New York, NY – The Independent
Community of Educators within the United Federation of Teachers (ICE-UFT) is
demanding that the American Arbitration Association (AAA) implement a
transparent, efficient, and equitable ballot counting process for the upcoming
UFT elections, including those for the UFT Retiree Chapter, Paraprofessional
Chapter, and all other contested elections. ICE-UFT insists that all members,
regardless of caucus affiliation, must be treated equally and provided with
equal access to observe and participate in the ballot count and access to all
data generated during the entire election process.
This demand follows numerous issues observed in previous elections,
including inefficiency and delays on the part of AAA, frequent machine jams,
and extremely limited observation opportunities for members. Additionally,
concerns have been raised about private communications between the UFT
officers, all members of Unity Caucus, to which others were not privy, and AAA,
as well as delays in announcing results. During past UFT election counts,
requests for school-by-school data were denied, with AAA stating that only UFT
officials had access to those reports.
“Transparency and fairness are non-negotiable in our union elections,”
said Norm Scott, spokesperson for ICE-UFT. “We demand that AAA conduct the
ballot count in a manner that is open, efficient, and equitable, ensuring that
representatives from all caucuses have the same opportunities to participate
and monitor the process. Any deviation from this standard undermines the
integrity of our elections and the trust of our members.”
ICE-UFT’s demands include:
1. Equal Access for All Caucuses: Representatives from all caucuses must
have identical opportunities to monitor the ballot count and raise any concerns
in real-time.
2. Transparency in Procedures: AAA must communicate and adhere to clear,
consistent procedures throughout the counting process to ensure transparency.
3. Efficient and Accurate Counting: The counting process must be carried
out with utmost efficiency and accuracy to reflect the true will of the UFT
membership.
4. Access to All District and School Data: Full access must be provided
to all district and school data related to the elections to ensure complete
transparency.
5. Access to ballot process during the voting period: Regular reports on
numbers of ballots received, a report on number of ballots that were returned
due to wrong address, number of ballots returned past deadline of reception,
modification of the 8AM due time in final date of return to account for late
mail delivery.
6. Prompt reporting to all caucus election committee reps on day of the
count instead of being told to wait for the official AAA report.
ICE-UFT emphasizes the critical importance of these measures in the
ballot counts for the UFT Retiree Chapter, Paraprofessional Chapter, and all
other contested elections.
“These problems have cast doubt on the integrity of the election
process,” continued Norm Scott. “We cannot allow these issues to persist and
compromise the democratic principles our union stands for.”
ICE-UFT’s call to action comes amid increasing concerns about potential
discrepancies and biases in the ballot counting process. By demanding these
measures, ICE-UFT aims to uphold.
This press
release is intended for immediate distribution.
For more
information or to arrange an interview with Norm Scott, please contact him at
(917) 992-3734 or via email at normsco@gmail.com
**About
ICE-UFT**
The Independent
Community of Educators within the United Federation of Teachers (ICE-UFT) is
dedicated to advocating for the rights and interests of educators and
supporting democratic practices within the union. ICE-UFT works tirelessly to
promote transparency, fairness, and inclusivity in all union activities.
