Thursday, October 06, 2005

Executive Board Votes For “Vehicle With Extra Spin”


In a shameful display of self-serving spin a majority of the UFT Executive Board voted to recommend to the Delegate Assembly and the membership the anti-union document that the negotiating committee offered. This time, however, it appears that many who voted for this don’t really believe their own spin.

“It’s the best you can get, under the circumstances,” argued one Executive Board member. The line goes further. In this anti-union, union-busting climate what else can we do? Er..act like a Union.

When there is such a deep distrust of our own members’ ability to act like unionists this is what you get. A contract proposal that sells out the very notion of our professionalism. We can not have true input in the education of our students if our principals and their supervisors have complete control of our working conditions.

Let teachers teach has now been modified to state “let teachers teach the way the DOE orders them to.”

Teaching has always been difficult but at least it was rewarding. Now its become just another job…and a not very well paid one at that.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a follow-up to Jeff:
Talk about intellectually dishonesty at the UFT Exec Bd. These 80+ Unity Caucusites, almost none school-based (and those few that are I am sure enjoy some union jobs and don't have to worry about staying in school even later to earn per session are due to get the same % raise. Since so many earn over 100Grand that will be considerable. Will they do lunch duty in the UFT cafeteria? Or will they stay 10 minutes late to congregate around the coffee machine?
Bronx borough rep Vince Gaglione is always the most entertaining, exhibiting phony outrage at the things Jeff says. Tonight he accused Jeff and the oppostion of "distortions." This after Jeff made an amazing presentation in which he took apart the new contract piece by piece. Did Vince contradict even oneof Jeff's "distrotions" when he had the chance? NO WAY. Not one. Don't you find it ironic that the very same people who 10 years ago tried to sell a double zero contract because we got circular 6 and the elimination of lunch duty are now trying to sell a contract that includes the demise of circular 6. One VP even tried to convince me tonight that the new contract strengthens chapter leaders. Ho-HO-HO. Christmas is coming early.
Norm Scott

Anonymous said...

Wow, as someone who was at the executive board I thought Jeff was acutally pretty calm tonight. Jeff didn't take the contract apart piece by piece he rattled off objections he had with the contract, in a sandbagging format, most of which were refuted. They were merely spin from someone who's never cared for the process that the union has been under.

This post is a disgusting reshaping of what happened at the executive board tonight, and I'm sad that Norm has decided to pitch in. The attacks are personal attacks on members of the union who have been class room educators, or are currently class room educators. If this is how low one must stoop to compete, I'm sorry.

Richard Skibins said...

"Anonymous" you seem to be full of s***. You have to take anything which goes against Fuhrer Weingarten and twist it around, insulting the speaker or publisher. You and your fellow Kleingarten Nazis are just as brainwashed as Karl Rove's Swift Boat "Veterans." Every time Jeff or another clear-minded individual begins to exercise their right to free speach in the supposedly democratic DA, you find it necessary to catcall and make a mockery out of the process. When Weingarten loses her next re-election bid, you and your fellow Nazis will be crying out on the street while the rest of usUNION member will act like UNION members and fight to regain the rights which you threw away like yesterday's newspaper.

Anonymous said...

just a heads up, at least in my mac browser, your posts are full of strange characters....

Anonymous said...

I read somewhere that many teachers around the city are planning a COPE strike. They are opting out of COPE to teach Weingarten a lesson. How do we opt out? is there a form, or do I ask the payroll secretary?

Richard Skibins said...

Paul,
When you find out how to opt out, let us all know. I read a comment similar to your's on Edwize. He said that when he asked the UFT, they said that they would send him a card. They sent him and his coworkers empty envelopes instead. The funny thing is, some of the teachers in my school asked me that very same question! I asked my payroll secretary. I will let you know what I find out. Good luck to you.

Anonymous said...

What does it mean to opt out of COPE?

Anonymous said...

To opr out of COPE means that you are no longer having deductions taken from your paycheck to help fund the UFT's political activities. While we can not withhold our dues payments, we can opt out of COPE. Do it and send a message to Randi and her stooges that we will no longer fund her political stuff.

Richard Skibins said...

Any word on the COPE strike? Does anyone have a link to the opt-out form?