Stronger Together's packed house came at a caucus meeting at the NYSUT Convention on Friday. The standing room only crowd did not include any UFT representation since UFT Delegates at NYSUT all belong to Michael Mulgrew's ruling Unity Caucus. When this fact is considered, the size of the statewide opposition to the Mulgrew faction looks mighty impressive. I keep dreaming that someday soon NYC teachers will be organizing in huge numbers to oppose the Unity Caucus here at the UFT.
Nobody wants to see the Unity machine smashed politically more than me. If it happens at the state level before NYC, it would be a great start. Readers may remember that last year Stronger Together was created in response to Unity splitting the leadership at NYSUT and then using the united New York City bloc that is obligated to follow Michael Mulgrew's orders to elect Karen Magee as NYSUT President.
I am also very happy to report that our very own Mike Schirtzer from the UFT is part of the ST Executive Committee. Mike is a leader of the Movement of Rank and File Educators and not part of Unity. Therefore, he wasn't selected by Mulgrew to go to Buffalo but he was elected by the members of his school to represent them as a UFT Delegate at the Delegate Assembly.
I had the honor of attending the first Stronger Together caucus meeting last year and also participating on a Steering Committee phone call. These are some of the best trade unionists I have ever worked with.
They give us all hope that a brighter future with a real fighting union is possible.
If we are given further news out of the NYSUT convention, we will pass it along.
As a New York City public educator, I would propose the following:
ReplyDelete1) a vote/resolution for an immediate cessation of all dues to the current union which does not represent public educators here in New York,
2) a vote/resolution for an immediate transfer of current and future dues to Stronger Together, which has demonstrated how a union on behalf of public education should operate, and
3) A temporary doubling of our union dues, to be used to bring a law suit against Michael Mulgrew and his corrupt minions, who have not represented New York City educators and further, worked to undermine them, our public schools, and the children of New York.
Amen.
ReplyDeleteAmen!
ReplyDeleteCan you put up a link in order to join? I'll have my entire school join by this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I can, I will do it.
ReplyDeleteDo we need a separate link for retirees?
ReplyDeleteNo. It is being worked on.
ReplyDeletePlease make sure to create a link for retirees like me and my many retired colleagues. We (retirees) are not in favor of what the union is doing to the in-service members and it is time to bring democracy front and center.
ReplyDeleteAmen!
I'm proud of the work Mike Schirtzer has done to cement the alliance of MORE and Stronger Together. ST came to MORE a year and a half ago - before they were even ST - to build an alliance with the leading opposition voice to Unity in the city. Mike worked reached out to James and Arthur to make the NYC crew even more inclusive that just MORE. If people are interested in being more involved we can talk about a ST together contingent here in NYC that will work with MORE to bring issues of ST concern to the fore -- and also hopefully create a national presence to challenge Randi at the 2016 AFT convention. MORE is meeting with caucuses from around the nation this summer in Newark. One word - all this takes lots of time and effort -- Mike and James have put a lot into this work - Mike and I are doing a high school newsletter and distributing it to high schools around the city. I'm pointing out that Mike and James are regular teachers with full programs -- if there were hundreds of people like them Mulgrew would be in trouble. But if you expect there to be change when only a few people do all that work, you will wait forever.
ReplyDeleteNorm is right that if you are going to wait for someone else to save the union and our profession, you will be waiting a long long time.
ReplyDelete