The Nation explains Janus:
At issue are “agency fees,” which unions sometimes charge non-members. By law, unions must negotiate on behalf of all workers in a bargaining unit. Thus, all workers in a unionized shop enjoy the higher wages and better benefits that often come with unionization—according to one study, unionization raises wages by about 12 percent on average. To prevent non-members from free-riding off the union, union contracts often require every worker to pay their fair share of the bargaining costs, regardless of whether they join up. Without such an arrangement, the union risks becoming so starved of funds that it can no longer operate.
Janus, however, asks the Supreme Court to declare these agency fees unconstitutional, at least in the context of public-sector unions—and it relies on an exceptionally aggressive reading of the First Amendment to do so.
Later, The Nation predicts that it is all but certain the unions will lose.
How do all of us who have been opposed to Michael Mulgrew's dominant Unity Caucus in the UFT prepare for the impending Janus storm?
- We can stand behind the Union and encourage everyone to do the same. The UFT is in need of electoral reform where there is real accountability but the Unity majority is virtually guaranteed to resist any changes that would threaten their total control of the Union. Still, we have a job that pays six figures annually for those of us who can last and the benefits are pretty good. The UFT has to get some credit for that.
- We can organize a new union based on voluntary contributions so Janus won't matter. We wrote about this for high school teachers on Thursday, October 5. It would require a level of member activism up to now unheard of in the UFT (as would fixing the UFT). A new union probably wouldn't get bigger raises because of pattern bargaining (a weak union like the UFT settles on a wage increase and other city unions are stuck with the same settlement) but on working conditions, restoring teacher dignity and enforcing a contract some of us believe we could do better in our sleep upholding teacher rights compared to the UFT.
- We can encourage people to keep their dues and not bother with a union. That is truly cutting off our noses to spite Mulgrew's face. Can anyone cite any examples of workers who are better off because they no longer have a union? I can't think of one.
My guess is sadly some people who read this blog will choose the last option.
13 comments:
Its amazing...the uft has done such a terrible job, we hear all these complaints, now I here so many getting scared and saying we all must pay. Huh? This is our only chance to get real change. We must stop paying, at least for some time...Dont be fooled, nothing will change unless we make them change, look at the last contract, how it was paraded and sold to dumb teachers who voted yes. Happy with that tiny spec of money we got in October 2015 or October 2017? Happy with 10% over 7 years? Happy they still owe us 2% of the 8% from 2009? Happy they still owe us almost ALL of the retro? Come on. How about this? Since our contract expires next year, negotiate an early, much better deal now, and then i would consider changing my mind. Get us back to the 8.25% TDA. Get the S/U ratings back. Get the 2 observations back. The list can go much further...Even what is already in the contract is largely ignored.
It's October 2017 and the membership has yet to receive a hard copy of the current contract as in previous years. Get us back the 8.25% TDA that principals, AP's and CUNY members enjoy. UFT Unity Caucus currently doesn't deserve future dues until they earn it.
What possible leverage does the UFT have to win any of the things you are talking about? None. We are not organized and not willing to do what it takes to make contractual gains. Stopping dues will just make it worse. We have to pressure leadership, not by weakening them.
As for a hard copy of the contract going to all members, I totally agree.
Is the contract available online, so it can be referred to by the membership, and printed out if necessary?
If so, then the issue of a hard copy is a bit of a red herring, since it's not as if the leadership is hiding anything.
There are so many more deeply-entrenched failures by the UFT leadership that this is minor stuff.
As for matters related to Janus, if people think that their work lives are going to improve by having the UFT be even weaker than it chooses to be (which is saying a lot), then they have a lot to learn. But fear not: the DOE will make sure they learn those lessons, with a maximum of pain.
Ok james, what is your suggestion? keep paying and then do what to make them work harder? Walk out?
Emil Pietromonaco promised that the UFT contract would be mailed to the membership. We're still waiting. Randi Weingarten stated that the CSA was going to agree to the TDA reduction down from 8.25% to 7% for its members. That hasn't happened yet. Empty promises! Other city unions need not worry about losing union dues because the uniformed unions really support and deliver for their members. The uniformed unions didn't have to wait to get their retro money. We are still waiting and without interest.
The problem is that there is no accountability for UFT leadership. I get that. However, Mulgrew is not going to have a stronger hand at the bargaining table if half of us quit having a union. Massive member involvement is the answer. Hard to get that involvement. I try here just about every day.
Before Janus is official, a new, better deal should be agreed to...
UFT needs to throw us a bone if they want people to stay. Get us 2 observations. This would be free and cost the city nothing. UFT best be stepping up soon. Time is ticking.
The abuse and indignity that many teachers face on a daily basis is something the UFT could forcefully address with Farina/DeBlasio. If Mulgrew can't negotiate properly on that then he's already as weak at negotiating as one can be. Our suburban peers don't make less than we make and they are not being systematically abused in the workplace. I want to stand behind my union. But they've got to give me something to work with. Standing up and fighting for abused teachers is that something. Roseanne McCosh
I’m not surprised that we never got a copy of the last contract. During the contract’s negotiation, Leo Casey tweeted that we should abolish contracts altogether. He called them a relic of “industrial unionism.” So, if you wonder why the last contract was so bad, it’s because the leaders negotiating it don’t even want it to exist. That way, union leaders won’t be accountable to members for anything.
What are you looking to achieve without a union?
They’re suck ups. They think they’ll curry favor with Admins by telling them, “I’m good boy! I’m not in the union!” They remind me of the fat guy in Super Troopers who, when they fire him, tries to convince the chief not to saying, “aw come on, Chief. you know I’ve never been one of those union guys.”
Post a Comment