Thursday, December 29, 2016

AN EXAMPLE OF WHY RANK AND FILERS ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT UNION LEADERS

I saw this out of Michigan from earlier this month. The compensation package for the AFT Michigan President is soaring while teachers in the schools face cuts and freezes.

This is from a right wing, anti-union site in Michigan called Capcon.

The president of the American Federation of Teachers-Michigan union has enjoyed robust raises the past two years, even as membership in the union kept declining. AFT-Michigan represents employees of the Detroit school district.

Most of those employees have been under a salary freeze for the past six years, and they are also paying higher union dues.

David Hecker, president of AFT-Michigan, has seen his salary increase from $145,862 in 2014 to $155,278 in 2015 and $162,718 in 2016. The figures are from the annual reports the union is required to file with the federal government. Hecker’s total compensation increased from $161,751 in 2014 to $181,996 in 2016.

Membership in AFT-Michigan has declined from 20,889 in 2014 to 18,432 in 2016. Union dues have also increased from $17.20 a month in 2014 to $18.20 a month in 2016.

The bulk of the membership of AFT-Michigan comes from the Detroit public school district, which implemented a 10 percent reduction in salaries in 2010. It also implemented a freeze that keeps members from moving up the steps of the union pay scale.

Why do unions leave themselves open to these right wing attacks?

I have never met David Hecker. He may be a great union leader. I don't have a problem with union leaders being compensated for the extra time they work but when membership is on austerity, leadership should lead by example.

This is just another illustration for why if, or rather when, Friedrichs II comes along and the unions lose in court, members will leave the unions in droves.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to leave the union dues behind.

Anonymous said...

Lets get it out there again early.... "UFT Benefits" like vision and prescription are paid for by DOE. Value added by union at this point is???

Anonymous said...

Many school administrators operate as if the UFT doesnt exist anyway, so what will change if the UFT really no longer exists?

Anonymous said...

What is union leadership thinking? Are they just in deep denial? Do they know something the rest of us don't? Do they THINK they're onto something the rest of us cannot see? I honestly don't get that they can't see that when another Friedrich case comes along, they will lose the case... and lose members in droves once dues are voluntary. I see this as the same mistake the democrats made in the election. The unions think disenfranchised teachers will support them no matter what. I think they're dead wrong. I'm curious as to what others are thinking about how our union leadership thinks this will all play out. Do they really believe they have a winning strategy with nothing but doom and gloom scare tactics? I don't see that playing out in their favor. How does a teachers' union like the UFT get people to voluntarily fork over $100+ per month based on what they've done (or not done) for teachers in the past 5- 10 years? As critical as I have been about our union leadership, I want unions to succeed and work for their memebers' best interests. But I just dont see the majority of teachers feeling supported enough to voluntarily hand over their hard earned money. Am I missing something? Roseanne McCosh

Anonymous said...

The first wave: Brexit

The second wave: Trump

The third wave : Frederichs

Anonymous said...

My plan for when NYC becomes right to work. 1) Stop paying UFT dues. 2) Take what would have been my yearly $1,300 UFT dues money and hand it over to a NYC lawyer on retainer that specializes in educational law. 3) Keep the educational lawyer's business card in my purse for whenever I need it. 4) Laugh at all the ex UFT Unity honchos that are now forced to teach under Danielson in my building.

Anonymous said...

Union dues should be voluntary. If the UFT fought for us many would pay. I'm not sure any of us would see the need to pay $1300 a year. What the hell are they doing with $1300 per teacher every year? How much does that even come to? I believe in unionism, but I don't believe in the UFT or the AFT. I would feel much better if Weingarten and her sniveling sycophant Mulgrew weren't at the helm.

Anonymous said...

The UFT has 3 primary functions: 1) Negotiate contracts between NYC teachers and the Mayor's office. 2) Ensure that the contract is being properly adhered to. 3) Provide a lawyer to any teacher who needs one due to allegations that happen on the job. The simple fact is that the UFT has failed at providing worthy functions 1 and 2. As mentioned above, a lawyer that specializes in education law can be retained for a reasonable fee. Over my 15 year career teaching in NYC ,the contracts negotiated by the UFT have been getting worse and what few rights we have left in our contract have not been enforced. Yes, it is nice to know that the UFT will provide a lawyer to me in the event that a serious allegation comes my way but I could always just pay my own lawyer if that happens with the dues that I have been paying the UFT every year. Go ask a NYC teacher on Tuesday what the UFT has done for them in the past few years and see what they say.

James Eterno said...

I agree Roseanne. I don't get it either. Nothing is changing down at UFT or AFT.

Anonymous said...

UFT is dead when we don't have to pay dues. It will take months for the UFT to be in a dire state, a year to begin layoffs, 3 years to die.

Anonymous said...

Do you mean layoffs at the UFT headquarters on 52 Broadway and the district UFT offices? NYS still has last in first out rules regarding layoffs for municipal employees. (including teachers) If and when the UFT dies, teachers will still have state rights in regard to their employment such as layoffs. Now if you mean the UFT will die and have layoffs, yes you are right. The ironic part is that the very folks at the UFT who sold us out with these crappy evaluations/Danielson, etc. will be forced to teach again in NYC public schools and be subject to the shit they threw at us.

Anonymous said...

They must have some plan to shield themselves.

Anonymous said...

I'm looking through the UFT RAG and its amazing. Touting incredible raises and retro pay, as well blasting Trump and all his picks. What it leaves out is that the raise and retro are loans. That we're paying much more for basic healthcare and Trump in all his glory is there because Weingarten didn't endorse Bernie. Teachers are the stupidest sheep on the planet.

Anonymous said...

Randi Weingarten is a f-cking disgrace. I'm waiting for that check off box on optional dues, and its all because of you Randi and your poodle Mulgrew.

Anonymous said...

I checked the UFT website http://www.uft.org/who-we-are/leadership It looks like almost all of the leadership are retirement or near-retirement eligible. They are probably just hanging on. Once Frederichs hits, they will probably all go. I doubt that anyone will return to the classroom.

Anonymous said...

The only way the DOE gets rid of any of these principals, i.e. Sills, is if their behavior is blasted in the media. Why doesn't the UFT RAG start blasting these horrible administrators?

Anonymous said...

Good question.

Anonymous said...

I agree with anon... keep the money, hire an education lawyer.

Anonymous said...

I'm 100% with you on the education lawyer and using my dues to support and protect myself. I can do a better job than the UFT for my money!

Anonymous said...

Bernie Madoff would do better with our money before, during or after his conviction than the UFT.

Anonymous said...

Sad but true.

Anonymous said...



So what you here are advocating is that every teacher negotiate their own salary. If the new Principal doesn't like you she can give you a smaller raise or heck a wage cute compared to the teacher in the next room.

How about salary based on grade level or subject area. Should a gym (Sorry! PE) teacher with a whistle and a clipboard really get the same money as someone teaching math that actually has to prep and grade?

Step increases? Forget about It?
Differentials? Forget about it?

How about when you were late 5 minutes and you get called to a disciplinary conference..no lawyer is going to show up for that AND who ever said that they will allow a lawyer in for an investigation and disciplinary interview

No union? Who is going to fight for keeping the pensions if we get that convention.

No union? How about a forced transfer!

No union? Who is going to fight the charter taking space in your building.

No union? You can forget you parking placard?

How about your program? Want to talk about that without the union,

Most of the posters here have no idea what they actually have.

You need to wake up and smell the coffee.

Anonymous said...

3:49:

What makes you think that LIFO will remain in State law. They can easily exempt teachers from that law. Heck, without the UFT, senate republicans can cut out only NYC teachers.

Anonymous said...

Read the history.There were step and lane increases in the 1950s and people still made the same salary as everyone else.

Scare tactics are not going to work. We have already seen the union broken in Wisconsin. Salaries are lower and Healthcare coats more but ironically teachers have more job security because it is clear that the job sucks. They can't find anyone to do it.

Anonymous said...

There is already a teacher shortage in the Bronx and a national teacher shortage is just around the corner. Once NYS becomes a right to work state there will be nobody wiling to teach in public schools. The UFT will be gone and the DOE will be begging for warm bodies to get in front of a classroom full of rowdy kids. I am not afraid for my job one bit.