UFT SOLIDARITY LEADER ASKS MULGREW TO JOIN LAWSUIT SEEKING MORE COVID-19 ACCOMMODATIONS TO WORK REMOTELY FROM HOME

This email to President Mulgrew was forwarded to me this evening from one of the petitioners in the lawsuit to expand remote accommodations. The case was started by UFT Solidarity, led by 2019 UFT presidential candidate Lydia Howrilka. 

Please note the ending where Lydia says that if the UFT does not join the case, they will have breached their duty to fair representation. I'm totally not sure how this will play out but you have to give Lydia an A+ for trying to represent UFT members with everything she has.

To: Michael Mulgrew

Cc: LeRoy Barr

Subject: Open Litigation- Will the UFT join us?

Dear Mr. Mulgrew:

We have over 20 UFT members who have committed on Monday to refile this petition Corwin et. al. v. City of NY demanding for fair remote work accommodation. These dues paying members are paying out of their own pockets for an attorney because they feel that they are not being properly supported by their employer and their union. We have discovered that there is no policy in the DOE that is universally applied. Our fact- finding has shown that people have been denied multiple times and there is no clear guidance on the "informal accommodation process."

The DOE remote work accommodation process is inequitable. Some members have been arbitrary been denied. Rubber room teachers are told to stay home on full pay. Our members feel that they are being used as Guinea pigs and are risking their family's safety. There are more members out there who are too scared to go public. My phone has been ringing off the hook for the past six weeks and I keep on receiving email requests asking me about our case and what they should do since they do not feel safe and they doubt the union cares.

We ask that the UFT join us as a party or amicus curiae on this case. If you do not stand by us, we will have no choice but to name you as a respondent for breach of the duty of fair representation to your members.

Please advise us what you plan to do.

Thank you.

Best,

Lydia Howrilka