The City is refusing to pay the last lump sum retro payment they owe us for work that we did from 2009-2011. Why we agreed to this arrangement to make nice with Mayor deBlasio has alluded me since 2014. That's when we warned about this subpar arrangement while Mulgrew was erroneously claiming the city's cupboard was bare as the UFT accepted that awful contract that was twice extended. Now, we are still paying the price.
Now that we are getting screwed out of money we have been owed for 11 years, are the Mulgrew-Unity hacks going to tell us how important it is for us to have a close relationship with City Hall?
Are we now going to hear about Mulgrew's great negotiating skills by getting that clause in there so we can go right to arbitration? We might prevail before the arbitrator but if the city refuses to implement the award, we will be in court anyway.
Dear ______,
Citing the fiscal emergency and a budget deficit of nearly $9 billion, the city has sent a letter giving us notice that it will not be able at this time to make the final lump-sum payments, due this month.
This is unacceptable.
Those payments are overdue wages that go back to 2009 and 2010, when then-Mayor Bloomberg refused to grant educators the same wage increases other municipal workers received.
We are entitled to this money, and the city is obligated to make us whole.
Because of a clause we insisted on including in the 2014 contract for just such a possibility, we are taking the city to immediate arbitration. With arbitration, we don’t have to file a grievance or go to court, which could take months or years.
Our hearing before an independent arbitrator is already scheduled for tomorrow. At that hearing, we will demand that the city uphold the agreement it made with us.
The city needs to keep its promises, particularly to its educators, who have done so much to keep our schools moving forward during this pandemic.
I’ll let you know what the arbitrator rules.
Sincerely,
Michael Mulgrew
UFT President
The letter from the Deputy Mayor to Mulgrew:
Huhh? Is this news just hot off the Press? Haven't heard anything .
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely disgusting!
ReplyDeleteIf we win arbitration , then if the city doesn’t comply, they are in breech of the contract and the Taylor law no longer applies to us.
ReplyDeleteMy stomach is turning. So many of us increased the TDA contribution for this pay period. We can't change it back now. Bastards!
ReplyDeleteSaw this coming in March. Dems are for us working folk right?
ReplyDeleteMulgrew--you agreed to this shit right? Can I pay my dues in lump sums through 2031?
More givebacks coming. Be prepared to take it up the tailpipe.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but we are the dumb fucks who keep getting talked into paying this fraudulent and corrupt union. I wont make that mistake again.
ReplyDeleteArbitration is a game. What’s the arbitrator going to say??? We are owed the money?? No shit! We know that already. We know that for the last 11 years! What is Mulgrew arbitrating??? How stupid does the UFT think we are???
ReplyDeleteNo worries though, the teachers will work extra hard, teaching multiple programs while Carranza hired 10 ppl at a salary of $200k, thermometers for everyone, iPads for all and let’s not forget the 850 Million diBlasio’s wife spent. Unreal!
Barbara was right!!! She called Mulgrew out at the last Townhall.
Maybe some of you stupid bastards will wake up now. We have been trashed and destroyed and belittled forever. The uft has been complicit. Now tell me what the dues get you. Oh, right, we are lucky to have a job.
ReplyDeleteNYC just paid $106 million to school bus companies for two idle months during the Covid shutdown. Now, the city says it's too broke to pay teachers back wages owed for years.
ReplyDeleteMs. de Blasio got 1 billion dollars and flushed it down the toilet.
DOE shut us down. We opened 1 day later, worked around the clock while the pandemic raged.
ReplyDeleteNo Spring Break.
No more per session.
No Summer PD.
No Teachers Choice.
Forced back into buildings.
Now no RETRO PAY.
We still teach every day!
When will we strike??
Couldn't keep us safe in march.
Can't keep us safe now.
Couldn't get us compensated for spring break work.
Can't get us retro money owed from 11 years ago.
CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT UFT ELECTIONS!!!!
Nothing surprises nobody now.
ReplyDeleteRetro money is owed to people of higher seniority thus are not in the risk of being laid-off.
So threat of laying-off will not push us back.
Remember, Mulgrew waited for de blasio after Bloomberg, then agreed to wait 11 years for back pay with no interest. And we must always have dems, and this is where we are, as we still get sick and die in infected schools. But dont worry, mulgrew is angry, because WE waited so long and WE are get mistreated and WE had to fight the doe all the time. But, as the scabs love to say, keep paying dues. WE ARE SO FUCKING STUPID. So who is the sucker now?
ReplyDeleteI AM PISSED BEYOND ANYTHING! THE CITY HAS SOME NERVE. THEY HAVE WASTED MONEY FOR YEARS.
ReplyDeletelet's just list a few:
1. ATR pool. Let's hire 4,000 teachers while we have 1,000 teachers in surplus.
2. Renewal schools: Really? Are they renewed?
3. Useless consultants: No explanation needed
4. 4 principals in one high school building: paying one principal is a lot cheaper if you didn't know.
5. If we went full remote, we wouldn't need all that ppe
6. The city spent 45 million dollars to hire subs and pay out coverages. Again this would be remedied if we were full remote.
7. Useless pds
8. Sending teachers to Nashville to study something useless we'll never use in school.
9. paying nurses $200,000 a year.
I say let the pink slips start flying. I'm tired of the doe and union always protecting the young people and screwing the older ones. This is our money.
Are you tired of being screwed by simply following along to Mulgrew’s and DiBlasio’s whims and playing nice. What has nice done for teachers? Teachers need to remember it’s us against them and must act accordingly. Don’t wait around for Mulgrew we know his loyalties aren’t with us. Stand the 🤬 up, I know you feel sick because I know I do. I’m ready are you?
ReplyDeleteSept 5, 2019: Another 25% lump-sum payment coming in October - UFT
ReplyDeleteJuly-Oct, 2020: ~10 agreement, $300million in iPads, $100s of millions for nurses and new UFT due payers ...
Mulgrew didn't know this was coming? For me, this is 2 months pay, plus unpaid interest monies for 10 years (@5% via TRS ... $16,000) ... make that 3 months pay. They couldn't have the decency to negotiate this down, maybe $1,000 a month? No, let's just steal money from workers in the 11th hour. Workers that made a deal with us ten years ago to lend this owed money to the city.
This is collusion; members should be taking action AND NOT through striking/Taylor law. Let the City pay you for work done now and for backwages owed. Watch the arbiter take years like with SESIS and come up with a ripoff payout scheme. What's to say with a HEROES ACT that DeBlasio won't buy more iPads and start paying rent for its school children on the back of its workers? This is something I would expect from a money grabbing putrid like Bloomberg but this was truly unexpected and a sign of future deals to come. The reaction by UFT needs to be militant, not arbitration. One thing was right in Mulgrew's words, "this is unacceptable."
Militancy
DeleteThe Mayor could not even sign it himself?
ReplyDeleteIf you go to Payroll Portal the Payroll Register is missing right now. I wonder if they posted it and had to remove it?
So many will suffer because of this. It's sad that they waited until the 8th to do this...it actually despicable.
I completely blame the UFT!!! I told them and wrote blogs on it at the time, you DO NOT wait 10+ years to get paid! Too much can go wrong and now I am out $13,000! It is just absolutely outrageous!!!!
I hope you all will vote for UFT Solidarity in 2022.
ReplyDelete@lydia.
DeleteI've been voting NOT UNITY for years. Hopefully all educators' eyes are now open. The mf chickens are home y'all.
Sounds like a good day for everyone to lose there sense of smell and taste and fail that health screening!
ReplyDeleteAnd no mention on when the city plans on paying. I say I agree with 859, start laying off people if it is that bad. I'm tied of getting screwed.
ReplyDeleteI beg you, please stop showing up to work. You are entitled to 10 free days if you fail the health screening. The DOE is not paying us, that is part of our regular salary. They dont pay, we dont work.
ReplyDeleteStrike!!! If the city refuses to honor the contract, the Taylor Act is no longer in effect!
ReplyDeleteHere is the surprise, everyone is pissed, and everyone will forget, and everyone will pay this corrupt union to continue doing what they do.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I am proud to say that I do not and I never have busted my ass in this job.
ReplyDeleteWhy? You work hard in the doe, you get screwed.
I don’t care if you work 90 hours a week or do what I do and ‘fake it until you make it’. It’s all the same in the end.
This mayor needs to go.
@9:32pm... then you shouldn't be upset at all. You ain't earned sh^%. Man you get to the back of the line for $$$ and when it's time for the layoffs you need to go furst cause as you said you,"fakie it". Bye charlie.
DeleteYou give working people a bad name. Kick rocks
Amen.
DeleteUFT Unity
ReplyDelete@UFTUnity
Our members have made financial decisions relying on this deferred compensation and now we will bare the burden because of this administrations incompetence and failure to lead.
@NYCMayor moving forward check yourself when you're talking justice and equity at all these pressers
WHERE ARE ALL THE CRAZY LIBERALS??! FIND HIS ADDRESS AND LETS CAMP OUTSIDE IF HE CANNOT GET THIS SHIT DONE!
ReplyDeleteThis is so unacceptable and egregious I am fuming. They are fucking sith family's lives. I knew from one of his townhalls he seemed unsure about us getting retro.
If we do not get that money, no reason we should bot be escalating into a walk out.
The letter didn't say it wouldn't pay us ever, but they could drag it out over the next 10 years. I bought a house in 2019 thinking I would get the last two lumps sums. I needed to get some things done to my house with the retro, now I can't get them done. People may have charged something thinking they were going to get the money and now they can't pay it. Also many people maxed out their TDA contribution and it takes 2 pay cycles to reverse it, so they're out that money. This city is disgusting. It would be good if they laid off the young people. It would actually do them a favor to get out of the city and find a place that appreciates them and is not corrupt like the doe.
ReplyDeleteI have to say I’m not surprised. Angry and sad, yes. My retired union father called it months ago. He’s like “You’re not getting that....and probably never will.”
ReplyDeleteI was expecting this announcement. Hopefully everyone has their finances in check and were not relying on this check for a lifeline. Good luck everyone. There goes my plan to tile my upstairs bathroom :-(
I am convinced this is just a game. The City blames the teachers for layoffs, Mulgrew gets to say I won your money...that you earned 10 years ago, and everyone hates the teachers. If the City is listens to the arbitrator, it's a game. Why would they ignore a contract and then pay it out because a toothless arbitrator told them to?
ReplyDeleteJames wrote this on 5/2/14. NEW UFT CONTRACT: RETRO DELAYED = RETRO DENIED
ReplyDeleteSo the city writes a letter saying they wont pay us but they appreciates us. Mulgrew says he appreciates us. And then we get screwed, as usual. Every single time.
ReplyDeletein the Post
ReplyDeleteCity Hall spokesman Bill Neidhardt recognized the work of teachers during a chaotic school year but said the decision was necessary to preserve jobs.
“This action is necessary to avoid painful layoffs,” he said in a statement, “but make no mistake, New York City recognizes our teachers go above and beyond for our students and schools every day.”
Oh I am so happy he recognizes all our hard work. I hope I can read that to the credit companies and the mortgage companies so they will understand when I can't pay them. Maybe we can put this quote on our resumes. Aren't you all glad Bill recognizes all our hard work. Also I AM SICK OF THE DOE AND CITY PROTECTING THE YOUNG PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!! Just lay them off!
My best friend (not an educator) said to "suck it up". She said:
DeleteTeachers were off since March--full salary and are off every summer--full salary.
She compared educators to Nurses doctors police,grocery workers,delivery workers,etc. She said they have been champions and worked thru the pandemic w/o complaining. Everyone is doing their part accept educators. She read the posts about how we collect a large salary for sitting home. She actually said educators are spoiled and get no sympathy. I have a headache. PS...she's a nurse.
I suddenly feel sniffles coming on. Hmmmmm...
ReplyDeleteI’m ok with it being delayed if it means not laying fellow teachers off-but I’m not ok with it being canceled completely.
ReplyDeleteHappy? Give an inch, they took a mile.
ReplyDeleteI hope nobody planned anything with the 3% raise in May.
ReplyDeleteHow dare you. 11 years with no interest. No, you didn't stop this payment today, you agreed to delay it 11 years as part of the worst contract in UFT history. Why don't you ask your math experts how much that money has eroded since 2009? The really sad part is that there are a million more complaints. You have fixed none of them. This was a contractual agreement that you promised for months was never discussed and there was a guarantee that we would get it.
ReplyDeleteFuck the UFT
Ineffectual union leadership, can't keep members safe from covid, couldn't get us compensated for spring break work, can't get our compensation from 11 fucking years ago.
Time to go, UFT UNITY.
Fantastic, but the city seems to have found 45 million dollars to pay for extra teachers that sit in empty classrooms. Empty because students do not show up for in person learning. What happened to being so broke that thousands of teachers are in danger of being layer off???
ReplyDeleteI think I feel some congestion and a scratchy throat coming on.
ReplyDeleteSo I had an idea. In case everyone did not know live instruction is anything from email correspondence to video and everything in between, can even just be the discussion in the google classroom. Platform is your choice. I suggest we all go text (chat, email, discussion) only for all classes taught online until we get the retro we are owed. DO NOT TURN ON YOUR CAMERA OR MIC!!! We can call it a "Silent Out" #nycsilentout.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually a BILL that the city has to pay to teachers. Maybe the city should pay us late fees (35 dollars a month sounds fair)for every month they are late paying this bill. If credit card companies can penalize card holders if they are unable to pay, the city should be penalized the same way.
ReplyDeleteLOL.
ReplyDeleteAs a full-fledged union member, you can participate in money-saving group insurance plans and low-cost legal and financial service plans, and you can get special member-only discounts on travel, school supplies and more through the UFT, our state affiliate NYSUT and our national union AFT. Only members have access to certain free legal services, free counseling, free or discounted training or professional development and an attorney during 3020-a employee discipline procedures.
@10:51pm. Cool
DeleteHow about discounts for funerals? Also, do you know how many educators won their 3020a case,using the union's ahem cough cough sneeze "attorney"? You listed so many "free" things. Are they free or am I paying for the services at a discounted fee? You know, like how they discount the outdated sh^# in the supermarket--use it today because tomorrow it's questionable. Thanks for the ray of sunshine you shared with us.
Scab here. Don't say i didn't warn you.
ReplyDeleteUFT members have to understand, leadership cares only about their own perks/privileges/power.
ReplyDeleteThey put on an act over "safety strikes," or lost spring break days, or lost retro.
But they don't really care.
They don't lose, cause the dues keeping coming - only rank/file lose.
So I am logging in, taking attendance and dismissing the class, every period, from home, until I get paid in full. I will accept the ineffective in June.
ReplyDeleteThey put you in death traps and only a few care. Now, they take our money from us. What's next to make you all wake up.
ReplyDeleteThis is a scam and Mulgrew knows it. The money has already been set aside and has no dependence upon the 2020 budget. This is a scheme concocted to influence the vote in local as well as national races by ginning-up anger against Republicans. By not bailing out our abysmally run city, deBlasio and now Mulgrew can lay blame at Trump's feet. Mulgrew has to go.
ReplyDeletePay dues everybody. Mulgrew is fighting for you. Opt out tomorrow. They will see that.
ReplyDeleteOf course he can't pay us.He wasted money on a BLM mural to taunt Trump.He gave the subs astronomical raises and bonuses for teaching five days a month.my friend who is a sub said they can now earn 300$ a day and a 500$ a month bonus for teaching five days within a broad timeframes. While many classes have zero students, many have one or two or a few more, while busses transport only a few kids per bus, and nauseum... I knew this would happen when we ratified the contract.they would never pay us.they will ask for concessions, which are pay cuts, yet all this waste!ppe, cushy nurse contracts, janitorial costs.he could have saved money by staying remote.cuomo is complicit because he doesnt help
ReplyDeleteI am thinking this:as long as the current contract stays in force, we dont have to give back.isnt that better than givebacks(cuts).I would like to cut his cajones... btw, I dont blame Trump for withholding aide because:despite claims that he screwed us. He gave us USS Comfort, the Javits Center, plenty of ventilators...and look what happened.they dont use it and they send the nursing home patients to their deaths.they post away all the help and cry wolf, and blame Trump.who would give more money under those conditions??not I!carranza said without aid, we would definitely be remote.yet. now look at this fiasco and they picked away our money.had they not reopened, perhaps we would be paid.i was really counting on this money, as we all were.
So if we dont negotiate, there wont be a pay cut?or maybe they can anyway?then what is the point of a new contract??
I agree with someone's earlier post.we saved jobs in that old contract and now we get screwed.the young ones are often disrespectful and scornful toward veteran educators their turn to sacrifice now.i dont care about them anymore.i wish I could afford to retire, but I cant.
Note, lowered wages affects our FAS retirement allowance forever till we and our beneficiaries croak!
I do not believe in screwing the kids.they suffered enough.this is not their doing. Seeing kids on a google meet brings me joy. All people of this city deserve better.lastly, much of the blame is on the folks who wont wear the fuckin'mask!if people followed rules, we could get through this, but some are just plain selfish.sick society.hope messiah comes soon.
Forgive the endless rambling of my post...people in my life are tired of my mask complaints about flouters.at least I can vent here...also, the hour is late and the week will finish with barely any sleep AGAIN, and stomachs from stress.i should just do their deep breathing mindfulness while they fuck us on and on...
ReplyDeleteAnd after this, we SHOULD NOT bail out the city and have them screw with our pensions.they are not trustworthy.we cant lose more.
ReplyDeleteJames, can the city not implement the award if we win arbitration?cant a Marshall take control and force the to pay if we win?
ReplyDeleteHey
ReplyDelete@UFT
members, don't blame de Blasio. He's just doing what he can get away with because he knows how weak and ineffectual
@UFTUnity
leaders are.
Blame UFT leadership for not making you whole for 11 fucking years, not keeping you safe in March and not keeping you safe now.
Sleepless in Queens, The city can go to court and say the arbitrator exceeded his authority as this is an emergency. The city, as I see it, does not have a strong case. If they lose, they will blame paying us us for causing layoffs. I say all of that but caution I am not a lawyer.
ReplyDelete11:34, It is hard to argue with that.
ReplyDeleteThis is nothing Wait till the city decides to freeze the next pay raise and all salary step increases. Go to arbitration again? How about teachers that retired July 1, 2014–and are also waiting for their final retro payment?
ReplyDeleteIf you are worried about the UFT, it’s been sold out a long time ago; gross arrogance and incompetence on the part of Mulgrew and his crew of do nothings. If you wish to see America’s cities (including NYC) overrun by a bunch of organized terrorists in BLM then vote Biden. I myself will vote Trump. For those who vote Democratic just remember it was the incompetence of this cities mayor and chancellor that will most likely cause a major contraction of the NYC DOE. The union is worthless at this point in time, I find it hard it to believe that anyone in their right mind would stay in Liberal NYC. Get your gun ready folks because they have defunded the police to a point where your safety is in great question on a daily basis. Also, to my brothers in arms on the front line know that the Democrat’s do not have your back and your job security in the next coming years will be in great jeopardy.
ReplyDeleteALSO YOU HAVE A SNOWBALLS CHANCE IN HELL OF EVER GETTING YOUR MONEY.. MULGREW IS IDIOT FOR SIGNING
SUCH A HORRIBLE CONTRACT!!!
@1:19 am... hah. Trump is president NOW. Right now. President of republican cities and Democrat cities. Are you telling me he needs PERMISSION to come into Democrat cities? Do you think he will go into Democrat cities after the election? Why isn't he doing this now? Pence is the czar of Covid but the sh^& got into the white house and into his boss--our president. I want to understand why Trump continues to lead us into economic doom. Why should any person of color or any person vote for him when he winks and nods at groups that believe that America and the American way is white and all others are, others. Please explain what you see because I see a country on fire. Convince me on what he will do for Democrat cities once elected. Persuade me. If you can convince me maybe I will vote differently.
Delete@9:53 - NOPE. "Delaying" this at the 11th hour is not acceptable. Earlier in the day yesterday we met with the District Rep who confirmed that they had been told by DOE that the money was being paid out, and that we should check the portal for the update. So where did they get that information? It's utterly unconscionable that they would wait until now to let everyone know the money is not coming. A total lack of consideration and respect.
ReplyDeletePLEAAASSE REMIND ALL YOUR COWORKERS THAT THEY ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN MY KEEPING MULGREW IN OFFICE. POOR LEADERS ALLOW THERE MEMBERS TO DIE, ENTER BUILDINGS CALLING A WINDOW VENTILATION
ReplyDeleteI HAVE ATTENDED ALL TOWN HALLS.
MULGREW CHANGED HIS STORY OVER AND OVER
-WE WILL NOT BE OPEN WITHOUT THE HEROS ACT HE SAID, YOU WILL GET YOUR BACK PAY HE SAID
LIES,ALL LIES, BS
MULGREW IS TO BLAME. REMEMBER HIS FAMOUS FRASE-BACKPAY IS NOT A GOD GIVEN RIGHT? AND WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL WE ARE GETTING ANYTHING???
MULGREWS EXACT WORDS-HE DIDN'T CHOOSE TO MAKE US WHOLE IN 2014 BECAUSE HE THOUGHT WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT GOD GIVEN RIGHT-HE HAS SCREWED US FOR THE LAST TIME.
SHARE WITH YOUR MEMBERS. THEY NEED TO WAKE UP AND DEMAND NEW LEADERSHIP THAT DOES WHAT MEMBERS WANT-WHICH IS OUR BACKPAY AND TP NOT ENTER THESE UNSAFE BUILDINGS.
Mulgrew
DeleteDiblahsio
Trump
Cuomo
All have one thing in common: They bank on people listening to their words,not their actions. They are all spinners who don't care about people. Wake the f&^k up.
Waiting for support,
ReplyDeleteThis is 932.
How has busting your back side worked out for you in the doe?
My first few years I busted it and guess what it got me. Here’s a spoiler: Health problems, letters to the file, talked badly about by colleagues and an administrator always looking to break my chops over nonsense. Oh, and I probably had a borderline drinking problem bc I hated my life those first few years. Ok. It was my first year and a half.
Then, I got a life and realized there is more to life than the doe.
If you show up and can survive in the doe, you deserve this retro. Heck, we are entitled to it.
Keep up with the ‘this is an important job’ mantra.
In the doe, there’s a saying and that is,’work smart, not hard’.
Be well!
4:29am...
DeleteIf it works for you keep doing you. People CAN react differently to the same situation. I work hard and earn my salary every day. It's not the students fault that some admin and colleagues are real idiots with a degree. No one will ever say that I'm a slacker. Everything you mentioned, I experienced. You know what i said then and now: F@#k em. I am AMAZING. I fought back. It takes a toll. I probably have PTSD but I NEVER doubted myself. In the end I won and they loss. Lol. I'm not making light of your story but am confused by it especially since you are the one who said "i am PROUD to say i NEVER busted my ass for this job".
You winey ungrateful bastards,
ReplyDeleteHow many teachers are being evicted. How many are hungry. How many are layed off. Mayor DeBlasio and Michael Mulgrew are really working hard....for themselves. How dare you get upset just because they didn't pay you since 2009. Be thankful we have such great leaders who work so well together.
This is unconscionable. So, the City is just reneging on a loan? Why would anyone buy a NYC bond, if they City can decide not to pay up? Who would ever lend NYC money knowing that NYC does not pay its loans?
ReplyDeleteWho, exactly, made the decision to withhold the retro money?
If I am not paid the load I made to NYC, I will opt-out of the UFT for as many years as it takes to recoup the loan.
Our so-called contract, now so encumbered by memos and memorandum by agreements made in back rooms by men in suits, has now become so complicated, that no teacher alive knows what it means. The parties to it understand it least; but it has been observed that no two teachers can talk about it for five minutes without coming to a total disagreement as to what it says and what means.
ReplyDeleteWhat to expect next: more performance pay for teachers and others, further weakening teacher solidarity and seniority; after concessions and givebacks to “save jobs” and “livelihoods” and to “prevent” layoffs and furloughs, there will be layoffs and furloughs; seniority will no longer protect all senior teachers from layoffs; employer contributions to the pension and TDA will be cut, again, so that the greater share of employee pensions will come from teacher contributions and eventually the defined pension will be eliminated; forget 7%, the fixed option on all tax deferred annuities will be eliminated; measures of student achievement, by a scheme more insane than the current one will weigh heavier on evaluations and teachers will be automatically eligible for dismissal after unsatisfactory ratings based on these phony “achievement” measures; the charter cap will be lifted by allowing virtual schools, these will be exempt from state laws, district regulations, and collective bargaining provisions; our so-called collective bargaining, in scope, already the weakest in the nation, will be further eroded in scope, as this stands now our powers are the weakest of any union with collective bargaining and as we’ve seen thus far, our limited bargaining on wages, hours, terms and conditions of employment, and grievance procedures have all been ignored, suspended, “negotiated” away here, all the other things we bargain for are not protected by bargaining law and merely words in the agreement under constant revision; high-profile education deformers and the governor will continue to “re-imagine” education in NY, replacing teachers with machines workers and automation. Unity will continue to “represent” teachers for decades, bargaining away, concession after concession after concession . . . .
Happy Friday my union brothers and sisters.
What a coincidence that the $900 million is about the same amount unaccounted for by DeBolshevik's wife. Pissed that money down a corrupt hole somewhere. Let us also not forget all of the millions handed to illegals by our mayor but somehow it is fiscally irresponsible to pay a contractual obligation.
ReplyDeleteI’m sorry to say this but I think there are a tremendous amount of teachers that may just be plain stupid as well as incredibly naïve. I just looked on YouTube and most of the comments seem to be thanking Mulgrew for all he does and fighting for us. Mulgrew’s acting skills haven’t improved - it’s a lousy performance - who was filming it, deBlasio? If Mulgrew and the Uft are fighting to get our money, we might have to wave it goodbye or get in in 1% installments for the next 25 years.
ReplyDeleteIf we have to live, work, and commute in a crime-ridden city because of the defund the police movement how about using those funds to pay this debt. I don’t remember a “Defund the Teachers”!campaign.
ReplyDeleteI say NO MORE FREE LABOR! Everyone should pull back and do what can be done during the contractual work hours. No more data entry after hours, inquiry work, video lesson prep, assessment or SESIS work, required PD like a 7 hour Trauma Training. No More Free Labor just because it has to get done. So if you are not given time to type 15-20 page IEP's during the school day, or data entry for assessment work, oh well. The DOE has no idea how many hours most teachers put in gratis just so they get the data they need. Teacher's are not Administrator's making the big bucks. I say hand over your data and let someone else gruelingly sit for hours entering it. (because it has to get done). Everything has become extra work, if you have a question about something, you are referred to this document or that place to go find your answer. No One has answers and we are left to our own devices on our own time to go find it and figure things out. We are using our homes, electricity, technology and personal resources to do our work, DOE saves on electricity, bandwidth on over usage of their own technology devices while our personal tech gets run down.
ReplyDeleteSo, Yes, NO MORE FREE LABOR! We give enough, we waited 11 years for money owed to us with no interest and are we now expected to give more? No! Too bad, many veteran teachers were counting on this money looking toward retiring in near future so guess we stay strong and don't budge, could have made way for more job security for our newer teachers with us retiring but not now.
For those wondering if the payment will ever come. if the headline word is the accurate word then cancelled means it's never coming. Postponed would mean it's delayed.
ReplyDeleteLike a fool I kept checking the payroll portal until yesterday to see my pay stub posted early and the money on it. Then I heard at night it wasn't coming. However, I anticipated the worst. I looked at this as never coming and if it did like Christmas come early. I'm not a rich person but I've saved and never missed any payment. I'll be ok.
I feel bad for those who made plans based on this check. Who changed their TDA or did home renovations counting on this money. Those who lost out on per session were banking on this to offset per session possibly not being there for years. The retirees? The currently sick from covid who earned that money years ago. So many to list.
The thing that hurts the most to me is that while it has been speculated we wouldn't receive it not only did we have no true indication until literally the last second but we have been told by our own leader that we were getting it. How could Mulgrew not know until this moment. Did he not ask? Did he not question? Don't we all call ahead to check our reservations to make sure they are there? Don't we call ahead to make sure a store is open before we go? We take those simple precautions.
So either:
1) Mulgrew is thought of so insignificantly by di blasio that he didn't even consider giving him a heads up when making this decision
2) Mulgrew was too incompetent to see the warning signs
3) Worst all...he knew it all along.
Where is our vote of no confidence in Mulgrew? To me he has one last chance in arbitration or his legacy will be losing $900,000,000 in the plan he negotiated with arbitration as a fail safe.
Mike Mulgrew should demand that the arbitrator include 10+ years of interest on this pending retro pay amount. School Safety agents got their pay raises years ago when they ratified their contract. The arbitrator should realize that the UFT members didn't get interest included in these deferred payments.
ReplyDeleteI WANT MY FUCKIN MONEY NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe worked hard for that money. Its ours. They are breaking the contract while we are working hard for our students. We should not feel guilty because of possible layoffs. This mayor should be accountable for the money he has already wasted. Carranza giving his cronies raises. Lets see how this plays out in court. But in the meantime not one of us should be doing anything extra for these assholes. Nothing. Work your day within the contract. Dont stay late or do extra at home. If this a time to stand united then do it. This is mulgrews last shot for any respect. I was also checking payroll portal now its shut off. Doe is a bunch of low lifes.
ReplyDeleteI'm grateful for traffic here. That said, all of you should be commenting on Mulgrew's you Tube video. People there who don't know about us.
ReplyDeleteI put a comment in. Post the link to the video?
DeleteMildew knew all along. Don’t give him the benefit. This was agreed to over the summer. Someone I know overheard him saying ‘ fuck the teachers, I don’t give a shit what they say” . The suit wearing pinkie ring wearing United Federation of Turds are only there to fleece the sheep. Better known as union members.
ReplyDeleteUnity has done this for decades. Each deal is worse than the last. The criminals will spin it as a win. Arbitration is bullshit. We should get the flu and call in sick. If they won’t honor the provisions of the contract neither should we. The fact remains that this money was an interest free loan to the city and they just reneged on an installment. Time to show the bastards what breaking a contract means.
In the immortal words of Popeye: That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more. Is there a possibility of a class action suit if we are ruled against?
ReplyDelete*except
ReplyDeleteIf you dont think this is planned out to create chaos try logging on to Payroll Portal, its down. I put a ton in my TDA this period and also listed zero dependents to try to make up on taxes for the sale of home, my take home may be 40% lower than usual. So now Teachers hate the UFT, city will hate the teachers, Veterans and younger teachers at odd , ahh fughadaboutit
ReplyDeleteWhere is Carranza's letter explaining....splain to me LUcy come on
ReplyDelete6 years of not paying dues will put my net retro back in my pocket. Starting in the summer I will opt out and start getting my money back. I’m done with UFT until I get my retro. If and when I get my retro I will rejoin UFT. If enough people did that things would change. If enough don’t then at least I have a personal plan to get money back in my pocket. I will not accept a financial loss so if stopping dues is how I get more money in my pocket so be it. I refuse to lose a damn dime over this and I have the power to keep my dues in order to recoup my retro loss.
ReplyDelete8:25: A nurse doesn't take papers home to grade and have to plan lessons for the next day. Some teachers work twelve hour days when you combine the workday and what they do at home, so the summers off just balances that out. I wouldn't want her taking my temperature.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is —the general public will not be sympathetic will this delay in the final retro payment during these times. However, other things all UFTers should be concerned about down the road are: delays on pay raises scheduled in May 2021, freezes on all salary step increments, possible reductions on 7% TDA interest rates—not to mention the very likelihood of layoffs come June 2021.
ReplyDelete4 years left, I will opt out of the union in June. They no longer deserve dues. And if there are charges brought up on me, what would make me think their lawyers will do whats in my best interest. I'm going in with my own lawyer. OPT OUT
ReplyDelete@9:24 am... go in with Bryan glass. You'll be alright.
DeleteThe bottom line is —the general public will not be sympathetic will this delay of the final retro payment during these times. However, other things all UFTers should be concerned about down the road are: delays on pay raises scheduled in May 2021, freezes on all salary step increments, possible reductions on 7% TDA interest rates—not to mention the very likelihood of layoffs come June 2021.
ReplyDeleteI’m an in-person teacher in my building .
ReplyDeleteToday, some of my colleagues found out their longevity raise did not go through. Anyone dealing with this? We were thinking
1-longevity is delayed
2-there will a freeze on all salary steps
3-we will be furloughed over the vacations breaks since it won’t impact kids
4-no raise in May for sure (no retro is a sign of things to come)
The 7% interest on our TDAs is next.
ReplyDeleteSave your money, because it's going to be a rough ride.
ok so are we finally all in agreement that this mayor is an incompetent moron?
ReplyDeleteA stoner who is in way over his head and is bent on destroying this great city?
Anyone disagree now??
How about you Mr. Mulgrew? Are you going to still play nice with this idiot?
We are watching you.
GET RID OF THE FREAKING NEWBIES ALREADY. Problem solved. There are enough people in the atr to cover them. Even if they only got rid of the ones hired in 2019, they would save tons. Also another solution would be to furlough all teachers with less than 5 years over the summer. They would still have their job but will have to sacrifice their summer paychecks. Also, the New York Post headline said the payment was cancelled but the letter given to Mulgrew said they couldn't pay us at this time. Remember the Post likes to sensationalize everything. Another headline said that Broadway would be shut down through the summer, but if you read the article it said only until May 30th. Since when did summer begin in May?
ReplyDeleteTo 8:59am:
ReplyDeleteThis is issue is about one color “green”. Not, black, not white, not anything but green. If you think Trump led to the demise of the NYC DOE do not vote for him. If you think Trump led DeBlasio and Cuomo to make fiscally irresponsible decisions time and time again then do not vote for him. If you think Trump forced Mike Mulgrew into agreeing into a subpar contract 5 years before he even ran for President then do not vote for him. If you think it was the Republicans that made these poor decisions in Democratically run NYC then again do not vote for him. I would however suggest to you that the rank and file of this union has supported do nothing Democratic leaders time and time again who have done nothing but destroy the system. If you think electing Biden will in someway improve your current situation you are grossly mistaken.
10:01 am...k. I won't vote for Trump. Easy breezy. Thanks for your insight
DeleteSorry regarding the last comment, the headline said until summer, but still summer doesn't start until late June.
ReplyDeleteIf you voted for that contract, there's no escaping it, you signed up for this. You can gnash your teeth and cry now, but you played yourself. And you got played by a pimp - Michael Mulgrew.
ReplyDeleteIf we don’t vote unity and Mulgrew out in the next election I’m not paying more union dues. If that happens will I be cut off from the UFT benefits? Dental, optical, hearing? I would think I would t be able to grieve anything or get help from my terrible chapter leader or sit in on union meetings. What would I be losing out from not paying union dues?
ReplyDeleteTEACHERS LIVES MATTER
ReplyDeleteDraconian lockdowns made sense at the beginning. We didnt know what we were dealing with. Now 6 months later its just plain stupid. And that fits perfectly with a mayor who is equally stupid.
ReplyDeleteCommunists dont believe in contracts or the rule of law.
Be prepared for things to get much worse.
Does anyone think it's more than a little coincidence that the $900 million which the city "doesn't have" is roughly the same amount as the doggy bag the mayor's wife used for her Swiss bank account, um, I mean, mental health initiative?
ReplyDeleteCombat Veterans were not shocked by this at all. Its like the Progressive insurance commercial... "We know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two ".
If we dont get our money then im thinking of opting out too. I have seven years left and not paying dues for this time should give me back my retro. Simple solution. Thanks to all who have suggested and fuck all of you who think this is not a good idea. The road only gets worse here. They didnt need to hire so many teachers when they have competent teachers in the atr pool. I should cash out my trs now and buy lotto tickets. I would have a better shot at gaining money then working for this shitty organization. Babysitters make more than us.
ReplyDelete10:04, you dop not lose any benefits if you opt out.
ReplyDeleteI sent this to the uft, the media, mayor chancellor, etc...4 days in a row asking about an attendance policy.
ReplyDeleteIf you refuse to answer, I will simply fail everyone based upon my attendance expectations. Furthermore, if you refuse to pay us money we are owed from 2009, I will no longer conduct live instruction, I will simply post work.
Please tell me how this is acceptable. These are the records for my classes. My previous emails are below. As an educator, I must do what is best for the students. Passing no-shows is something I just cannot do.It teaches them they don't have to have any self responsibility. You should know better, Mr. Chancellor.
Attendance
26%
28%
7%
29%
11%
You have neglected to address the DOE grading policy for remote learning.
Are students required to attend daily?
How often must they attend?
At what point must they fail? 50% attendance? 30% attendance?
Can they no show and still pass by doing make up work?
If there must be live teaching daily, wouldn't students be required to attend?
I look forward to any clarification.
You really won't respond about a grading policy?
Are you saying students can no-show and pass?
Are you saying you lied for months about students getting live and synchronous instruction everyday?
If so, just say it. Is there no attendance policy requiring students to be involved in daily remote learning?
How many days can students be absent? 100% of the time? And still get credit?
Are these not legitimate questions?
For the record, for my 5 classes, the attendance, per class, ranges from 10% to 30%.
Do you think this is because they know they don't have to be there and can get away with it? Just like the regular school year...
I look forward to your forthcoming guidance. If you are unsure, and it is October, maybe the media should ask at the next press conference.
I voted against the horrific contract and its successors. A group of us in the building lobbied hard with the staff for a rejection. We were ignored or derided by much of the staff. Despite the efforts of a decent CL, many people failed to even vote. Now everyone stands by the side of the road screaming, crying, and wringing their hands. Your failure to participate in your own professional lives has brought us here! Everything you do as a teacher is a political act. Pay attention. Take responsibility. Own it! I have long been unhappy with the UFT. My CL and I agree to disagree on certain things, with a friendly chat and a big smile. But I never disrespect the person who fills the CL role. In the end, we cover each other for what we believe in, for the sake of the staff.
ReplyDeleteI have also been (or potentially will be) the beneficiary of health plan, legal plan, insurance, a defined benefit retirement, optical plan, drug plan, TDA unique to the public sector world, and more. While all of these have deteriorated over the past decade, we are still the envy of most workers in NYC! (Try shopping for health insurance...nightmare!!!)
Corporate leaders want only one thing: cheap, stupid drones to take our jobs and low/no taxes. The thoughts and lack of action of so many of you will guarantee exactly what corporate America wants. All too many of you are ready to kill the great things older teachers fought for over so many years that you take for granted. Decertification may be the way to go...be careful what you lose along the way!
When we have had "issues" over the years, various CLs have asked staff to "work to contract" in the building. It works in certain situations. If every teacher worked to contract and really stuck to it, everywhere, this might turn this issue around.
Do you have a backbone? Are you ready to stand up for everyone in your workplace? Start small, start local, make something happen. I dare you to really "work to contract" now. You might just feel a bit powerful, and you don't need Mulgrew's approval...
Teachers voted overwhelmingly for this contract in 2014. People were anxious for raises—denied by Bloomberg—for over 4 years—and Mulgrew jammed this DeBlasio agreement down members throats in 2014. Thousands retired on June 30, 2014 to get that one lump sum retro payment. But what union tells its members to support a contract that delays full retro over 6 years—that included a one year 0% payment.—Some financial city emergency was bound to happen—and this unfortunately -is the mother of all financial/health emergencies Unfortunately, the general public will not be sympathetic with any of our complaints,
ReplyDeleteBombard Mulgrew’s YouTube video performance with the truth - there are a lot of completely oblivious teachers out there.
ReplyDeleteBronx ATR has it right. Go over to youtube and comment.
DeleteAccording to what the doe said, students don't have to attend live instruction and they can't be penalized for that except in participation grade.
ReplyDelete@Erica.
ReplyDeleteA real soldier. Able to stand alone. Woke. Willing to do the right thing. Willing to speak up and out. I can rock with Erica.
Where is Carranza? I am waiting for the letter that tells us how great we all are... I don't see it in my inbox...
ReplyDeleteThe city has now breached. They cannot hold us to anything. I strongly suggest posting videos and having students watch them. No live instruction.
ReplyDeleteI'm now seeing my pay stub for 10/15 and there is no retro. I'm assuming we lost the arbitration then?
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:00 -On the other hand—if they furloughed veteran teachers on the top pay tiers—the city can save much more—rather than just furlough teachers with less than 5 years.
ReplyDeleteOne side will be dissatisfied with the arbitrator’s decision. There may be a court case as there has been in the past.
ReplyDeletehttps://law.justia.com/cases/new-york/court-of-appeals/2003/2003-18511.html
James do you know what amount of money we are talking about here that this jackass of a mayor is withholding from us?
ReplyDeleteIt shouldn’t be pick no retro or layoffs. It should be neither! They are trying to pit young and veteran against each other. We need to demand not a dime is lost in retro AND not a single person is layed off. ONLY when Carranza cuts the fat at central and the bus contracts are broken among other complete waste of spending can we then discuss concessions. This is what Mulgrew needs to be demanding.
ReplyDeleteWhen is Mulgrew going to send another angry email now officially telling us we can't have our money?
ReplyDeletechecked my paystub and i am over 7 hundred dollars less than usual as i maxed out tda.....so no bonus and now less 7 hung...wow diblasio...why the last second...could have saved me the money if we were told earlier.....i mean between closing and opening the schools and now this can really make a person upset and certainly our long weekend has been derailed by the blaz
ReplyDeleteI watched the video. This guy can't even credibly feign like he's shocked or surprised or what ever you want to call it. He wasn't even trying. He knew this was coming. That's why he kept assuring us that the city was good for the retro. I wasn't in on any of the calls, but my understanding was that he sounded pretty convincing that we were getting our money. He's a liar. He always was a liar and always will be a liar.
ReplyDeleteEven the way the retro was structured, it was guaranteed from the jump to give the city an escape just in case something jumped off. And it did. So here we are. We gave the city a hefty interest free loan, and with the aid and consent of Mulgrew they are now telling us to suck it!
Once again, we lose.
Just make sure you keep the dues coming.
I hate to tell you I told you so...but when this was structured I screamed and cursed, yelled and fought because the money was structured as a "bonus" not as "earned income." If it was earned income it would be protected by City, State and Federal laws, they would absolutely have to pay it without delay! People who died or left could not lose it if it was earned income. Instead the UFT allowed it to be structured as a bonus and now we are screwed!
ReplyDeleteThis is what happens when the UFT sells out the dead and the members who paid and left, eventually being a horrible people comes back to bite us. How did we ever allow people who die to be shortchanged? That's sick. The people who died died of COVID19 lost their retro too! A sick union does sick things.
You heard that man? On the video he said, "We have the right to go to arbitration." He said that -ish like it actually means something. That guy really believes us to be a bunch of suckas. And you know what? We are! Arbitration don't mean -ish! They got the money. They've had it for years. And we have...ARBITRATION!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen he turned off the camera, I promise you. He pissed his pants laughing at the mostly woman teacher workforce!
@1:50 pm...
DeleteYou are on to it.
8:31, I like your idea! But James, if we withhold dues till we get retro. What are the ramifications besides not getting a crooked uft lawyer?
ReplyDeleteCome on Mugrew. How about some fucking updates to all of us.
ReplyDeleteLet's see if retired NYPD get their $15K defined benefit on December 15th.
ReplyDeleteFor those who are surprised/shocked by this, you were not paying attention.
ReplyDeletePlease read this very weird/telling statement from Mulgrew at the close of the town hall on 8/13.
"Layoffs or retro, city will come to us. We have a plan to try to solve the problem. Why would we in the middle of this pandemic? I'm sorry, I don't think we give the city a dime. If you really want it, I'll do it. We've done way too much. It's our school system, not the mayor's. We work hard but not going to be schmucks about it. We kept the school system going, the biggest in the country. We are the ones who make it happen. We will take care of each other. We are the guardians of the NYC school system. Buckle up. God bless. "
We have been over this ground many times 1:52 but I understand we get new readers all the time. You will not lose any welfare fund benefits if you opt-out of the union. Those are paid for by the city and administered by the UFT Welfare Fund. However, you cannot opt-out until the opt-out period in June. If you opt out now, you will still pay dues and you will not be able to have any say in UFT Chapter elections which are next May or June. Chapter leaders and to some extent delegates control the flow of information at the school level. That is where the problem starts. When the CL or Del belongs to Unity, they tend to just spout the party line.
ReplyDeleteWe need a union, now more than ever. It is much better to organize to repair the UFT or to decertify the UFT and start a new union.
I opted out 2 years ago. You lose nothing. You dont get the uft emails, the uft lawyers and you cant go to them for info. Wow. What a loss. Look at Bryan Glass getting paid by uft members because the uft refused to allow members to use their lawyers.
ReplyDeleteThanks to David Irons, we have had an estimate from the Independent Budget Office about how much the city is saving. We posted this years ago. Maybe we should repeat it.
ReplyDeletehttp://iceuftblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/ibo-expert-estimates-what-our-lump-sum.html
Here is the main part from the IBO from 2016:
"While IBO does not have an exact cost for how large these retroactive lump sums will be, because they are directly linked to the number of union members who will be employed on the days the payments are scheduled to be made, we can estimate the maximum cost of these lump sums based upon the total PS costs for pedagogical employees in 2009-2011. Based upon the total PS costs from those years we estimate that the entire lump sum payment would be a maximum of $560 million if every member were to remain employed by the DOE through 10/1/20.
"This total would translate to a maximum of $70 million paid out in 2017 and $140 million paid out in 2018 – 2020. These funds, if not already accounted for in DOE’s financial plan, would increase the city-funds portion of DOE’s budget by less than one percent in 2017 and around one percent in each subsequent year.
"IBO has not made any estimates about what the final cost of this portion of UFT’s collective bargaining agreement would be although we assume, as a result of attrition and other separations, that it will somewhat less than the $560 million."
Maximum of $140 million for 2020 but it is millions less because of all of the people who resigned or were terminated or who died before this month and are no longer eligible.
How dare you say that the newer teachers should be laid off?? New teachers have a grand purpose in the scheme of things. They are the ones that will start needing Chap-Stick for all of the Ass-Kissing they do to the Principal and Assistant Principals. They are the ones who are will pass every student in the class, even when 50% of the students do absolutely nothing.
ReplyDelete*Permanently placing teachers from the ATR pool is a smart idea that could save millions, but when does the DOE do anything smart?
**Maybe we are not going Full Remote because the DOE and our ever so qualified and effective Mayor want to kill us so they don't have to pay.
***FYI, most teachers in the ART pool have done nothing wrong. Most are in the pool because of schools being closed and restaffed.
So how the fuck are they saying 900M?
ReplyDeleteWhy are all news sources saying the city saved $900M if the last retro lump sum is only $140m? Rumor has it that no 3% increase and no steps up, all salaries get freezed for at least two years.
ReplyDeleteSo do all of the people who retired and got full retro now owe the city their last payment back?????? What about that equity??lol
ReplyDeleteWait retirees got fu retro? What the chicken noodle soup. When? How?
DeleteIdea:use the unpaid retro to stay home as paid vacation.eg your retro is two weeks of pay, take two weeks of vacation.(then get a very cheap flight away, maybe get covid, and have your beneficiaries get paid)
ReplyDeleteDid they do this to turn us against each other and destroy uft?maybe they hope we get disgusted and quit so they are left with newbies.make us mad till we leave w/o incentives...
Mulgrew is not mad or surprised in the video.he was in on it from the getgo...
Move to Buttfuck, Mississippi, where the cost of living is lower, geez, ...
How long does arbitration take?any idea?can they really cancel the retro payment??can we all not work and get paid cuz we already worked for nothing?how do we get rid of him?if we opt out, we cant vote.can we impeach mulgrew?(dont know an equivalent term)
I feel bad for the peeps who had to close businesses..
The city should have to pay late fees at the same rate they charge folks who don't pay taxes, that figure is 18% annually for late property tax over $250k. See following link.
ReplyDeletehttps://www1.nyc.gov/site/finance/taxes/property-late-payments.page
It boggles the mind that these "cost of living increases" we not structured as interest bearing loans from the start. If the were, the city would now have been in default which would be awful for their credit rating, and other outstanding debts. Can only live and learn I suppose.
You think they could pull off this heist on a bunch of unionized bricklayers, sheet metal workers or some carpenters and -ish? Once again everybody's catchin it, but females are bearing the brunt! I know women that are simply not working cause they can't catch an ACS case and not care for their kids. So that's probably going to be part of Mulgrews line. Look out for it. The line that tells us how grateful we should be to ... You go ahead and complete it in any number of ways.
ReplyDeleteIn the ovaries versus balls game, ovaries lose again!
Hah! @3:07pm is hitting home runs today. Ha ha ha. This ish is true sad and funny as doug and carrie.
DeleteI wonder how Mulgrew would answer this?
ReplyDeleteDo the people who retired in 2014 and got their full retro in one lump sum have to return 25% to the city now?
I am not advocating for that just pointing out how our union is continuing to break itself by creating inequitable working conditions such as this, or the fact that some teachers get to work remotely and some have lunch duty with a class of kids eating and maskless.
You know, things like that. Things that should be bringing us together to stand up for each other like the rank and file of a real union.
I said it before and stand by it. We need to go dark on video and audio next Tuesday. Yes I feel for the kids but it will only get worse for them as it gets worse for us. This is a chance to come together for each other. What our union refuses to do.
So, until we are all fully remote or have equal opportunity to take the option and until we are made whole by giving us our deferred wages...
We go dark.
We don't stop teaching. We utilize our choices. Choices that they try their damnedest to make us think don't exist.
Live can be text, through chat, email, and google classroom comments. It's about real time response. Not actually seeing your mug on a screen or hearing your voice.
Teachers in schools can do this for their remote classes. Use the same lesson for in school kids (of course you need to speak in that situation but you can use videos for the mini lesson and assign independent work)
Don't ask me where that is in writing. Read the MOA's and emails and you will see. I called UFT and they verified I am correct. My corrupt DR even begrudgingly confirmed it.
It is not how I would prefer to teach but it's something we can do collectively that doesn't skin anyone's knuckles too bad and could show the strength we have if we choose to flex.
Are you ready to go dark? If I don't get an email or video saying we won and money will be there in our next check I am. Even if it's just me.
Sticking to the letter of the contract isn't a job action even if it looks like one.
If you value your profession and self as an educator join me.
@3:22 pm...good luck. Man the city state and federal leaders have shown educators their arce. I can't believe this sh^@ is happening. 2020 is bringing in the WOKE generation. Teachers. Police. Doctors. Nurses. Black. White. Hispanic. Asian. Tall. Short. Fat. Skinny. Healthy. Unhealthy. All in the same boat. The 1% is on their yacht cause they don't want to get "the stink". Ain't this a kick in the head. Man. This is something else. Well, I can't say I'm really surprised. The woke generation always knew about the shi$$ty arce treatment dumped on working people. They knew it was just a matter of time before ALL non wealthy people finally understood that the writing on the wall: "Eat shi^ and be happy we are feeding you" is for EVERYONE not in the 1%. Mulgrew is a tool.
DeleteI took attendance and dismissed my students after 2 minutes today, all day.
ReplyDeleteThe chancellor said we must have live instruction daily while never saying students must show up, there is no attendance policy, and students can pass without showing up. The city has now breached the contract. You breach, I breach. Videos everyday, all day until this is resolved.
ReplyDeleteThat's right Erica
DeleteAnd might i add if a student doesn't do work, repeat the class until they have passed the class. Folks use your professional muscles. Why are they dictating who pass your class? Man y'all aren't marching in unison. One mic. What's it gonna be. Erica is posting free lessons on how to punch back at the bully.
Going dark makes us look very bad.kids and parents deserve better.many were very supportive, appreciative, and forgiving during remote learning.plus u could get an admin after you.they are under tremendous stress as well.of course, you could call out...where are the fiscal watchdogs who approved massive sub pay for classes of one while many classes still have no students?and all the other wasteful contracts housing and feeding nurses.give me 525 per week as well so I can hire a private chef too yo prepare healthful meals.maybe this spend down was deliberate so they could splinter us
ReplyDeleteWe might be playing into their hands.silence from Cuomo. Do we retire now or do we keep working thinking we will get more?if we are cut more, FAS is lowered.Mulgrew is a phony.he wasnt upset.how about him deferring wages?I used to be proud of the union and look at it now.all the sacrifices of those who founded it, went on strike, etc for naught...house of cards now.how did it so corrupt?I dont have answers, but depriving the kids is not the right way.that is kind of like a doctor withholding services cuz he is late getting insurance payments.we are bigger and better people than the turds in the government.imagine if the child in front of you was your own.
4:02pm... you sound like a kind and empathetic person. Stay safe.
DeleteBut the union leaders suck.
Not a peep on uft website...
ReplyDeleteOn the Brian Lehrer Show Friday morning, Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that layoffs will likely be on the table if the arbitrator sides with the UFT.
ReplyDeleteEvery other union received their 18% at the time of thri renewal the Teachers union was the ONLY one to agree to it being spread out over time. No other union would stand for this and they did not. They received their raises when the contracts were renewed.
ReplyDeleteThis is outrageous and another slap in the face to the teachers. When will we be made whole.
The city is constantly wasting money. There needs to be an audit and we need to be paid what is owed to us.
These retro payments has always been the Achilles heel of the poorly negotiated contract of 2014. I remember Mulgrew”s major screw up with respect to bargaining for lump sum payments for retirees in June 2014. He said funds would be paid in the fall of 2014–but all of a sudden the city claimed it only had about 75% of the retro funds to pay those thousands who retired before July 1, 2014 . Mulgrew had underestimated the number of retirees and he had to go arbitration on a contract that he had agreed in order to get those funds.
ReplyDeleteIn the spring of 2015–the arbitrator ruled for a 100% distribution of retro for retirees—but to pay for the 100%—adjustments were made to the contract that delayed future raises for teachers by 6 weeks.
But getting members of a union to agree to wait for 6 years-including one year of 0%—had to be one of the biggest blunders and a major disservice ever made by a union president. The retro pay should have at least been distributed as into the biweekly paychecks over a period of a few years. Mulgrew was just anxious to show Bloomberg—that he would get a retro deal with DeBlasio—but he did a poor job of negotiating a better deal for retro.
Sorry 402, I agree with erica. Too much getting screwed for me. I'm done. Mulgrew won't help me, I must help myself. Just like all i could do is opt out. Sorry, I'm dark until this gets settled. If it doesn't, I stay dark.
ReplyDelete5 pm, mulgrew must be negotiating his ass off. Dont forget to thank him for his hard work and leadership.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened with the arbitration?
ReplyDeleteYes, Mulgrew's biggest mistake was spreading the retro over 6 years. I remember teachers being concerned that the city could have a fiscal crisis anytime and they won't pay us. As for the retirees. If you retired, you got your retro in one payment, so I think to be fair they should have to pay back 25% of theirs. I know ones that retired this year had to wait until October so they didn't get it. I'm not going to have any pity if there are layoffs instead. It will do these young teachers good to get out of this corrupt system. Also, teaching is just going to keep declining across the country, so maybe it is time for a career change while you're still young.
ReplyDelete4:35pm, layoff's are inevitable, the city is setting the stage for a " blame the Union" mantra to play into social media as a political move to draw attention away from it's own fiscal irresponsible and reckless spending on ridiculous projects and refusal to pull back on or curb social programs the city simply does not have the money to do. De Blasio wants to play the blame game, using bait and switch tactics. He wants to have society look at unions as bad in order to deflect responsibility from the city's own mismanagement of funds.
ReplyDeleteAnd after all this, keep paying dues, make no change, don't walk out, don't opt out, don't decertify...Great plan. Because we need a union. And this is better than nothing.
ReplyDelete10:01 Do nothing Democrats ignore us because they know most teachers vote blue no matter how often they stab us in the back. Same thing with Unity and rank and file. I gave up on the Democrats when Obama screwed us and gave up on being a UFT member when my retro was denied. Your points are valid.
ReplyDeleteNot to me
DeleteMulgrew is simply a terrible negotiator, period. The other unions simply hate it when the UFT is first on line for a round of contracts. He caves into the City's demands easily, and we always come out with a contract rife with givebacks. Because of pattern bargaining, the other unions have to settle for what the UFT meekly accepts. This union has been giving away the store since 2005. And let us recall what Mulgrew said to us, his union constituents back in 2014 during contract negotiations; "Retroactive payments ARE NOT a God given right." How the hell do you say that to a union of 80,000 people? The City was awash in surplus money in 2014, yet we fell hard for the poverty act, and spread the payments out six years. We would not even be made whole until two years after the contract expired. It is reprehensible that people who resigned, were terminated, or died, were denied money they worked for and earned. My fellow colleagues, burn this hard into your memory when it comes time for the next UFT election.
ReplyDelete50% now, 50% July. Thats the deal.
ReplyDeleteWE NEED CHAZ TOO!!! HE WOULD BE LIVID!
ReplyDeleteEven 1/2 payment on 10/31 and 1/2 payment on 7/1 is unacceptable! They stole millions of dollars from our interest which we never got interest in 11 years of money sitting there!
MOnte from UFT Mulgrew and the cronies all lied all said money is there don't worry. THis is unforgivable and MUlgrew and asshole diblasio need to be gone forever!
In case anyone is wondering what being a NYC teacher is like right now: this first thing I did when I got home today was cry in bed. It’s been my lifelong dream to be a NYC public school teacher. I’ve never felt so demoralized in my life.
ReplyDelete50% Oct 31, 50% July
ReplyDelete3% May guaranteed
No layoff clause until July 2021
50% Oct 31, 50% July
ReplyDelete3% May guaranteed
No layoff clause until July 2021
The city has been shafting teachers for so long, for so much and in such a myriad of ways that it’s incredible . Take for example unused sick time when you retire. They break it up over three years and you have to go back to the last school you were in and get the secretary to fill out a special form. This can be extremely difficult especially for ATRs or for teachers from closed schools and transient staffs. Many, many retired teachers are owed significant amounts of money. I was told today by someone (high up in the UFT) that there is hundreds of millions of dollars that is unclaimed by retired teachers. The City just keeps this money. It doesn’t search on the teachers or their families when the teachers die, it just keeps the money. The UFT isn’t proactive in helping all those retired teachers who could use that money. That’s just one example. I believe Mulgrew knew of today’s announcement of the city’s plan on holding onto our last payment check. He doesn’t want the 4500 new teachers laid off because they are new dues paying members. Better for them to hold off on our earn money then for the Uft to lose those dues. Just like it was better for you to go into school on March 17 18th and 19th and drop dead rather than lose that automatic dues check off box. Please wake the F up concerning Mulgrew and the Uft.
ReplyDeleteRetro= half now half July. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteJust got mulgrews email....arbitrator is having city give us half the retro now....the other half next july....we get our raise in may of 3% and no layoffs this school year.
ReplyDeleteSo after all that waiting we get to still wait for our last 25% now split into 12.5% and 12.5%
No more Free Labor After the School Day! Data entry, Sesis, Inquiry, Required P.D.'s like Trauma Training 7 hours worth on our own time!
ReplyDeleteSorry, I didn't have time during the school day.
We are getting our retro. Half at the end of October; the other half in July. The decision has been made.
ReplyDeleteEveryone can blame teachers all they want. It's money owed. Simple as that.
ReplyDeleteIt all comes down to jealousy, yet not many people want to study to become educators so people can kiss my ass.
When there are layoff or when we go full remote because there is no money, De blassio will use this to blame teachers saying we don't care about the kids and put ourselves first. Really, since when is putting yourself first bad? You are the only one who has to live with him/herself 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Why shouldn't you put yourself first?
ReplyDeleteIt only takes one year to know what being a nyc teacher is. Its basically a shitshow. Your thrown into the woods with no survival gear. Your kings and queens that run the school expect miracles and plenty of ass kissing.Your curriculum changes every year.You spend lots of money on supplies. We have a shitty union and underpaid. So 636 I think we know and we hear you. To comment on the teachers who get screwed with sick time. The solution to that is to use it your last year. You earned it. Go out on a back injure. Take a leave but dont give them anything back. I have been in the doe 18 years and a atr for 8 years. I dont break a sweat anymore. I do what Im asked within reason. I mind my business and go home. I feel bad when I see the new teachers working hard but I dont care. Its the fault of the union.
ReplyDeleteAll the great stuff you guys are saying should be copied and pasted onto the comments section of Mulgrew’s less than stellar YouTube performance. Don’t be afraid to inform some incredibly oblivious teachers of what’s going on. https://youtu.be/Pn5dRLYxROA
ReplyDeleteDo it!
DeleteI agree Bronx ATR.
ReplyDelete