The Amazon workers winning a union recognition vote on Staten Island is one big victory for labor.
It is worth noting too that the Amazon workers are forming an independent union rather than hitch their wagon to an established union.
We salute the brave Amazon workers who are forming the first-ever Amazon union.
Looking forward, it would be just as stunning an upset if UFT voters would wake up and oust our incompetent, out-of-touch Unity-UFT leaders in the next few weeks.
I know, I know it is a longshot but last week's Amazon union vote shows miracles do happen.
Especially love how Amazon workers exposed AOC for the lying pos she is. She failed to back them and then claimed victory. I think she’s Mulgrew in disguise.
ReplyDeleteI truly believe that one of the main problems is that a big chunk of Unity supporters actually hate Mulgrew/Unity. However, these same folks are willing to publicly support the caucus in a bid to get a full or part time job at the UFT. Just take a look at all the Unity paid workers on social media. They can't really believe all the kiss assing that they do on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteI'm for Mulgrew. He kept us intact through a pandemic that could've destroyed us. Some criticism is legit. The union should be more open. But the opposition are morons and not deserving of much respect. Look at how lame they are at DA. So, pull the lever for Mulgrew, a great leader.
ReplyDeleteAt the DA the opposition follows the rules. Mulgrew filibusters. People have done the analysis. Camille will listen to everyone.
DeleteThrough the whole pandemic he didn't take members input on anything. not one vote on what we want to do. he ignored us, and kept us by the wayside.
Delete8:13
ReplyDeleteAre you a family member of Mulgrew or maybe even Mulgrew himself?
Union President is not a life time position.
Although I strongly support UFC, I believe the approach that UFC is taking is not going to win them anything. What got the Amazon warehouse union vote? Not a takeover of an existing mega-union, by a coalition of members that promises a better functioning, more democratic and open union, and more of the same, but a radical move to organize from the floor and ground and even from those that were fired or let go by Amazon. Our ATR pool is the closest we come to anything resembling that kind of movement and so I applaud James and Camille for defending and working hard to end the ATR pool, but the Amazon victory was mostly about wages. Where be UFC's statement on wages? Silence. Why? The focus is on Mulgrew and Unity when it should be on wages and benefits. And work conditions.
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult to get excited about more reform in education, be it in our classrooms or in our union. We are exhausted by reform and the reformers. We want better pay.
Who can deliver it?
Read the United for Change platform. Wage increases that at least keep pace with inflation are a big part of it. The only way to achieve that goal is with a full scale ground up campaign (to be clear, not necessarily a strike).Unity will never do that kind of campaign. We will attempt it.
DeleteReplyDelete
Agree with Abigail. Ed reforms always bite teachers in the ass. (Obama and race to the top screwed us). Thanks for responding James. Focus on bread and butter if you want attention.
ReplyDeleteUFC has prioritized what has long been and will continue to be a losing battle over class size. We keep fighting and losing this battle, giving up wages in the losing battle. It's time to focus on the bottom line for the workers. We need a major wage increase. Keeping pace with inflation is not good enough. Teachers are no longer part of the cost disease economy, but have, and this has accelerated during the pandemic, adopted new practices and technologies that have changed our work, put us square in the middle of the productivity boom, so we, like many other workers who are now more tech savvy, are not only more productive during our working hours but have, permanently erased the wall that separates our "office" (classroom hours) from our homes, cars, vacations, weekends ....
ReplyDeleteWe need to get paid more because we work more and are more productive.
Keeping pace with inflation is not good enough.
Right from the platform:
Delete● Ensure across the board wage increases for all UFT titles that exceed the projected rate of inflation.
Who fought? What fight? I only recall Unity talking about it. Zero collective action. They didn't even want to make it a part of their secret contract negotiations. They will never grow a pair.
DeleteI'm a uft staffer and Unity member. I see the problems with unity just like any family member knows his own family's disfunction. But the opposition is not an option. I think leadership actually likes opposition on Exec board. It's deadly boring without some dissension. But to turn leadership over is unwise. Mulgrew can be exasperating at times, but we are behind him all the way.
ReplyDeleteTo stand behind a person that doesn't stand for us is not an option. Vote for Change.
DeleteI worked on the Executive Board for a couple of years while Mulgrew was VP CTE schools. I also served on the negotiating committee for his first contract as president. I was chosen to be on the smaller subcommittee that met with the city and DOE negotiators. I saw Mulgrew in action up close. I have obviously worked closely with Camille on UFT and non UFT issues. It would be very wise to turn leadership over to Camille. She will improve working conditions and forcefully defend the Contract. Mulgrew will ask the city for improvements and if they say no, he will say "oh well, we tried." Camille will demand improvements and won't rest until we get them. That is the difference.
ReplyDeleteMulgrew will be a disaster for UFT members. Continuous weak leadership,
ReplyDeletebad contracts and making deals under the table to appease NY city.
Those deals will be at your expense during times of high inflation.
They will erode your standard of living and the quality of your work environment.
Mulgrew is a very bad Union leader.
Andrew Cuomo, Trump and Biden got us through the pandemic too. Would you vote for them? Saying he got us through the pandemic is weak argument.
ReplyDelete@6:30 - Trump didn't get us through anything. He unnecessarily exacerbated a deadly situation. If it wasn't for him, it might've been contained.
ReplyDeleteBoo hoo @7:26 still crying about AOC and blaming all the world's problems on her. Get a life, and a grip.
ReplyDeleteNot the world’s problems just the problems of the NYC Amazon workers who stated AOC abandoned them. Chris Smalls, the organizer exposed AOC for the fraud she is. Let go of your contempt for Mr. Smalls. I know he’s not part of your over educated elitist club but give the man some respect. AOC stabbed him and the workers in the back and Mr. Smalls had the balls to call her out for it. Get a life and a grip on the fact that AOC conned the shit out of you. Go Chris Smalls! Fuck Sandy from Westchester who’s already dreaming of her next haute couture Met gala gown and masked servants carrying her train.
ReplyDelete"Let go of your contempt for Mr. Smalls". SURE. Lame attempt at deflection and a strawman. How the hell did AOC con me you fool? I didn't vote for her you imbecile, nor am I obsessed with her every move. Sandy from Westchester and her masked servants? Who the fuck are these people? Get her head out of Tabloid news, or maybe it's up your ass instead.
ReplyDeleteJames - I think you're missing Shelly's point. Look at the recent headlines of this blog, most focus on the debate or open bargaining. I can't imagine anyone getting excited about that. Nobody's going to vote for UFC because Mulgrew didn't debate. And it's not about "keeping pace with inflation", "exceed projected rate of inflation". So you point to a couple of lines in the platform that mentions wages. You have to use a BULLHORN and use exciting slogans to get people to start paying enough attention or people will not care about voting and making the change.
ReplyDeletePictures and videos of AOC at Met gala. Only the servants, employees for you morons who don’t know what a servant is, were masked. Masked servant held her dress train while AOC was mask free. Masked servants all over the Met while elites like AOC went unmasked. AOC pretending to give a shit about working class. If you lived in her district you would have voted for her, sucker.Get it now, jackass?
ReplyDeleteI am a social studies teacher and now I teach student teachers. I am also a union activist. I am not a political consultant. If you have better ideas, join up with United for Change. Unitedforchange.vote. Get off the sidelines and onto the field. Now is not the time to complain but to get involved.
ReplyDeletehow do we get this aoc out of office..the people who voted for her voted for her just because she is hispanic
ReplyDeleteAOC's newly rezoned district includes many more areas of north Queens that are less than enamored of her. If the general outline holds through the court suit, she might be meeting her match.
DeleteOh..look at the little pansy whining about an unmasked AOC at the Met while also crying about mask mandates. You're the only one obsessed with her you fool. HAHAHAHAH @ but, but, but, woulda, coulda, shoulda voted for her if lived in her district. What a dope. Yet you sound like the real sucker who actually DID vote for Trump and really believe his lies that you are "just like him". Hahahahaha. Go ahead, send the billionaire more money you dope. BTW small fry if you work for DOE you TOO are a servant. LOLOLOL.
ReplyDeleteJames you have a blog and many people give you ideas right here. Nobody has to join up with United for Change, of onto the field (whatever that means) to express their ideas. But go right ahead down your current path and see where that gets you.
ReplyDelete11:46 - they voted for her because she is hispanic? And?? People voted for Marjorie Taylor Green and the other nutjobs because they're racist.
ReplyDeleteJames - if you're not a political consultant perhaps you should have hired one. And an image consultant while you were at it. Camille's picture looks dated.
ReplyDeleteAre you paying for the consultant?
ReplyDeleteWe listen to your ideas, 8:53 but we really need all of the help we can get and to hear all of the voices that are out there.
ReplyDelete6:02 Only a loser with no life would still remember AOC's Met appearance. Very lame and very pathetic. You really need to see a doctor. Preferably of the psychiatric kind.
ReplyDeleteA Trump supporter calling someone an "elite" while saying she pretends to care about the working class. Is this satire? You really can't make this shit up.
ReplyDeleteLOL @ "because of its conservative dominance Trump’s social media platform has become medium for “trolls, self-declared and self-made experts, conspiracy theorists, attention-seekers of all stripes”, said Mark Federman, of the University of Guelph-Humber.
ReplyDelete“Trump’s motivation for Truth Social was to … take control of his voice amplification. That’s failed, so he’s had to admit defeat,” he added."
Another Trump venture, another Trump failure. You just know some of the clowns on this blog scurried to get on there.