Tuesday, May 20, 2014

HOW TO VOTE NO ON ANOTHER SUBSTANDARD UFT CONTRACT








For those who want the Mulgrew spin from his internet meeting yesterday, here it is at Capital New York

This part struck me on Absent Teacher Reserves: "Mulgrew defended some instructors in the pool as victims of struggling schools shut down during the previous administration, but relented that not everyone in the A.T.R. is cut out to be a teacher and encouraged those members to find other employment."

Whatever happened to union leaders saying "All for one and one for all?" It looks to me like the new weakened tenure hearings for ATRs is there to try to thin our ranks. 

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

The only individual who should be seeking other employment is Mulgrew. He is not fit to be a union leader. He is culpable in the dismantling of public educatuon. He cannot be trusted in what he says.

Anonymous said...

This is such a mess. I hope the teachers wake up.

Anonymous said...

Vote Yes to this very solid contract. Our wages go up 18% from where they are today. Vote yes for yours and your families and your unions well being.

Anonymous said...

Vote No to this crummy contract that the incompetent union negotiated!!!

Anonymous said...

The reality is that not all teachers in NYC should be teaching or are capable of teaching. Some have serious issues This is a fact. Some of these teachers are in the ATR pool and others have the classroom next to us. Lets not pretend that everyone that teaches is good. As I see it our union contract provides for job protections and due process. We certainly do not expect the Union to defend sexual predators why do we expect the Union to protect incompetence? Or teachers who continualy engage in unacceptable behavior with colleagues, adminstrators and students.

Anonymous said...

Folks. Lets simpilify. Facts: This is a contract that strips away rights of members... atr or not. Retropay delayed but only guaranteed to those who stay until 2020. What we need are major points to renegoitate so everyone is on the same page. I see this contract as a dividing line in a union that is broken. Mulgrew negotiated in secret and we were blindsided by the details. Full disclosure is necessary now if we are to get a better deal. What do we real want and what are we willing to give. Simplify brothers and sisters. In solidarity.

Anonymous said...

Wow, this blows me away. I have seen this time and time again, and notice the same patterns. I don't think many people realize how important contracts are. I think these teachers need to go back to the reason they started teaching and see where their true passions are.

Strake Davis | http://www.affordablecontractsllc.com/2.html

Anonymous said...

The union is in a sorry state. The proposed contract is a reflection of Mulgrew and his failed leadership. Vote No to this garbage.

Anonymous said...

Who the heck is Mulgrew to say who is "cut out to be a teacher"? ATR's earned their tenure by performing satisfactory teaching experience for at least 3 years under DOE appointed supervisors. Thus, they are indeed "cut out to be a teacher" until proven otherwise via an impartial arbitrator.

Anonymous said...

If not the president than who? Just because rhey achieved tenure doesnt mean they are good teachers. It just means they were lucky their principal did not discontinue them and their Supt agreed .

I noticed that... said...

Please take out a few minutes to read JD2718's blog, The perils of the ATR written by Lynne Winderbaum, former Bronx High School UFT District Rep.

http://jd2718.org/2014/05/20/the-perils-of-the-atr/

Lynne states: "“problematic behavior”must fall into a category of actions beneath these violations. Let me give you four examples that I have heard from ATRs: Leaving four minutes early on a staff development day after receiving a phone call about a son’s medical emergency, scolding in front of students for not wearing a tie, dozing off in the teachers’lounge on a day when he was given no assignment or classes to cover, making a statement in the classroom that sounded like religious proselytizing."

Go to JD2718 to read the post in its entirety.

Anonymous said...

Top salary going to near $120,000!! Per session increasing too! Full retro (tens of thousands of $)!

And, some people are still not satisfied. Greed is really disgusting. Hey, look what's up next door in New Jersey... Want to go teach there instead??? Good luck.

Anonymous said...



The proposed contract specifically targets only ATRs with expedited 3020A proceedings, and not regularly appointed teachers. When Unity shill Howie Shoor was asked "why"? he refused to answer the question! This was in front of hundreds of teachers!

Get rid of Mulgrew, vote out Unity.

Unknown said...

DC 37 guy here. Please don't vote for that garbage. This is a union-killing contract. I pray for you guys all the time. Solidarity.

Pogue said...

When I read "Vote Yes" comments I imagine the commenter in "used car salesman" checkered jacket and purple pants attire.

Anonymous said...

Vote No to this poorly negotiated contract. This contract has nothing to do with education. This contract is all about politics. Mulgrew should get a failing grade on this.

Anonymous said...

For professionals in my situation, that joined the 55/25 and have surpassed both don't win at all either because we still have to wait until the full raise until 2020 to be factored into our FAS
This is BS, VOTE NO

Anonymous said...

As a retired teacher, it is sad to see that the UFT is no longer a real Union. Al Shanker would never have allowed a group of teachers (ATR's) be stripped of rights. It used to be one for all all for one. Now its I'll give you 18% raise and you vote to strip your fellow union members of their rights. How disgusting.

Anonymous said...

Anyone who likes this deal either
a) cant add
b) has no self respect
c) is still wet behind the ears

Gladys Sotomayor said...

Read the contract do the math. This is not a raise buy a pittance and if by the karmic forces you become and ATR your vote will be karmic justice.

Anonymous said...

Notice how the alleged "lesson plan victory" was announced just as voting commenced. This is no coincidence- it's just another way Unity is attempting to coerce the membership to vote "yes".

As far as I am concerned the language about lesson plans is no different than it was in previous contracts. And with Danielson in place, and since we are rated on the lesson plan component, this, to me, means absolutely nothing. If I have to bust my butt to get either effective or highly effective for planning, I'm going to do it. I'm not giving any administrator the opportunity to play "gotcha" with me.

Anonymous said...



In front of hundreds of people, Howie Shoor actually refused to answer the question: "Why are ATRs being targeted for expedited 3020A proceedings under this contract?" REFUSED!!!

At least he didn't try to pull a Mulgrew and pass it off as "a good thing, it's expedited justice"

What a worthless piece of garbage.

The only vote is NO.

Anonymous said...

ATRs have not been sold out. They get to go back to the pool as many times as needed. If they are brought up on 3020a charges, it's incumbent on the principal to show documentation as to why that teacher should be dismissed. It seems to me that if you know you are a good teacher, you would have nothing to worry about. People who worry have little self esteem about themselves. An expedited process gives ATRs self dignity to say, "stop wasting my time! Either you have proof. or you don't!"

Anonymous said...

This contract in no way sells out the ATR's - it brings it back to it was handled when we called it excessing. If it were selling them out they would be let go when excessed like they do in Westchester and Long Island.

Anonymous said...

Shameful misrepresentation of a good contract. The world will come to an end, vote no. Are you kidding??? ATRS will be placed, they will be given a hearing in front of a neutral arbitrator, they will get an attorney for free, the doe will have to prove the case, two principals must charge the ATR, NO AUTOMATIC DISMISSAL, but they must show up to interviews (but dont need to be hired). Add that to NO MORE closing schools, financial benefits to hiring an atr, and extension of the open market. What is so unreasonable? VOTE YES.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Wow! Truly a misrepresentation for ones individual purpose! This contract is NOT only about Atrs, it's about All in the profession. Vote No if YOU want, but get the facts straight. Go back to negotiate and not only will we be a laughing stock, 19.5% gone, no voice, Atrs??? BCk to being the last to get a contract, another 4 years of NOTHING. I think Not. VOTE YES!

Anonymous said...

This contract is a piece of garbage. Problematic behavior means almost anything and will be used in an abusive way against teachers. The union negotiated the worst pattern ever (10% over 7 years). Even a federal mediation board supports 17% raises over 6 years with LIRR uions. Which wage increase looks better? Mulgrew is a lousy propagandist.

Anonymous said...


Remember...

It's not enough to disagree with the contract, you actually have to vote "NO".

Anonymous said...



A vote of "YES" will seal your fate to being an abused, timid, nervous, pedagogue. Schools will continue to close in a quest for those federal dollars, fair student funding will continue to mothball and fire senior teachers, new recruits will be gone in less than five years, and your raise will not keep pace with inflation.

If you are not an ATR yet, you will be.

Anonymous said...

The only common sense choice is to vote yes. To vote the alternative is akin to self- abusive behavior.

Anonymous said...

You need to vote no for union solidarity. Two lying principals can ruin an ATR's career in as little as fifty days. This is unacceptable and the UFT must go back and renegotiate.

Anonymous said...

VOTE NO
Our Brothers and Sisters are being sold out. Mulgrew should be ashamed of himself he is no union leader. The people on this website who say to vote yes work for unity
Who votoed for Mulgrew when he first became president. No one he was appointed.

Anonymous said...

Vote No and vote out Mulgrew. Howie Shoor never answers questions and he earns in the high 6 figures a year. Vote out Unity

Pogue said...

"The only common sense choice is to vote yes. To vote the alternative is akin to self- abusive behavior."

And why be self-abusive when Union Leadership can do it for you?