funny how it's always the cowards sitting in the corner eating their mayonnaise sandwich who want to judge others. You have a lot of wind but no strength. Step aside and let the warriors fight for you. They will let you know when it's safe to come back out on your high horse so you can continue judging. Now go get your mask. Wash your hands. And stay 6 ft back. Your opinion,$2.75 and your mask will take you to your petri dish in Sept. Take a civics lesson. Damn it proves the point that a degree only means that you completed a course of study. Now try to stay on topic out of respect for our colleagues. I hate reading people on Thursdays.

waitingforsupport said...

The US constitution says innocent until proven guilty. Damn who opened the gates for the hard hearted to enter?
Even if a white man shoots 3 people, walks by police with the FRIGGIN gun he is afforded a court date. Cuz the cops says so.
Here's a free tip: You should take some time and READ the USA USA constitution because your ignorance is showing.

Anonymous said...

I appreciate whoever emailed me.

I guess I just cannot believe that as a tenured teacher I can be laid off and lose everything i've worked for over the last 5 years with no recourse.

Bronx ATR said...

I take this back. I just watched Mulgrew’s interview from this morning on WPIX via YouTube( https://youtu.be/wuFGaWnLRhE )
Mulgrew isn’t afraid of deBlasio anymore. Why? Cuomo.

Anonymous said...

When the MTA went on strike in 2005 nobody lost their jobs.

waitingforsupport said...

1.They gave the home grown terrorist a pass after he murdered 2 people. He was given the BENEFIT OF DOUBT. Give EVERYONE that same BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.
2. Democrat cities run by Democrat mayors? Republican president running the country. Nobody is doing their job.
3. Anyone not addressing violence is a MAJOR problem.
4. Everyone has a right to defend self if attacked.
5. Both incidents happened in the Same city/same police department/same training: Different outcomes.
No one has the right to be judge jury and executioner. Outrage will occur and should occur when treatment is harsher for one group of people. Folks bring up the criminal background of victims of police killings as if to say they deserve to be murdered. That's sick.
6. So when the US government dropped crack cocaine in poor communities the people should have taken up arms against the government right? How about the terrorists who burned down black wall street? Should folks have taken up arms and attack white communities? What about Indian citizens having their land decimated by pipe lines? Should they take up arms to protect their homes? How about teachers who willing go along with a system determined to destroy generations? Should the community stand with the teachers or let the teachers fend for themselves as they are told to report to an environment that could potentially kill them? This sh/# will get messy really quick if vigilantism takes over. I don't want that and hope you don't either. I'm an American too. I'm also a compassionate and empathetic HUMAN BEING. You don't kneel and I don't put my hand to pledge allegiance to the flag. You have your reason and I have my reason. Freedom of choice. Doesn't make you more American than me.
7. I agree with your comment about police who abuse their position and about punks who destroy property and people. As i stated above, i will never stand for violence, bullying, stealing, murder, everything illegal.
8. Republican. Pro gun. Liberal. Progressive. Dem. Etc. Just titles if we are really all AMERICANS.
9. Evil is when you see all people through one ugly lens.
10. The dem/rep nuts can sit in the corner and argue. I couldn't care less about the opinion of the closed minded.
11. You don't know who is burning down our cities could be anyone,right? I do know who was elected to be in charge of our country and he isn't doing sh$# accept for talking about how he will protect people from the marauders, rapists,etc if re-elected. Well hell, where is he now? He's literally in charge and is talking about what he will do if he gets to be in charge--again. Hello. This is happening under your reign and your blaming Obama? Biden? Mayors? He is president NOW. Im not impressed.
He's failed. Nope. He playing with the intelligence of his base. Ask his sister. She'll tell ya. He's doing the old "rokey doke". Some kind of double talk. Sounds like his speech from first go around i.e. who's going to build the wall? And who's going to pay for the wall? And how he will save us from the bad Mexicans. Fear fear and more fear. Don't get me started on his non handling of Covid.
12. Well trained police and a curriculum overhaul because folks are clueless about the contributions of ALL Americans is a great start. Its simole, just re-write all US and Global history curriculums and tell the ENTIRE truth. Good bad and ugly. And start including black folks in the BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT equation.
Stay safe.

Anonymous said...

Bronx atr,

What is cuomo going to do? Help us?

Anonymous said...

That mulgrew clip is a week old

TeachNY said...

I am so sorry. This such a terrible time.

TeachNY said...

Lol. Thanks for making me laugh!

Anonymous said...

@3:40 thank you so much for saying what so many think but, as you note, are afraid to say. i didnt leave the democrat party, it spit on and left me.

Anonymous said...

Bronx ATR that clip is from August 20th. He changed his stance since then.

Bronx ATR said...

Mulgrew and Cuomo are working together. Watch the upcoming castration. Clip is still as relevant as if it was filmed five minutes ago.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Bronx, the clip shows no deference or respect for DeBla. So I’d be apt to agree with you.

Anonymous said...

W4S... I'm no mouse. Your anger and personal insults toward dissenting opinions exposes you for the crazy cancel culture loving lefty you are. If that 17 year old was attacked and then shot those attacking him to defend himself, I and more importantly Wisconsin laws exonerate him. You're acting as if that teenager was in the middle of a meadow surrounded by butterflies and kittens and the best of human kind. Again, waiting on dust to settle and facts to be established. Do you expect people to just allow themselves to be beaten by a mob? Is that what you want. Attack me, beat me, kill me .... it's all ok. I can't defend myself? Resisting arrest ok too? That man in Kenosha was shot by cops because he was too stupid to freeze when guns were pointed at him. If anyone points a gun at me cop or civilian and tells me to freeze, I'm freezing because it's the smart thing to do. I also think the reason he got away from a scuffle with the cops in the first place is because the cops were too afraid to use appropriate physical force to restrain him. He had a warrant for a violent crime. Should the cops have said, " oh excuse us sir, since you're resisting arrest, we're just going to forget the warrant and let you go." Hush now already. You've all been exposed. Even that CNN moron Don Lemon gets it now. Americans ain't buying the mostly peaceful protests bullshit. We want violent criminals off our streets. And if the cops aren't allowed to do it, citizens will fill the void. The whole country was with George Floyd. We were united on it. But now that message has been lost. That movement has been co-opted by monsters. Your anger should be directed at the democrats who sat by and continued to bullshit people with their " mostly peaceful protests" mantra. Not directed at those of us who smelled the bullshit. You fancy yourself a feline? Maybe this will comfort you as Trump is about to get his 4 more years... Soft Kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty purr purr purr. ( a shout out to fellow Big Bang Theory fans).

Anonymous said...

I wouldnt be so sure. Are you saying cuomo is making us go full remote?

Anonymous said...

Violent crime was rape of a 14-15 year old.

Anonymous said...

Still waiting for the uft to "Say the name" of all the little black kids who were gunned down by black shooters. Or David Dorn. Nah, small detail. Waiting 4 Suppot? You there?

Bronx ATR said...

I don’t know their backroom deal, but look for Cuomo to swoop in at the last minute for the most dramatic effect for his future presidential run. Mulgrew will be by his side. Now, something to keep in mind, things are deteriorating at such a fast pace in NYC that Cuomo may actually remove him before the expected school opening.

waitingforsupport said...

@11:26...you're a piece of work. You TRY to insult me by calling me a leach and but whine when you are given a taste of the same bile. You are the angry one. In addition, your lack of empathy for life is despicable. You must support Diblasio cuomo and trump because they appear to have a lack of empathy to teachers' lives. You write "your anger and personal insults towards dissenting opinions exposes you for the crazy cancel culture loving lefty you are" and then you proceed to angrily insult the dissenting opinions of Don Lemon. Hypocrite.
Let's try this again: When people are treated more harshly/differently than others, they are obligated to speak out. Don't expect them to go gently into that good night.(Hint Hint educators). You are an American who isn't buying the mostly peaceful protests and I know you're not alone. I think you believe Trump is America's savior and future. However, He's president NOW. What's he doing? Last night he said he is the only person who can keep you and I safe. His next sentence is his saying how he is "waiting" for Dem city mayors to call him and he will be there in an hour. So if he can't do it now without Dem city mayors' approval, how will he get it done if re-elected? Can you explain it? The dude is an enigma. Please believe I wish he were capable. I wish he did make America Great. My family has been in this country for centuries so yes we want America to be great. If he wins, America wins. However he is divisive. His double talk is mind blowing. Let me use your line about democrats, "your anger should be directed towards the leader of our country Trump". He is waiting on dem city mayors. He is blaming: Obama. Biden. The high tide and the tooth fairy. Come on man. Dem city mayors are letting their cities go to pot and republican governors' states are hotbed covid centers. How does either support me? You? Qanon. OK white supremacists, right wing militia groups (of which the terrorist was a member) all love Trump. He is somehow speaking their language. Now if you think protests are solely about the murder of George Floyd or any other black man killed on the street and not given a trial, you are wrong. It wasn't too long ago that black men were dragged from their home and strung up. So, yes black folk are going to speak up. Imagine if a president intentionally said things and retweeted comments made by groups who hate jewish people? Irish people? West Indians? Asians? War vets? Etc? How would you feel? Yes. People are angry and rightfully so. Protest to demand change. Change the curriculum to reflect the truth. The constitution is for ALL Americans. Cops are not executioners and even people with records have a right to be heard in court. America says everyone is entitled to a jury of their peers. Dylan Roof murdered people praying with him in church. He has his day in court. The terrorist who killed those people chasing him will have his day in court.
The Aurora mass killer will have his day in court. The Charlottesville driver will have his day in court. Even the murderers of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor will have their day in court. As an American I and many others will Never accept anything less than our constitutional rights. It's hard to beat a person who never gives up. Lol. Just so you know, Trump's re-election is an America decision. I've lived under several presidents. It will be what it will be. All of this debate about who is better Dems or Republicans is pointless. We are going to live together or die together. One nation. Under God. Indivisible. With liberty. And justice. For ALL. I'm not going to talk about crime and criminals because I've shared how I feel about it.
Finally, meowwww.

waitingforsupport said...

That would be IDEAL.

Anonymous said...

My original post was at 3:40. I'm not the one who called you a leech.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Eterno,

Any chance you can limit comments to education/union matters and not fill up space with the bickering of general politics and current events not connected to DOE UFT matters?

No need to post this. Just wanted you to consider it.

Regards.

waitingforsupport said...

2:25pm

Should we use the court system or not?

waitingforsupport said...

2:31 pm
What's your point?

James Eterno said...

There are some that don't get through but if it is related to the topic or is reacting to what someone said about them, I kind of have to put it through. Great reminder to stay on topic. Thanks, 6:15.

waitingforsupport said...

Let me apologize for my part. Much respect to James and all bloggers. I wish the "anonymous" blogger(s) would direct me to their blog so we can continue this discussion.
Respect!

ed notes online said...

My Taylor Law penalties were applied Dec. 1 1975 and includes being placed on probation for one year with no tenure. So if that still exists they can't fire you en masse but certainly can pick people off like highest salaries. Sorry to be a bummer - read the letter here: https://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/2018/11/memory-of-1975-strike-penalties-in-ny.html

James Eterno said...

The letter you reference says when you were charged with striking. Is that when the fines were taken out of your pay? Didn't the UFT appeal?

I read Section 210 of the Taylor Law several times. There is no loss of tenure that I can find on the current law.

Anonymous said...

I don't have a blog. I do have opinions. I never initiate off topic on this blog but I will comment once it starts. Sometimes I'm interested in the off topic commentary. Sometimes I'm not. When not interested I just scroll down. I also don't initiate nasty personal insults. I was called a mouse to be toyed with so I responded in kind. I won't apologize for that. Punch me and I punch back. Always have. Always will. It's James' blog. He can do what he wants but if fairness matters then conservative rants should be allowed if liberal rants are allowed. Teachers are divided and not just on democrats vs republicans. Look at the comments on striking. I hope I'm wrong but I think our weakness is now so exposed we are about to see schools open and more givebacks and good luck seeing a raise in the next 5 years. Weak people get preyed upon. The wolves are coming for the sheep.... Cuomo, D blasio, pro charter school republicans and democrats. I fear the worst years for teachers are around the corner. And although I often disagree with W4S, I will always defend her right to say what's on her mind.

Anonymous said...

Thank you James for the insightful Q&A.

For those of you going off the rails on a topic which is 100% unrelated to what we're all going through right now and in all likelihood will be facing head on in just under a week and a half, please for the love of everything good stay focused on the problems we have in New York City as professionals.

I don't want to strike any more than the next person., From a personal situation, the penalties under the Taylor Law could absolutely crush me. If we strike, the shorter the better. However, we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that this is probably a whole lot of grandstanding with a predetermined outcome. Bottom line is that we're probably not striking, we probably are going to have a modified school calendar and we'll be starting work more towards the second half of September than the first half.

Anonymous said...

His life was in danger

waitingforsupport said...

@11:09...
The "mouse" comment was for the anonymous @ 2:34 who called me a leach. That's who STARTED the name calling. If that's not you then that's not you. I am very clear to whom i respond. Punch you and you punch back? That's fine. I'm never about the punching. Punch me I hit the 9-1-1. Lol. Clink Clink. That's how I roll.
Scroll through so that you will be better informed. P.s.maybe you rant. I'm pretty logical in thought.
Be well