As UFters head into vacation, I saw this tonight on Facebook and thought it was appropriate. It is from Sara Nelson, the President of the Association of Flight Attendants, CWA.
In NYC public schools, we can add UFT management to our employer telling us we are lucky to have a job.
To the commenter who called me a dreamer, Sara's vision for the future of labor is what I dream about and have been working for since I became an activist in 1994 and continue doing. Here is a little of Sara's bio:
The New York Times called her "America's most powerful flight attendant" for her role in helping to end the 35-day Government Shutdown and InStyle Magazine placed her on their Top 50 Badass Women list.
2022 is the year where enough UFters are going to come together to start turning Sara's vision into reality for NYC teachers and other UFT members.
39 comments:
Yes, we our president preaches to us that "we are lucky to have a job" and backpay is not a Godgiven right" this is why some accept and expect so little. This is why professionals with masters degrees need second jobs or do crappy per session to make ends meet.
We do deserve more and we will never get it with Mulgrew in charge. He doesn't care about our safety or we have to survive until January for our safety to be a concern.
Mulgrew is garbage. We could use a powerful female who empowers us.
That's nice. But it doesn't change the environment for labor, which is toxic. We are thoroughly hated by most people. A few years ago the president of the Wisconsin teachers union came and spoke to delegate assembly. Their Union had basically been destroyed by the Republicans. When they were losing everything they made a proposal that they would pay for their medical benefits. They thought this would engender support among people because they were willing to give back. Instead it outraged most people because they were not aware that teachers got free medical insurance. So the plan backfired. They were not aware of how thoroughly and completely they were hated
Did mulgrew really say that???wow!
Where in any contract can people's contractual vacations be taken away???And for dimwitted diblasio, did our working in April help or save any children? NOOOOO!
8:36, Union's are very popular now.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/354455/approval-labor-unions-highest-point-1965.aspx
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Sixty-eight percent of Americans approve of labor unions. Though statistically similar to last year's 65%, the current reading is the highest Gallup has measured since 71% in 1965.
It isn't 2012. Scott Walker lost. Teacher unions have fought back for a decade now since the Chicago 2012 strike. As long as we are fighting for the students and school communities as well as ourselves, the public support is there.
One of our biggest obstacles is the fools here who brag about how they do nothing. They need to cut the shit. Stop giving teachers a bad reputation. Sometimes I think you are working for the anti union forces. I will stop here and get into the holiday spirit.
Merry Christmas all.
yes, Mulgrew did. It was in reference to the 2008-2009 backpay. It is something I will never forget as it stood out because I had never heard a union leader have such low expectations and beliefs for his workers until Mulgrew.
6:01 do you really think we will have a "powerful female who empowers us". Hahah. It's will be James' vision all the way. I wish people would stop crying over Spring Break pay, it's embarrassing. Not sure how it was handled for people who already had plans but we were working remote, so it wasn't like we had to trudge all the way to work. Not saying I wouldn't have preferred to not have to work, but you all act as if that was Mulgrew's call, or his decision to not pay us. DeBlasio is like an AP who acts like they're working so hard because they sit around coming up with different shit that OTHER people can do.
We worked, it's over. If we get paid, that would be great and Mulgrew should try but it's not his decision to make. Maybe the next time if they try that shit we can UNITE and say we refuse, every last one of us, because we didn't get paid before and we've already made other plans.
I didn't recall the backpack part.i agree that we were lucky to have jobs and a remote option while many were laid off due to shutdowns and many got sick when they reported.
If we had to work extra days, we should have been fully compensated though.i guess it might be perceived as selfish cuz so many lost their jobs.i see their point BUT people got stimulus money up the wazoo for deliberately continuing to stay home long after the shutdowns.if they can give out all this free money, they can pay us what was ours.
The NY Times calls her, "America's most powerful flight attendant". Hmmm, the NY Post calls the UFT, "The powerful teachers union". However, neither her or the UFT are powerful at all. We both get spit on a daily basis and management does not give two shits about the UFT or some flight attendant.
35. SARA NELSON: The international president of the Association of Flight Attendants became a labor-movement icon when she spoke out about the dangers of furloughing airport workers during the 35-day partial shutdown of the U.S. government (the longest in the nation's history). "Our lives were on the line, and we were the ones who saw the path to end the shutdown," she says. "When we focus on our goals and move forward with absolute conviction, we win every time. After all, a badass gets things done that nobody thought possible."
Beating Trump's shutdown makes her a labor hero.
She must be related to UFT Talking Head Amy Arundel, who told hundreds of ATRs they were "lucky to have jobs".
Former ATR here. Amy Arundel is one of the smartest and hardest working UFT reps anywhere. She has helped literally thousands of members with every imaginable issue and problem. Her record is beyond reproach, and the ATRs particularly, should raise their voices and say how much she helped them during the darkest ATR days. If I had a problem and I needed help at the UFT, the very first person on the list that I would want working on my problem would be Amy Arundel. So, whoever the fool is who called her a Talking Head, you are really the very apotheosis of ignorance. I hope others will also step up and set the record straight.
10:45 - some ATRs ARE lucky to have jobs. They weren't laid off were they? We have an ATR in our building who's been there for two years and still doesn't know his ass from his elbow. He's in a shared room, and during his classes he's on the phone while the kids play cards, video games on the couple of computers in the room, the room is trashed with the chairs and desks all over the place, so that the next person going in after him has to spend time cleaning it up. He never knows anything, can't do anything, can't find anything. But he's white so he stays. I saw a couple of black teachers who were targeted for expulsion because the AP didn't like the way they taught and after a couple of years of ineffective ratings they were unceremoniously removed. Thank goodness they were close enough to retirement. They could've fought it but they were advised if they did, and lost, they could lose their days, or something or other. So yeah...some ATRs are damn lucky to have a job.
12:12 I used to be an atr.i attended a few of Amy's workshops.we was at the top of her game. She also offered zoom workshops.Although they filled up fast, she responded right away to emails.
At an in person, I really give her kydos.the people at the meeting were the dumbest I have ever seen.one in particular continued to challenge her even though she was on our side.showed enormous restraint and patience.i have a very positive impression of her.
I don't want people like her forced out if ufc wins. There are many good people in UFT. Not all are like Muldoo. If we can just get that one out for starters, imo, positive change can start. Mulgrew talks tuff.he is a fake.he was silent as things deteriorated.maybe Amy might be good in his job now that I think of it!I would vote for her!
Amy is so valuable to Mulgrew that she was exiled to Queens while her assistant, Mike Sill, was promoted to an officer position. If she had any guts, she would be rebelling within Unity. In the end, all of the Unity faithful will do as their told and not risk their $200,000 a year salaries. They will send you into the petri dishes to get infected and won't bat an eyelash. Only fools would vote for this to continue.
Lot of fools out there, 2:33. I will vote United for Change. Camille will back you up. She did as CL.
Not exiled. She runs the Boro office. A much better position. Queens is very lucky to have her.
An officer position is higher up in the pecking order. Sill negotiates the deals we teach under. Queens says yes sir Mr. Mulgrew.
ATR's do not need to thank the UFT for their jobs. They can thank the 3020A process that is in effect for NYS which details the way a district can fire a tenured teacher.
The process is rigged.the lawyers are in kahoots with doe.but if u can't afford your own, it's what u get
@3:46 You must be kidding. Without the UFT many members would be railroaded at the 3020 process.
Yes, it's better than no lawyer.they make deals, have quotas.they make money for the doe in what is called "awards."it is a fine you pay in lieu of termination even if you are innocent.like pleading guilty to a lesser crime to save your job and your license. The doe lawyer was religious.she seemed very sophomoric and the arbitrator scolded her several times.For all her faith, I say fuck her.god is watching.im sure she knew I was innocent. I was happy with the my uft lawyer in the beginning-but then I think he flipped the script. From what I read needless, it seems extremely difficult to walk away without an award.some are high like$14,000$! Surely others on the blog can corroborate this.
Needless to say, I refuse jury duty.i have zero trust in the systems or in people- sadly, based on people I meet at doe and in public.dumb, nasty, callous.i also meet nice people, but in a jury, u get what u get...nor do I want to be a cog in a system of crooked deception, especially when it can really damage a person for life.
Lol I wish we had Judge Judy to confront lying admins like the one who orchestrated my situation. Well I had to pay a fine, but I am in a place where I am appreciated and respected.small price to pay for being redeemed from a hell hole.i love my job.i love the kids.i love the admin.i worked my butt off at my old job.all I got was a kick in the ass bogus bullshit from a jealous, hateful,psychotic AP. I didn't start the post intending to go into all that, but that's where the thoughts went. I agree though that anyone on 3020 as a teacher would be railroaded without representation.
Merry Christmas, James and family.
Every teacher I know who went through the 3020A process used a private lawyer.
Private lawyers not necessary. NYSUT attorneys are excellent.
Although I agree Amy Arundell was an advocate for teachers in the ATR pool where ATRs had few people to turn to, but I don't agree with the rhetoric, "You are lucky to have a job." We went to college to be teachers, not to cover classes and sit in lounges all day. The one mistake they made about the ATR situation is that they did not require principals to give all ATRs full or partial programs for at least the ones that were there because of excessing and not because of a 3020. I am an English teacher and was an ATR for 3 years. I could have easily been given a full program and shrink some of the large classes that teachers were teaching.
The process is not rigged and nobody is in cahoots. Your attorney, whether private or NYSUT, has a primary task of preventing you from being fired. If DoE offers a deal, then your lawyer will urge you to take it rather than risk your livelihood at a trial. Better to pay $10k than lose a $3m package. That's a good attorney, not a corrupt one.
Why take a deal if u didn't do anything wrong? That is a crooked system.
9:37 - but that's the point. I imagine that in most businesses if there is an "excess" they wouldn't have you sit in a lounge all day, you would just be laid off. But you make some good suggestions for things they could have done. I doubt all ATRs think like you. Some of them liked sitting in lounges all day long and they only started complaining when they were actually asked to do some work.
1124... then go to trial. But usually you did do something wrong. It was probably not very serious, and it was probably something that our teachers did back in 1968 every single day and nobody cared about it, but these are new days and you can get in trouble for a little stuff. So you have to make a decision of whether you're going to go to trial or take a $10,000 fine and protect your livelihood. There is nothing crooked about an attorney who presents those possibilities and risks to you
At least the fine is tax deductible
No way!that fine is tax deductible???how do u know? I want to redo my taxes.how do u know?state or fed or both?
https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2021/jan/irs-regs-deductibility-of-fines-penalties.html
Taxpayers subject to government fines and penalties received guidance on when those payments are deductible or not deductible under final regulations posted by the IRS on Tuesday (T.D. 9946). The regulations provide guidance on Sec. 162(f), which was amended by the law known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), P.L. 115-97, and on information reporting requirements under Sec. 6050X.
Sec. 162(f), as amended by the TCJA, disallows a deduction for the payment of fines, penalties, and certain other amounts. Under Sec. 162(f)(1), taxpayers may not deduct amounts that, under court orders or settlement agreements, are paid to, or at the direction of, governments in relation to the violation of any law or the investigation or inquiry into the potential violation of any law. However, this disallowance may not apply to amounts that taxpayers establish, and court orders or settlement agreements identify, are paid as restitution, remediation, or to come into compliance with a law, so long as the amounts otherwise qualify as deductible under the Code (Sec. 162(f)(2)).
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT INFO!I WILL DISCUSS WITH TAX PREPARER TO SEE ABOUT AMENDING THE RETURN.I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS.I BET MANY READERS WILL FIND THIS USEFUL AS WELL.
I don't know what to submit as proof as I doubt I saved the settlement agreement.
DOE has it.
I guess payroll or ask nysut lawyer.
when I hear from a teacher or retiree who has an issue my always go to person is Amy Arundel no matter the borough. She can't always help but I have confidence she will try. If I were in charge of UFC I would never get rid of Amy if they won. But honestly I would get better control of the salaries at UFT HQ. I love Camille as president but not for over 300K. And borough reps at over 200K. Sorry guys - I know you all work longer hours and should get some compensation for it but the gap between those UFT salaries and the average teacher has got to shrink. There is an incentive for UFT officials to focus on salary raises and downplay working conditions because they get the same percentage raise. Maybe we need a bonus system for those who get good ratings from members.
Oh, and I have attended numerous 3020a hearings, most with NYSUT reps (UFT doesn't provide the reps) and they were excellent. In fact the only disaster was a colleague who hired a private attorney who decided to fight with everyone to show how tough he was. DOE is a special deal and the lawyer need to know how to navigate the terrain. A few private people specialize in the DOE and after trying the NYSUT person - you can ask for a change -- go that route if unhappy.
Norm calling for merit pay for UFT officials.
I agree on Amy's dedication. She does her best to try to help with member issues. She certainly got several people who were steered to her by me very favorable resolutions to their problems.
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