MULGREW INSULTS MEMBERSHIP BY NOT GIVING THEM A VOTE ON HIS SAFETY DEAL

I have taken the time to read much of the social media criticisms and some of the support for Michael Mulgrew's deal with the City that nobody gets to see but only the 100% Unity Caucus endorsed Executive Board and the Unity dominated Delegate Assembly could vote on. The UFT membership at large was mobilized by Mulgrew to get strike ready for a safety strike that I was suspicious was not an actual threat but went along with. My wife (a longtime chapter leader and delegate) was adamant that the strike talk was fantasy. I noted that Mulgrew didn't look serious at that UFT presser in August when he talked strike. He was almost smiling when he said job action. Did our saber rattling get the Mayor to negotiate? Perhaps but Mayor Bill de Blasio was not worried about the UFT taking a strike vote and said so at his Monday, August 31 press briefing. 

Were all of us played by Mulgrew or did our strike threat really work to get the mayor to make serious concessions? The rank and file was being asked to risk Taylor Law fines for the first time since 1975 but will have no say on whether the UFT achieved its goal of a safe partial reopening of school buildings. Since teachers and other UFTers are the ones who have to work in these school buildings starting on Tuesday, don't you think all of you, not Mulgrew and his bought and paid for followers, should make that decision if his deal really makes schools safe? Let's look at what Mulgrew tells us is in the actual deal.

Read Mulgrew's August 25 email. The UFT never asked for full remote for the fall. There were three demands that the UFT had and the DOE according to Mulgrew is meeting them on paper at least with this notable exception: "Every child and adult should be tested for the virus before entering a school building." That was the toughest demand and it is not in the amended plan the DOE is sending to the State Education Department. The UFT did get in writing according to Mulgrew assurances on needed supplies, procedures to keep schools safe and a mandatory random testing program to start next month for 10-20% of students and staff.

Two days after the UFT Unity dominated Delegate Assembly voted 82% to 17 % in favor of Mulgrew's deal, Councilman Mark Treyger held hearings on school reopening.

This is from Gothamist:

New York City should expect to see an uptick in COVID-19 cases once public schools reopen for in-person classes later this month, an infectious disease expert and advisor to Mayor Bill de Blasio testified at a City Council hearing on Thursday.

Dr. Irwin Redlener was among the 140 speakers scheduled to testify at the day-long education committee hearing on the city's school reopening plan. In the absence of testimony from DOE officials, councilmembers heard from skeptics of de Blasio's school reopening plan, along with the school labor union leaders who convinced the mayor to delay reopening to allow more time to prepare.

Redlener warned councilmembers that students enrolled in schools for in-person learning have a greater chance of contracting the disease when inside a classroom.

“I’m pretty certain that we’re going to see a resurgence. There’s too many factors that we cannot control,” Redlener said, adding that the current reopening of colleges where cases have surfaced coupled with the upcoming Labor Day weekend, when New Yorkers typically travel outside the state, could contribute to an uptick. "It's going to spread and the schools are not as ready as they could or should be."

Redlener urged the city Department of Education to expand the criteria for Reasonable Accommodation Requests, the exemptions that allow teachers to instruct students from home. Several educators are taking the city to court in an attempt to keep teaching completely remote during the pandemic.

Mulgrew constantly cites medical experts. Did he consult with Dr. Redlener?

Back to Gothamist:

The hearing came two days after the city announced a delay in the reopening of public schools following weeks of pushback by the United Federation of Teachers union, which raised the possibility of a strike last week. UFT president Michael Mulgrew told committee members he signed off on the DOE's plan after receiving assurances that a randomized testing protocol will be set up for each school. Mulgrew also said he was reassured by de Blasio's commitment to double down on resources to neighborhoods that saw noticeable upticks. This includes additional rapid testing sites.

Where are these resources going to come from Mr. President?

Back in July Mulgrew stated, "We do not believe that New York City can pull it off if Congress does not pass the U.S. HEROES Act this summer."

Last time I looked, not only had the Senate not passed the Heroes Act but President Trump who controls FEMA is cutting funding for cleaning schools and mass transit.

From the NY Post:

A new FEMA policy change will scrub COVID-19 funds for disinfecting mass transit, schools and other public facilities, New York officials charged on Thursday.

“I have spoken with New York State and New York City and they are telling me that disinfection of the MTA, government buildings, and schools will now no longer be eligible expenses [for federal reimbursement], and that PPE for non-medical workers has been strictly limited,” Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.

The FEMA rule change, set for Sept. 15, eliminates federal support for the virus-safe operation of courthouses, public transit, public housing, schools and other public facilities, CNN reported on Wednesday — including funds for cleaning and protective equipment.

“The operation of schools and other public facilities, even with changes necessitated by the COVID-19 environment … are not immediate actions necessary to protect public health and safety,” the emergency management agency wrote in an Aug. 29 policy summer provided to The Post by Schumer’s office.

Where is the money coming for all of the deep cleaning and PPE supplies the UFT says are mandated to be provided in schools?

Where is the funding coming for all of the teachers that will be needed for blended learning in schools, and at home and for fully remote learning? There is a shortage of staff but layoffs are still on the table as the city is $9 billion in debt right now.

Mulgrew told the now famous UFTer Barbara at the Town Hall on Wednesday that there are no concessions in his current deal. He could have added that the city unions are trying to convince the state to give the city borrowing authority. There will more than likely be union concessions in exchange. Will the rank and file have a say in any of this or will it be another backroom deal? The chances of a member vote on any of this are basically less than zero. In addition, I am all for an early retirement incentive but are they going to agree to one after the start of the school year? That will just add to the chaos that looks like is imminent.

Mulgrew has hitched his wagon to the city's school reopening plan that has many more holes in it than a golf course. His gamble is that it will work and he can go to the state to complain if it does not without risking his precious dues. The problem is he is betting with the lives of the UFTers, students and all of the families who are connected to those going into the school buildings. 

Is it better than March when Mulgrew knew buildings were infected with COVID-19 and didn't urge UFTers to leave them? I think that decision should be made by the UFTers who have to take the risk, not their Delegates and Executive Board members who don't want to endanger their union perks or the UFT President who does not want to put the UFT's dues money in jeopardy. It's all of you that have to take the chance going to and from school. Most of you are the ones who will have to supervise breakfast and lunch in classrooms, social distancing and other mandates in the schools. The technology certainly exists for you to decide but you won't get the chance. However, if you stay in the UFT, you will get an opportunity in 2021 to vote out your bought and paid for Unity chapter leaders and delegates and in 2022 you will have the opportunity to send Mulgrew and Unity packing forever. Not easy of course, but maybe no longer next to impossible.