We would like to Know if your Chapter is Discussing Them
By James Eterno
The UFT has submitted its bargaining demands for a new contract, even though our current contract does not expire for about a year. We have done this because we are in a coalition with 16 unions for economic demands for the next round of bargaining. The UFT presented the demands to the delegates who approved them at the last DA.
Randi then asked us to go back to our chapters and have a meeting to discuss the demands, instead of printing them. We have heard reports that some schools are discussing the demands but many are not.
ICE urges rank and file members to ask that their chapter leaders have a meeting to discuss the bargaining demands, both economic and non economic if they have not yet done so. We will not print them so as to honor the president's request that they not be printed and distributed but we would like people to have discussions in chapter meetings. We discussed the demands at an ICE meeting as did the Jamaica HS Chapter where we had a full debate and vote.
Please tell us if your chapter is discussing the contract.
My school we discussed the demands and they didn't go over that well but taking back what we lost is something we should do.
ReplyDeleteOur chapter leader has called no meetings this year and none last year that I can recall.
ReplyDeleteWe have a chapter meeting with the DR. Our piece of doo CL, a Fellows with aspirations of attending the principal's academy, was a no-show at the DA, as she was hanging out with the principal in the main office all afternoon!
ReplyDeleteCan't we have a provision that CL's must have been tenured for 5 years before becoming a CL?
Recall the CL.
ReplyDeleteWhat's a chapter meeting?
ReplyDeleteThe chapter leader is, apart from the president, the most important person in the union. There will be catastrophes wherever there is apathy,and nobody wants the job except those who see it as a means to line their own pockets or fuel their ambitions. Also, teachers tend to be informants.All UFT members must support all other UFT members regardless of the issues, the personalities, and even the so-called merits.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the proposed rule that a person be tenured for 5 years asa qualification for being chapter leader: you cannot legislate courage, integrity, tenacity. A person who has a code of honor will exercise it even at the expense of his security and those whose position is stable will be treacherous as a natural expression of moral weakness, regardless of tenure, tier, title.
ReplyDelete