Wednesday, January 12, 2022

REMOTE INSTRUCTION AGREEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT

While President Michael Mulgrew spent much of the Town Hall telling you how wonderful you are for risking your health in a pandemic to come to work, the UFT did put out some useful information today.


Remote agreement still applies for office hours and online work
Teachers and related service providers are still eligible for payment for office hours and asynchronous/synchronous work provided for students who must quarantine due to COVID-19. If a UFT member puts in extra instruction/office hours during the workday on a prep or during lunch, the member should be paid for that time at the coverage rate. If this work is done after school, the member should receive per-session pay up to two hours for elementary school and up to three hours for middle and high school if teaching more than one course. The school chapter leader should report any violations of the DOE-UFT Memorandum of Agreement on Remote Instruction in an operational issues complaint on behalf of all affected staff.
Update on staffing shortages and operational closures
Staffing shortages remain a concern. It has always been the union's position that if a school cannot operate safely, it should be cause for an operational closure. We have shared this position with the DOE, and we will continue to monitor the situation.

Currently, if a principal reports a staffing issue to the DOE, that school receives priority focus from the substitute pool and central redeployment of staff. If the number of COVID absences gets too large and the DOE cannot provide enough staff to operate a school safely, then an operational closure should occur and the school should temporarily shift to remote learning.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

“Doctor: Rate as high as 30% and it is now down a bit. The hospitalization rate is stabilizing in NYC and Long Island. That is a lagging indicator but no big increase. We may have hit the peak and the numbers are going down. We hope for a deep down slope like South Africa.

Mulgrew: We talked to a South African doctor and hoping for a quick decrease. Since this is so rampant, shouldn't we look at hospitalizations?

Doctor: Omicron does not go deep in the lungs so less Covid Pneumonia. Some have cold-like symptoms. Some it is worse. People with worse outcomes who have things like blood cancers.

I don’t think most UFT members are dealing with blood cancer. Omicron is a cold for most people. Just admit it already.

Anonymous said...

Forced per session was an absolutely terrible precedent to set.

Not will to die yet said...

5:58
Spoken like a true trump supporter. Drink some bleach and get it over with already. You must be happy do have a job.
Covid sucks admit it and realize that many people that do not work in schools are able to work remotely. You graduated college you consider yourself a professional demand something from the mayor , Mulgrew and the rest of the assholes up the chain .

Anonymous said...

agreed 6:42- Each time Mulgrew said "make yourself available" was like a thorn in my side.
He actually seemed to honestly believe like this was a great accomplishment.

Insane-forced overtime goes against all the union stands for.

Anonymous said...

I tried putting in for that money when I had two kids on quarantine earlier this year. I posted work and I spent an hour on google meets for the office hour. I was told that you only get paid for that type of work if more than half of your total students are in quarantine. I am a PE teacher and have 180 students in total which means 91 of those students have to be on quarantine in order to earn this money. It makes no sense.

Anonymous said...

Remember, we work for the doe. The great thing about that is that nobody and I mean nobody actually forces any accountability.

Post some nonsense and call it a day. Good thing is kids in quarantine won’t do the work any way so why make yourself insane ?

Also, I had covid, was vaxxed and boosted. I’ve had stomach viruses a lot worse.

We need to be open. Kids can’t be at home playing video games 24/7. Not good!

We have a decent job, a ton of time off and aren’t working a hundred hours a week.

I leave at 225 each day and forget what lessons I did that day. Not a bad gig.

You want a real job? Go get one. It sucks. Trust me. I’ve worked in the real world. The doe may not be what I thought it was, but it’s a heck of a lot easier and less accountability.

Anonymous said...

716,

You’re not going to die. Cut the drama.

This is an in person job. Remote for kids is bad.

Go work for a place that offers remote. Nobody is stopping you.

We are all going to get covid. It is what it is.

Get busy living…or stay home forever. Your choice!

Anonymous said...

Was told I could only be paid for Google Classroom work and Meets if I have 10 or more students attending the Google Meets. I thought I was supposed to be paid for the work I do in Google Classroom and the Meets that I hold even if no students show up and complete work.

Anonymous said...

We are supposed to be paid for the work we do in the classroom even if no one shows up for the Meets and no one completes work. It should be automatic hours. I am not doing anymore work in Google Classroom until I am PAID for the additional time I put in. Union Leader is thinking of retirement and does crap.

Anonymous said...

"We Failed"

One of the largest newspapers in Denmark is apologizing for its journalistic failure during COVID-19 by only publishing official government messages without questioning them. @Niemandsknecht

Hey James, when will you apologize? Or do you have to wait for orders from CNN?

Anonymous said...

I’m a first year teacher and I’m absolutely miserable at this job. The kids are awful and I’m gaslighted daily. I want out of education completely and change careers. If I put my 30 days and quit, will I get back pay for the days I worked since salary is spread out to 12 months rather than the 10 we work, or do I just get my last paycheck and that’s it? Also can I withdraw all my pension and TDA funds immediately? I’m not planning on returning to the DOE if I end up quitting.

Anonymous said...

953,

I’m not trying to lead you one way or the other, but maybe talk to someone like a social worker or other mental health professional before quitting. I did that my first year bc I was miserable and it helped…a lot.

It can give you another perspective.

Also, don’t look yourself. You can’t make chicken salad from, well, you know.

Best wishes!

Anonymous said...

9:53: I would try first going on open market over the summer. There are better schools out there. I have worked in 4 different schools in the doe and 3 of them were really good. Don't waste your education by leaving. You wouldn't get any pension since it's your first year. I would leave my TDA for now and let it build interest even if you don't contribute. You may get a new job and your TDA can transfer over. Also, I wouldn't count on back pay.

Not will to die yet said...

7:45
Have some respect.
Your mayor is hiring friend and family as I peck this out.
And you are willing to go to into buildings where circus music should be play all day.
Education is not taking place. We are warehousing students with masks in their chins.
Baby sitters with masters plus 30

Anonymous said...

Banks was on the news this morning saying that he visited a lot of schools the day before and spoke to parents and they "overwhelmingly" thanked him for keeping schools open. Isn't it obvious if you are speaking to the parents who are dropping their kids to school that they want the schools open? Nobody saw this as a bias statement?

Anonymous said...

Every time your child goes to the bathroom in school he/she risks getting Covid. Every time he goes to the school caf, risk getting Covid. Every time the child uses public transportation risks getting Covid and passing it to others. Public transportation is another breeding ground for Covid. The nurses office in all schools are breeding grounds for anything. And by the way not every classroom, auditorium and gyms have windows. Investigate every school and make them give you floor plans of the building. UFT must investigate and pictures posted for all to see.

Anonymous said...

To 953
Just a piece of advice from a recent retiree if you do not yet have a new job offer—--If at all possible stick it out the rest of the year. If you leave now, you may be forfeiting some of your summer checks. You should double check this before making your decision. If you resign over the summer in August with an effective date of September 2022, you probably keep your health insurance until then. This would give you time to find a job that better suits you. Additionally, some companies have a waiting period until health insurance kicks in and staying with the DOE until September may be beneficial for that reason alone. Do your research carefully. Most importantly, however, if you truly find the profession is not for you, follow your heart. Better to leave sooner then get stuck in a career you cannot tolerate.

Anonymous said...

Please list how many teachers have died from Covid or brought it home to their families causing them to die. Begin with 2020 up till now. Give us the latest stats. Include hospitalization and/or long term disabilities.

Anonymous said...

8:41/8:45--
Here is information straight from the uft website--

"What work will I need to provide to quarantining students during office hours? When will office hours occur?

Office Hours may consist of:

Posting asynchronous assignments.
Providing individual or small group synchronous instruction, support or tutoring to students.
Emailing or checking in on assignments."

Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Yes, kids are not following any of the CDC guidance. Today I saw two kids eating from the same piece of fruit. Disgusting even pre-pandemic.

Anonymous said...

9:53-

You accumulate 1 week summer pay for each month you work. So if you work until the end of February, you will get 6 weeks summer pay. I am certain of this. I am not certain but I believe you will get pay in July for July and 1 week or so of August.

Contact https://www.trsnyc.org/memberportal/login to ask about your pension and tda contributions. You should be able to take it out after separation of service or you can leave the tda in place for 7 years.

I respect others opinions about trying other schools. They may be a bit better but honestly this job has become more and more overwhelming and demanding with less and less respect and pay. Tier 6 pension is crap you can do better in private industry. You can also earn a great deal more. Teachers work so many hours outside of the school day and you can find a job with a higher salary or long term high salary potential.

I understand how you feel. If I was new, young I would run for the hills. Please don't believe that this is all you can do because you have a degree in education. Your degree can lend itself to other professions as well.

Good luck!

Anonymous said...

ROFLMAO @ 11:49. I cracked up at your "circus music" comment. And ya know what, that's exactly what I'm going to play tomorrow for one of my classes.