Unity thinks we are better off with all of us having more observations.
During the question period, Secretary Howard Schoor even said that we don't have a right to statistics, such as how many of those alleged 3000 U rated teachers under the old system were charged in termination (3020a) hearings.
We also heard in Arthur Goldstein's report about a principal from hell at Tottenville High School. The UFT's response is they are working on it behind the scenes.
Also, as we predicted last week, Mulgrew is blaming the federal government for upcoming local budget blues as our contract comes due next year. I can just about guarantee the city will be broke by 2018 when our contract expires, no matter how well the economy or Wall Street are doing.
I will say it again ladies and gentlemen after reading this depressing report that we have two options:
1-Rise up en masse and vote out Mulgrew's Unity Caucus (almost impossible to do without a massive commitment from the rank and file)
OR
2-Decertify the UFT as our union at the high school, middle school and/or elementary school level or all three together and start over as a new union (also very difficult requiring massive member involvement as 30% of teachers at each level must sign a decertification petition)
Conditions are not going to improve if we just sit around complaining (or blogging) or if we all stop paying union dues.
God knows we need a real union now more than ever.
25 comments:
Typical, but keep paying dues?
How does it help if we withold dues? We just become weaker if we aren't in a union.
Sadly, I feel the 25 year old neophytes don’t give one iota about a Union.
In a decade will we even have one?
Enough is enough - new union please
2 Observations and Parking Permit guy here: I right all along! Amy Arundell herself last night fully and plainly admitted that "We wanted this, more observations". Mike Mulgrew has now been exposed as the lying sack of garbage that he is. He said he fought for less observations. I knew along all along this was not true and now I have my proof. (Hope you are reading this James Eterno) Amy is not rated with 4 observations, nor is the rest of the honchoes at the UFT. Every single teacher wants 2 observations and yet the UFT willingly fought for 4 OBSERVATIONS. The cat is 100% out of the bag and now we can place the blame for this situation fully on the UFT where it belongs. The next time a Unity rep shows up at your school let he or she know you fully blame them for getting us 4 observations. The UFT owns this now and will not be able to dodge the blame to the DOE. As for the 300 member negotiating committee, yes they can get us 2 observations via bargaining in the next contract, but why won't the UFT let us know that is a priority for them by agreeing to a resolution to support this? By rejecting the resolution to get us 2 observations, they are spitting in our face and rubbing salt in our wounds. They have a lot of nerve pulling this with Janus right around the corner. I do have one question: How transparent is the 300 member negotiating committee? Will the rank and file get to see what the UFT proposes in regard to observations during or after these meetings? I guarantee you that if the UFT does not push for 2 observations for the next contract, I am pulling my dues and taking my chances by running solo until either what's left of the UFT gets us what we want or a new union forms which actually supports us. Oh yeah, I am not against the option for allowing teachers the choice to have more observations. However it should be an option. Choose 2 observations or choose 5 for all I care. Nothing could or should prevent the UFT from simply making more than 2 observations an OPTION. (Might even be open to get untenured teachers more than 2 observations as is done in some other districts. However, tenured teachers should have the OPTION of 2 observations)
Totally agree
Why is it so hard? People who do well on their first two are done. If you do poorly, you get an extra two. How could that be a loss for anyone? It'll even make admins think twice about giving themselves more work by poorly rating on the first two unless the person is terrible.
Yes!
Can MORE begin the decertification process?
Anyone can start the process to decertify the UFT as the teachers' union. It needs 30% of teachers to sign it to go to PERB. The different levels (high school, middle school, elementary school) can try to as 30% of each division is a much lower number of signatures to get.
I read your comment two observations and a parking permit. All I am doing is reporting what Mulgrew told the DA how the UFT asked for 2 observations and DOE said no.
Am I the only one who thinks the 300 member negotiating committee is ridiculous?
300 brains working at it and that's the best contract they could come up with?
We really must be viewed by others as NYC's dimmest.
I got another one...we are supposed to stay after our day is over to give student cell phones back, for free. Guidance cant? Admin cant? Uft, why are you allowing this? Another inept CL.
Grieve it administration is extending the work day. Easy win. Ask to be paid for time worked beyond the day.
The negotiating committee does absolutely no negotiating. It just hears reports on negotiations and asks questions. I did it twice. Mostly a waste of time.
Me thinks there are some Unity slugs here. For the life of me, I have never met a single teacher who wants more than 2 observations.
What Unity slugs? Everyone commenting says two. Our slogans:
Two and Through or better still,
One and Done.
Anno 9:17 seems to think more than 2 are ok.
We are MORE, TWO not FOUR
How's that?
"Utah, get me 2". Angelo, POINT BREAK
I like the sound to that 7:19
I'm 9:17. I don't want more than two. Hell I want 1 or none. I'm just saying if they don't want to give us two and be done with it, at least let it be two for the people who get decent scores.
Why are ATRS being observed by Field Supervisors whose only aim is to harass and target ATRs.
UFT Unity Caucus voting down the 2 observation proposal only cements their fate of massive union dues lost come June 2018.
1 & DONE!!!!
2 & THROUGH!!!
2 not 4!!!
EXCELLENT!!!!!
Zero and my union would be my hero.
Mulgrew and Fariña should retire in Florida.
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