Monday, September 14, 2020

JUDGE GRANTS TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER FOR 5 UFTERS WHO FILED LAWSUIT TO WORK REMOTELY

 We have the decision on the court case started by UFT Solidarity. Five teachers asked for a Temporary Restraining Order allowing them not to have to report to school buildings. They are seeking accommodations beyond what the DOE is offering. The TRO was granted by the judge. 

If you read what we wrote here yesterday, the city has argued that the principals have discretion to approve accommodations to work remotely but this isn't happening. Hopefully, this lawsuit is the beginning of an expansion of the opportunity to telework. You are welcome to join the case.

From the UFT Solidarity website:

We are seeking new petitioners.

BIG NEWS:

We are seeking more petitioners for our Article 78 to grant UFT members wider access to the remote work accommodation. In the Article 78 we filed, we argued that the system by which the NYC DOE dispensed remote work accommodations is arbitrary and capricious.

Judge Ramseur of the Manhattan NYS Civil Court ruled in the favor of our 5 petitioners and has (thus far) granted them TEMPORARY injunctive relief from reporting to work in person.

In layman’s terms, the five petitioners WON their case! Unfortunately it immediately just applies to them. BUT ALL IS NOT LOST.

We are hoping to broadening this injunction to a longer duration for these 5 petitioners and we would like to fight for more petitioners to be granted this opportunity.

If you would like to join us and be able to hopefully be granted an opportunity to work remotely, we would need you to commit to joining us.

This will cost some money (fee to be determined) and you will have to put your name/story on a petition as to why you feel that you were denied or are not being granted access to a remote work accommodation (eg: you are pregnant and were denied; you are 31 and care for an elderly parent).

None of our petitioners faced any form of retaliation for filing the suit.

While we wish that this decision did apply to more UFT members, we can see this as an opportunity to open the door to more UFT members to file an Article 78 (like the Brave 5 did) with the help of Glass and Howrilka, and be granted a remote work accommodation.

IF YOU WANT IN, EMAIL BRYAN GLASS AND LYDIA HOWRILKA AT:

Lydia.Howrilka@live.com

bglass@ghnylaw.com

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

After paying dues they still had to go in their pockets?

waitingforsupport said...

Wonderful. There are educators in Mt. Vernon and Yonkers who are interested in joining the suit or filing their own complaint to work remotely.

Anonymous said...

UFT SOLIDARITY: MOVERS AND SHAKERS!

Only caucus with action!

BRAVO!!!!

Anonymous said...

11:17 AM - Yes. If only there were a way to remove Mulgrew from his position the way we can remove a chapter leader.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to the 5 NYC teachers who refused to be abused by the DOE. Too bad others who complain didn't join them. It's not too late. Join now and fight.

Lydia H. said...

If you want to join us, here is the form: https://forms.gle/18z14CzggACdf7L86

Anonymous said...

UFT Useless for teachers

Unknown said...

Join us!

waitingforsupport said...

Thank you. I will share this information with them. Let's Go!!!!

Anonymous said...

The UFT should have done what Solidarity did. Why should they have to hire their own lawyer?
The UFT and Mulgrew are a disgrace.