It has been two days since the Wednesday Delegate Assembly and I am still having a tough time understanding the significance, if any, of what actually happened when the UFT leadership was rebuffed by a majority of the Delegates on a political endorsement. A clear majority of 55% voted to reject the endorsement of Corey Johnson for comptroller and four other candidates.
The Delegate Assembly is normally a rubber stamp for Michael Mulgrew, Leroy Barr, and the rest of the Union's leadership from Unity Caucus. Many, possibly a majority of the Delegates, belong to Unity where they sign a membership obligation that binds them: "To support the decisions of Caucus / Union leadership in public or Union forums." In exchange, they get perks from the UFT. Leadership positions are never rejected by the Delegates but it happened on Wednesday. For those who do not understand the possible importance, please take a look at analysis from a veteran retiree who is no stranger to UFT politics that was at ICE-mail and EdNotes:
I think that anger over the current UFT mayoral endorsement forums was a contributing factor to the rejection of Unity's endorsement reso at yesterday's DA.
First you had Unity Guy [Dave] Pecararro throw a wrench into the works by feeling compelled to speak against the reso (ironically because of an anti-democratic, arbitrary Unity rule about amending resos, or unbundling endorsements, or something).
Then, the other speaker was also against the reso, and both he and Pecarraro were well spoken and clear. That presented a very negative overall picture before the vote.
Add to that, that there is an institutional memory of similar DA objections to Unity endorsements in the past, often made very eloquently by Jonathan Halabi.
Then there is the burn factor: The fact that the UFT's mayoral endorsements are the kiss of death. (By the way, do you remember that Bill Thompson's education advisor, and probable choice for Chancellor was Meryl Tisch? Yes, Meryl fucking Tisch! And UFT endorsed him!)
Then there is the pandemic era anonymous digital voting that lets Unity members have some cover to vote their conscience.
And the cherry on top was the mayoral forum charade where Yang - because of "viability" - was invited at the expense of other more progressive, more pro-labor candidates; as though all the forums (crappy as they were) leading up to the "Final 4-um" meant nothing. All that mattered was public polling. That pissed off more people than Mulgrew realized.
Add it all up and you've got an endorsement smackdown and a very shaken Unity leadership.....
Because of electronic voting at the DA's, Staff Director Leroy Barr can't see who is voting against the leadership like in live meetings. District Representatives keep chapter leaders and delegates in line by sitting together to make sure they do what they are supposed to.
What happens next? I doubt there will be that many more electronic DA's with secret ballot voting. But for now, according to Michael Mulgrew, the UFT is planning a special DA for a mayoral endorsement where I have heard from multiple sources that the Union will be endorsing Scott Stringer and maybe Maya Wiley as a second choice (rank choice voting is here but few understand it). The question to ask is this: Is that what our rank and file want? I don't know what the answer to that is.
I would like to add that I do support what David Pecoraro said during the DA about David Weprin for comptroller over Johnson. Weprin is a Jamaica High School graduate who took a principled stand to support the school and then went way above and beyond to save our school when Joel Klein-Dennis Walcott-Michael Bloomberg-Bill de Blasio-Carmen Farina closed us.
Weprin was with us all the way opposing the Department of Education from the start of the closure process in 2009 (we were delayed for a year by a judge) to the final graduation ceremony in 2014. Even in 2013-14 when we were in the last year of phasing out but there was a new mayor, Weprin formed a committee and he worked with us to try to turn what was left of Jamaica High School into a school that would survive as a small school within the school building. He sent a representative to our still very functioning School Leadership Team on several occasions and helped us with a resolution for the local Community Board in support of keeping the school alive that carried unanimously.
Weprin along with Borough President Melinda Katz, several other politicians, and the UFT Chapter made a valiant last stand. Only Bill de Blasio and Carmen Farina know why we were turned down. The main problem with the schools in 2014, as it has been since 2002 and still is in 2021, is mayoral control. We need to discuss that as much as who the next mayor or comptroller will be.
Update
This just came our way on Twitter:
UFT special delegate assembly announced for Monday, April 19th at 4:15 pm. EXEC BD will meet at 3 PM. Mayoral endorsement to be voted on and announced.
14 comments:
Sure. We will see how the presidential election goes next year. My guess is Mulgrew in a landslide, like every other time.
Nice work uft. Completely lost. Dues well spent.
Email from Brooklyn's District 21 superintendent Isabel DiMola: "As guidance is ever-changing, please note that the policy guidelines for ...3-foot social distancing has yet to be finalized. Therefore, for schools with Pre-K to 5, please hold off" on communicating the plans."
I strongly believe that most Unity people are just signed up because they were recruited by their DR to fill a (NYSUT/AFT) delegate seat. They don't know anything about a 'Unity Loyalty Pledge,' and aren't being held to vote in any way. Especially without the pressure of voting next to DRs, I think we're glimpsing the truth: very few people agree ideologically with Unity, and can more easily be swayed to an opposition caucus, candidate, or cause than we've previously believed.
So how do you explain how they ALWAYS vote the way Mulgrew wants?
UFT votes the way Mulgrew wants for the same reason Biden beat Bernie (even though Bernie actually outspent him): unfortunately, most Americans naturally vote as moderates, especially when the moderate viewpoint is presented as the 'obvious' option. UFT members are no exception to that rule.
I'm also not completely sure the members realized what Mulgrew wanted. It felt like he was trying hard to look neutral, which I think sunk the endorsement because we had just heard two very good arguments not to vote in its favor.
The UFT track record on supporting NYC mayoral Democratic candidates has not been stellar for the past 20+ years.
6:41 6:35 just explained it. Because usually they are sitting next to/near their DR who is watching them vote and their position in unity is totally up to them.
Corey Johnson for Comptroller? The interview was a waste. His inclusion was a professional courtesy, nothing more. Qualified? Are you kidding? He couldn't even stick to answering a question...
Strictly aside from his political affiliation, David Weprin is a highly qualified financial professional in his own right. His knowledge and experience are sorely needed to support the new mayor and the newborns of the City Council. (Remember, term limits?) He has a broad and deep knowledge of the institutional history of NYC finances that he will put to good use. That he had the backbone to stand up during the deliberate destruction of a famous institution like Jamaica HS seals the deal for me.
Are we getting teachers choice since we have all that money now? How about spring break 2020 pay? When is trs, doe, uft and arbitration opening. It is almost summer.
If the UFT endorses Stringer—and based on the past track of UFT Mayoral primary endorsements—Stringer should probably concede Monday night.
Off topic...did we get ANY retro in october?i dont recall any.as I recall, they withdrew it all.on uft site, it says we got 12.5% in Oct and we get the other half end of July. I guess I will ask my bank.as I recall, people were angry for increasing tda and getting screwed.are we screwed again?I thought we are getting 25%in july.
Regarding the retro in July. I don't think a lot of people realize that if you want to increase your TDA contribution for the July 15 retro payment, you are going to need to keep that same contribution rate for the entire summer. You can't change retro rates during the summer. If you do, the change won't kick in until September 15th because the payroll for the summer is pre-done. Another way UFTers get screwed.
Hey 11.37 if you join the NYC 457 you can increase a single paycheck contribution. It won’t help your TDA but it will drop your income to help save your taxes due next year. It is also nice to have a second retirement fund… one you can use up first so you can let your 7% increases for the TDA sit untouched and grow. Start the 457 with a small percent now and then just set up the one big paycheck for a high percent (not too high so it won’t do it) for that paycheck only. You should do this ASAP because it takes time for them to do everything-I mean start today. If you do 3% you won’t even notice the money loss because it will be the raise. The 457 has many more choices including ROTH.
Like the TDA, you can treat the 457 like a bank account when you retire and not make it an annuity, but a bank account.
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