By far the largest chapter in the United Federation of Teachers is the 70,000 member Retired Teachers Chapter. The chapter leader, executive board, and delegate election for this chapter is underway. I am running for an executive board position and I will be voting for the entire Retiree Advocate slate. Please vote for the Retiree Advocate slate if you are a UFT retiree and urge any retiree you know to vote for Retiree Advocate. Our candidate for Chapter Leader is Gloria Brandman, a long-time Union activist and chapter leader. If we can cut into Unity's advantage with the retirees, we can start to change this union.
The main issue for the Retiree Advocate this year is strong opposition to the privatization of retiree Medicare. This topic has really woken many retired teachers up. Mulgrewcare, as I have termed the Medicare Advantage plan municipal retirees could be forced into, does not seem to be that popular. It would set a terrible precedent if a huge group of 240,000 retired NYC workers was forced into a privatized health plan for 100% of their healthcare, rather than the federally run Medicare.
Retiree Advocate is not just campaigning against Unity. The caucus is taking action. This is from EdNotes:
RA PRESS CONFERENCE ON MEDICARE CHANGES
MONDAY MAY 24 12 NOON
LOCATION: PARK ROW NEAR CITY HALL ACROSS FROM B'KLYN BRIDGE
Numbers count there too even if only a press conference where usually 30 people show - Imagine if a couple of hundred showed up -- that would scare the hell out if Unity -- so if you are free on Monday -- see u there.
This is my first chapter election as a retiree as I left the system in 2018. The election, like most everything within the UFT, is tilted toward Unity Caucus. Unity has name recognition so right there on their beautifully produced flyer there is Chapter Leader Tom Murphy pictured side by side with Michael Mulgrew.
Even with their structural advantages, Unity still feels the need to cheat. Unlike in the general UFT election where the list of over a thousand candidates comes in a huge envelope with no caucus literature in it, the retiree chapter election ballot comes enclosed with an individual leaflet from each of the caucuses running that is paid for by the Union. Guess which caucus has their leaflet printed on heavier paper so it is much more attractive and stands out? I don't have to tell you that it's Unity while the Retiree advocate piece is on plain, cheap white paper.
I handed both the Retiree Advocate and Unity literature to my 11-year-old daughter who obviously couldn't care less about the issues. Within a second, she said the Unity one felt heavier; people will look at that first. Why do you think personnel directors encourage us to put resumes on thicker paper? It is easier on the eye and hands. Unity doesn't need to stuff ballots or manipulate voting machines. Their cheating is much more subtle and sophisticated.
Think about this, the retired teachers send 300 delegates to the UFT Delegate Assembly because the chapter is so large. You would think there would be some kind of proportional representation for those seats. No, it's winner takes all. RA asked for five out of 300 to be jointly endorsed so there would be some diversity of opinion at the DA. Unity said no. They even threw out their own David Pecoraro for having the nerve to speak against Unity's comptroller endorsement at the DA.
Before someone tells me to complain to the Department of Labor or the NYS Public Employees Relations Board about the heavier Unity campaign leaflet, we are retirees and not employees so we are not considered workers. Nobody would listen. Before someone else tells me how they are proud to have opted out of this corrupt union, we put that argument to an end here last week. This blog is for UFTers determined to stay and fight back. Opt-out somewhere else.
If anyone wants to help, then spread the word to your retiree friends and convince them to vote for the Retiree Advocate in the Retired Teachers Chapter Leader election. You can also support non-Unity candidates in chapter elections if you are an active UFT member.
Hi James,
ReplyDeleteDo you have access to this letter to the editor behind a paywall?
https://thechiefleader.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/wheres-the-transparency/article_e9c6765a-af69-11eb-9eda-f777a04dcd32.html
Thank you
No, I don't have access to it.
ReplyDeleteSo why don't the current employees do something? Because it's a lost cause.
ReplyDeleteLol. Another pro union post by james.
ReplyDeleteAnother comment from the vast wasteland. James - there is no there there -- posting his stuff just makes his day. Deny deny deny --- if he can't comment here he can try water bordering himself
ReplyDelete@10.47pm.
ReplyDeleteBoy oh boy, James brings information to us that we wouldn’t get anywhere else. Serious news that the UFT should be giving us and never does. The UFT is corrupt. I think James works toward a better union, rather than destroying it. Some unions back their members, work for them, and fight for them. Unity UFT does not do that for the members. Yes, Mulgrew said on Tuesday at the RTC meeting "No union does for it’s members what the UFT does." Sadly, that is truer now than its ever been and in the most negative interpretation of the statement.
The UFT it’s screwing the retirees. In service will be next.
Precisely the point. Your quote...
DeleteSerious news that the UFT should be giving us and never does. Some unions back their members, work for them, and fight for them. Unity UFT does not do that for the members. Yes, Mulgrew said on Tuesday at the RTC meeting "No union does for it’s members what the UFT does." Sadly, that is truer now than its ever been and in the most negative interpretation of the statement.
The UFT it’s screwing the retirees. In service will be next.
Can someone explain to me why Mulgrew and his bigwigs are supporting shitty changes to retiree insurance? Won't Mulgrew and his cronies also retire soon and have to deal with the same shitty insurance? Why would they support something that will actually hurt them and their families? This is a totally different deal than messing with teacher working conditions. I get that Mulgrew, Sill, Amy, and the rest of them don't have to worry about working conditions in schools because they don't teach in them but they will all be retirees someday. Please explain!
ReplyDeleteFirst thing to remember is that they get double salaries and double pensions. One from the DOE and one from the Uft. Seems likely that the UFT has a separate healthcare package for their upper echelon employees or they could have take the option of the one that’s offered to DOE employees being that they are considered employees of both entities.
DeleteSeparate pension but not Separate healthcare.
DeleteBy Mulgrew pushing and preparing the RTC members with the change to a Medicare Advantage Plan—along with his claims of better benefits than the current Medicare for retirees —is kind of similar to Weingarten pushing and supporting that disastrous 2005 contract with Bloomberg—down the throats of then active service members. How did that contract work out?
ReplyDeleteThe Medicare Advantage is a significant loss of medical coverage for retirees.
ReplyDeleteThe retirees will not be able to keep their doctors. Retirees will lose out big time.
The UFT will do what it does best, the UFT will lie about the benefit change.
The Medicare Advantage is a significant loss of medical coverage for retirees.
ReplyDeleteThe retirees will not be able to keep their doctors. Retirees will lose out big time.
The UFT will do what it does best, the UFT will lie about the benefit change.
ATRs will be placed next year. Not clear how. But ATR Era is over.
ReplyDeleteRetirees,
ReplyDeleteYou are being cheated by Mulgrew.
DO NOT LET MULGREW CHEAT YOU!
Time for a unified strike with all effected NYC unions. Shut this shit down!
ReplyDeleteWith the shortage they didn't place arts this year...
ReplyDeletelol 436. do you know the union you belong to?
ReplyDeleteVoted Retiree Advocate and mailed ballot yesterday.
ReplyDeleteEven if they got stuck with crappy healthcare with a double pension and a double salary for so many years why would they even care, it’s like winning the lotto and complaining about the price of the dollar ticket.
ReplyDelete3:59: Where did you get this information from? Or are you just playing a cruel joke on we ATRs who are treated like a joke already?
ReplyDeleteInside UFT. Impeccable source.. I'm not fooling. Stay tuned.
DeleteJames, I actually read the campaign literature enclosed with the retiree ballot. I would’ve loved to cast an anti-Unity vote but could not stomach Retiree Advocate’s unqualified support of the Black Lives Matter movement
ReplyDeletePrehistoric, there is so much more there than BLM. Unity supports BLM too. You know what Unity does and does not do for all of us. Look at our candidates and our records.
ReplyDeleteI'd vote for a chimpanzee or Mackey Mouse if they were opposing Unity. Stop worrying about minutiae in a platform. Go RA.
ReplyDeleteI mean Mickey Mouse. RA all the way.
ReplyDeleteTell me more about ATRs!
ReplyDeleteThe end of the insanity?
Inside info says ATRs will be placed. Stay tuned. Huge news and ur the only one to take me seriously.
DeleteI apologize in advance for the high jack but doing my bills and am about to lose my mind. 20 years to reach top pay is bullshit. That means if you start in the DOE at 25 you’re not getting to top pay till you are 45, and if you start at 30/35 you’re not getting top pay until 50-55! All of these ages are past when you need the money most, in your 30’s and 40’s for things like buying your first house, starting a family etc. It really is fucked up. The biggest demand in the next contract should be a significant salary increase across the board. You hear Pat Lynch complaining that cops are paid “absurdly” low, yet they reach 85k at 5 years in (top pay for them) and have massive opportunities for OT to raise salaries well over 100k. Where is Mulgrew and co.? How many of you are the main bread winner in your family, and finding it difficult? We make shit and it NEEDS to be addressed!
ReplyDeleteThe job sucks...In every way.
Delete5:58: I agree but if they give raises to people with fewer years, they still need to give it to us in the many years. I didn't buy my first house until 46. People just need to be patient and have to wait to buy homes and have children. I'm 48 now and am at top salary and I'm still broke, so I don't know if reaching top salary earlier is the answer.
ReplyDeleteRaises across the board. If you had been making a higher salary from let’s say 38 to 48 even 15 k more per year for a total of 150k over the 10 years you’d be a lot less broke.
DeleteIf tenure carried over to Long Island you’d have mass exodus of teachers with 10 years plus. Having to start over with tenure on LI and leaving yourself vulnerable is the only thing keeping vets in the DOE.
ReplyDeleteSome commenters have mentioned the 22 year longevity—and make fair points about the absurdness of the length of a 22 yr pay scale to reach the top. When I began in 1974 it was 15 yrs—it then went eventually to 18 years and then 20 years.by the early 90’s.
ReplyDeleteI do remember the 1995-96 Giuliani contract proposal that Sandra Feldman supported that included a 20 to 25 year longevity and was voted down 54 to 46 percent by the membership. An agreed upon 22 year longevity was the compromise as the contract passed and 22 yr longevity has stayed that way for over 25 years.
Also, how many people think that becoming a NYC teacher would make them wealthy? You went into the profession because you enjoyed the rewards of teaching kids, you liked kids and it was considered a noble and respected profession—In 2021, those conditions may not be true as compared to even 20 years ago—especially in NYC. In many areas, its now a glorified babysitting service from 7:30am to 6:00pm.
Many of my colleagues along with myself—had to work 2nd jobs after school—to support growing families—which was quite insulting with this profession. But the trade off was always decent benefits, holidays, summer vacations, and a terrific pension—-assuming those could make it to 25 or 30 years. However, it seems that over the past 20 years, UFT contracts have gotten worse especially with that horrible 2005 Bloomberg/ Weingarten contract.and the awful 2014 contract with DeBlasio -who was supposedly more sympathetic to NYC public school teachers.
Now with this current and the very critical dilemma of a Medicare change for retirees—that Mulgrew says— no worries -as it will result in a better plans for everyone—if anyone believes that—has to be very naive. But on the other hand, how would a vote for the Retiree Advocates slate rather the Unity many any difference—unless its just for the sake of change— but any elected slate can break their promises.
One thing is for certain, Mulgrew’s tenure of almost 12 years has to come to an end. There just has to be term limits on every executive position of the UFT because its not in the best interests of any democratic union.
If we want more money in our pocket.... Maybe nys and nyc should lower the income tax rates. Give people who work for a living a break instead of trying to give others a freeloading life. A teacher in their 8th year with 30 above MS pays nys over $4800 in income taxes and if you live in nyc you pay an additional $3100.
ReplyDelete10:30: Maybe or maybe not. The more you have the more you want. Also I agree with the commenter who said we knew teaching was not profitable. I knew that when I was a kid. My first three years, I lived with my mother and my first place was a basement in someone's home. I didn't have the means to buy a home in my twenties.
ReplyDeleteLol. Which one of the complainers voted against any contract?
ReplyDeleteBy the way what does placed mean? Don't we all get placed by the doe right now anyway? Do you mean permanently? I'm not holding my breath on this one.
ReplyDeleteThe greedy teachers who came into the system together in the late 60s or very early 70s kept raising the longevity thresholds to match their years of service. Finally the membership stood up and said "Enough". It was frozen at 22 years which is already way too long.
ReplyDelete