The UFT did not respond to our letter faxed on April 13, 2015 asking for time at the next Executive Board meeting to make our case on why Absent Teacher Reserves and Leave Replacement Teachers are entitled to a UFT Chapter. We belong to no UFT Chapter and need representatives of our own choosing because of our unique status within the union.
The next scheduled Executive Board meeting after we sent our letter was Monday, April 27, 2015. This was the last meeting before May Chapter elections.
It is no surprise that we did not hear back from President Michael Mulgrew but AFT President Randi Weingarten did reply. She told us the AFT had to wait to see what the UFT did. ATR John Silvers spoke during the open microphone period at the Executive Board but we have heard nothing officially regarding our letter.
Since the UFT has ignored our pre-election complaint, it is on to the AFT.
Here is our email to Randi that was sent on Monday.
Update: Please read our follow-up post on how the UFT did respond but the email did not come through because an extra s was added to my email address. We have informed everyone involved.
Good day Randi,
Absent Teacher Reserves and Leave Replacement Teachers in the United Federation of Teachers sent the attached letter to UFT President Michael Mulgrew on April 13, 2015 as an official pre-election complaint. The letter was sent via fax and email. The letter was faxed a second time on Friday, April 24, 2015 requesting time on today's agenda to discuss our complaint.
Tonight, April 27, 2015 the UFT Executive Board is meeting. This will be the last Executive Board meeting before Chapter Elections begin. There is one item on supporting a parade on the agenda that should not be controversial and there are other routine items.
There certainly could have been time for ATR's to make the case for a Chapter. However, our letter requesting time at the next meeting has inexplicably been ignored by President Mulgrew.
As the Executive Board decides electoral disputes within the UFT and Chapter Elections can begin on Friday, May 1, we are asking the American Federation of Teachers to intervene immediately to resolve this dispute. We believe our duty to fair representation has been violated.
Please get back to us as soon as possible. Our democratic rights are at stake.
Sincerely,
James Eterno,
Francesco Portelos
Has Mulgrew ever given a public statement as to why he (obviously) doesn't want ATRs to have a chapter? Just ignoring us is incredibly arrogant and unprofessional.
ReplyDeleteHere's another question Mulgrew, or LeRoy Barr, or the usually open and honest Brooklyn Borough Rep Debbie Poulos, or my likable District Rep Bill Kalogeras won't answer: Does Mulgrew's Truth Commission, announced with great fanfare at the '13 Spring Education Conference, actually exist? For seven months I've tried to squeeze a response from Mulgrew and his Unity folks, but none of them will tell the truth about the alleged Truth Commission, which is a new low for our non-transparent dues-sucking union.
ReplyDeleteIts amazing how just about everyone ignores ATR educators. This is the sad truth amongst humanity in that people basically worry just about their own selves and not much other
ReplyDeleteI am an ATR. I want top stay an ATR. No tests to grade. No paperwork. No classes to cover. No principals to deal with. I get my full pay and full benefits. I go to other schools and teachers will ask me " how do I become an ATR" . I guess I was just lucky.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you want an elected chapter leader?
DeleteTo 6:59,
ReplyDeleteYou're not an ATR. All of us have a target on our backs and no one to help us.
Why do we need a ATR CL? What will that person do for me anyway. Attending the DA as an ATR CL will not help us at all.
ReplyDeleteIt can't hurt to have our own CL. Better than calling Mike Sill or Amy Arundell.
ReplyDeleteMike Sill doesn't even have voice mail. I emailed him for advice and am still waiting for a response. We need an ATR CL who will answer his phone and return emails.
ReplyDeleteThe latest numbers cam in yesterday from the records office at the DOE.
ReplyDeleteAs of September 2014 there were 1890 ATRs on rotation and 296 on leave replacements. These numbers do not include social worker ATRs.
At a delegate for every 60 members and a chapter leader, that would be 37 ATRs at Delegate Assembly. Imagine the thought of 37 veteran and pissed of educators holding up voting cards not for testing and all the other topics puppets usually raise their card for?
Francesco,
DeleteYou should let Chalkbeat know the numbers, especially the writer Geoff Decker who did that completely biased article based on the DOEs false numbers.
This push should have started years ago.
ReplyDeleteHey Mike Sill,
ReplyDeleteAnswer the phone terd
You think an ATR CL is going to answer the phone for 1800 people? Serbice sll these peoplecand address their issurs? Good luck with that. All they will do is call Amy Arundell and Mike Sill
ReplyDeleteMike and Amy are doing nothing. ATRs like Portelos will at least try.
DeleteSo that is what it is all about? Getting Portelos elected as CL? Trying did not help my friend who was terminated after taking advice from Portelos.
ReplyDeleteOh stop with your cowardly anonymous posts. No member I ever give advice to ever got terminated and called me back saying "thanks for nothing."
ReplyDeleteYou and your friend can call me so we can analyze what might have gone wrong. 347-564-7597. Not that I think your story is true.
In any case, this isn't about me running for CL this is about 2000 members having proper representation. This is about a growing group who is not going away getting support when they need it. This is about having a voice at the delegate assembly for 2000 members.
Is this scary to the leadership? Of course. 36 delegates and a chapter leader at the delegate assembly not raising cards like puppets. That's got to be a nightmare.
The ATR class of misfits is not going away. In fact, its just getting started. After all, It was endorsed by our brilliant and talented leader Mulgrew.
ReplyDeleteNext up, a new class of UFT rejects, the UNTENURED FOREVER.
This new group, a byproduct of the new teacher evaluation, will be a larger number of teachers/rejects who will NEVER receive tenure. They will be labeled DEVELOPING year after year.
Eventually, NYC teachers will look around and ask themselves WHAT THE HELL ARE WE UNION DUES FOR??