Monday, August 22, 2022

LIVE BLOGGING FROM MULGREW AUGUST TOWN HALL (unedited)

 I was on at the beginning. 

Michael Mulgrew came on and wished everybody a restful few weeks, particularly those who worked summer school/683. This is a contract year.

Mulgrew started with school cuts. Thanks advocates including parents who have been phenomenal. Mayor has more money in reserve than any mayor in history. Fair Student Funding designed by Mayor Bloomberg and Bloomberg people are back. de Blasio put in base costs including per-pupil allotment. Principals are being squeezed under FSF. We were on a committee under de Blasio to change FSF. It wasn't changed because of the Department of Ed and COVID. DOE tells us things are impossible. The current Chancellor's FSF doesn't work. We are on another committee. We don't know where this will end up. Federal and State politicians have provided more money than ever. They can't understand cuts. Comptroller confirmed that $4.3 billion in federal funds not spent. Mayor said he would blow up the DOE bureaucracy. We haven't seen any of that. 

Class size-Thanks advocates and pressure that is being put on the Governor. Mayor doesn't support it when he is cutting schools when we have billions in reserves. DOE in bill needs a plan to lower class sizes if schools are overcrowded. John Liu has been strong throughout the summer. We will keep pressure on.

Contract-Most unions have expired contracts. We are working with other Municipal Labor Committee unions that the city is not broke. Mayor says city is about to go over a financial cliff. Seeing teacher shortage which is nationwide coming to NYC. It is expensive to live in NYC. Many around the country only make $45,000. We need housing for workers in NYC. Contract will get louder and louder as we move forward. 500 person negotiating committee will meet as soon as we get back to school. See some career and tech things we support. Dyslexia training is going to be small. Nothing really happening besides that in terms of education from the DOE. 

Country has decided to learn to live with COVID. We still work with our doctors. We should have been talking about making the schools the center of the city. Sadly, no willingness to move it forward. 600-700 best estimate of those in excess. Nobody is losing their job. They are without jobs in buildings. You have done heroic work. Dealing with other states as AFT VP. Working in Florida. Big attacks on public education. Mayor not moving except to convince people NYC is broke. People outside of NY think we have it good. Privatization with vouchers and some states pushing online learning. Horrendous legislation in Florida for talking about certain issues. Insanity that we can't believe is happening in the USA. Mayors and chancellors come and go. We will be there. 1,100 newcomers. Help them out if you get new people in the building; welcome them. 

COVID-Surveillance testing following the CDC guidelines will not be there. Four test kits given to everyone on a monthly basis. Five days not takn out of CAR if positive. If after five days if you are not ready, you have to get medical documentation. Can come back after five days with a mask. Daily health screening not in place. DOE will approve last year's exemptions. Accommodations are all reasonable and not separate for COVID. In terms of people on leave because of vaccination, Department of Health has not rescinded the vaccination mandate. We are in conversations with the DOE to deal with issues around this. One vaccination before September 5, treated as if on regular leave. No access to school or position you had before if vaccinated after September 5.

Retirements within the regular range. It is new that they are coming in every month throughout the year as people become eligible. Last year we introduced Chapter Leader Hub for CL's. It was very   successful; majority has taken advantage of it. We are trying to do the same for every member. It is hard to get inforation. Trying to get this set up by Thanksgiving. Last year everyone was paid to set up a digital classroom. There probably won't be closed classrooms or partially closed because of CDC guidelines. DOE will have to still pay people to set up digigal classrooms for people who are out for COVID. Working that out with the city. It will be like last year. It isn't in our contract the responsibility to set up digital classrooms. We would like this inforation to be in member hubs. Majority who contact the union it is for personal things like a form they need like eyeglasses or dental. Looking forward to that. Thanks people at UFT for this. Close contacts are not guaranteed. 

Labor Day parade is Saturday, September 10. We are going last this year with CSA. We will have food and rides before the parade this year. It is only us and CSA on entire block this year.

This is a tough job and a great profession. Loud voices on both sides of the political debate saying we have to raise teacher pay. Teachers are put in a better light now because of pandemic. Union fighting for class size legislation for forty years. Superintendents have been given greater authority. Superintendents in charge. We don't know how they will hold principals accountable. DOE doesn't talk to people doing the work. It is our school system. This school year should be somewhat like we had in the past but we are never going to completely go back to what we had in the past. College Board people had biggest jump in the people passing Advanced Placement exams. Only change was more project-based learning. Sometimes, we are not allowed to do this. We know bells and timers don't work. Teachers will tell you projects work. Greatest jump ever included black and brown students. Empower us. Make sure training is relevant to what goes on in classrooms. We will work really hard but we want to make sure faculty meetings aren't a waste of time; they have to be relevant. We are the professionals. Teachers, counselors, clinicians, etc. figured out what to do when COVID hit. Enjoy the rest of the summer. 

Questions

Question: D 75 teacher soon retiring. With teacher shortages, can we get a data base of available teachers?

Mulgrew answer: DOE doesn't know. Schools treated like a franchise. We are not cooking french fries like a McDonalds. It's insane that the DOE doesn't know how many teachers are needed. Chapter Leaders and District Reps keep a record so we will know.

Question: Are we getting Teacher's Choice?

Answer: Same as last year. We should be getting $250 for teachers; different for different titles. Mike sill conforms that it is the same as last year for every title.

Question: Long term subs for 8 years still not put on for a full-time position. Why aren't long term subs getting positions?

Answer: Princpals in charge of hiring for schools (franchising). We've had long term subs in positions for two year. We ask DOE why they aren't hiring these people. We disagree with DOE. We are putting it in contract negotiations. 

Question: Dyslexia training not adequate. Where is that going?

Answer: We thought that we would use literacy coaches to be official city experts. It is in their wheelhouse. We need to screen and then have our 600 experts work with teachers. DOE said they can't do it that way because they can't manage it. DOE wants schools to figure it out. We want DOE to be completely changed or to go away. 

Question: Teachers who get COVID on sick bank days?

Answer: Five days don't come out of CAR and beyond five days, you need medical documentation.

Question: Para wants to wear mask. Can I wear it?

Answer: Yes, it is optional like last year.

Question: Can't get through to a person on HR Connect. Will this be part of contract negotiations?

Answer: Get in touch with Mike Sill msill@uft.org. We recognize the problem. We do not tell DOE what are our contract priorities.

Question: Parent Teacher Conferences: Are they remote this year and can they be remote forever?

Answer: We have been in contact with more parents since we have gone remote. We got to the agreement for this year and talking about it forever. It is one of our goals.

Question: Booster shots, will they be mandated?

Answer: No, I have not heard anything about a booster mandate but DOH kept vaccine mandate.

Question: People on COVID or religious exemption for this year, where do they report this year?

Answer: Some will go to buildings; some will work from home. We got accommodations recognized and we believe it will run like last year. Mike Sill: DOE reserves right for them not to be in buildings. Mulgrew back to talk about Staten Island office having children in it.

Question: Thanks Mulgrew: Works on W 50 Street, what is the situation with congestion pricing?

Answer: MLC position is we are city employees and we should be exempt. Governor of NJ ready to sue that they have to pay toll to pay a toll. Our position is if you are required to be there for work, you should be exempt.

Question: Contract up September 13, is to be a situation with retro again?

Answer: Most unions have expired contracts. PBA in arbitration from last round. No negotiations for current round. We passed a resolution not to negotiate time. That stands.

Question: Migrant children. What resources are they getting?

Answer: We are waiting for that answer. DOE is going to put together a support program. We are short ESL teachers. We have another city announcement without a plan. We will get info out when we find it from the DOE.

Question: Monkey pox, what will we do if it breaks out in schools?

Answer: Our doctors tell us schools are not a highly likely high risk settings for transmission but we would respond if it did break out.

Question:  Will we be paid to set up electronic classroom, what about snow days?

Answer: We will be paid to set up electronic classrooms and we will go remote if there is a snowstorm. We can't call them snowadays any longer.

Question: DOE staff nurse retiring Sept 1 Why can't retired nurses work part-time? We would not have to be trained. 

Answer: It is because of pension. We still don't have nurses in every building. We need a nurse in every building. This could be one of the ways we resolve this. 

Question: Vacation days, she only got three days, what about the other four?

Answer: that was resolved. Did you make sure it was done corrrectly? Make sure it is correct. Email msill@uft.org.

Question: School psychologist, IEP conferences remotely again?

Answer: It worked better remotely so we are discussing it keeping it that way.

Question: What more can excess teachers do to find a placement since open market is now closed?

Answer: We have already extende open market once. We could do that again. Mike Sill adds that open market is now excess staff selection and you should still be able to see vacancies. Mulgrew adds to let us know if not successful getting placed.

Question: Parents not allowed in building without a Covid vaccine last year. We want parents in. Do parents still need to be vaccinated to enter buildings?

Answer: We believe that has been lifted because there is no longer health screening. Ellie Engler says parents have to show proof of vaccination. Mulgrew adds that people are willing to live with COVID now. Mulgrew complains that this is being thrown back at the school to enforce. Ellie agrees and the situation is not finalized.

Question: Judge said budget cuts are out but appeal judge said it's out. What is situation?

Answer: There is a stay so Apellate Division has to rule on whether they can cut the schools.

Question: Mandated negative test without a vaccine. Members in collection to get bills paid?

Answer: Premium free healthcare we continue to fight for. We are being charged for COVID testing when city required it. City gets money for this from federal government. We were charged $.5 billion. Either the city reimburses us or we will have to go to court. Mayor told city workers to get tested.

Question: Tell members to wait and stay in collection?

Answer: Yes

Question: Paperwork on children in crisis?

Answer: DOE said we signed a contract so they have to do this.

Question: Last year on accommodation, developed an autoimmune disease because of COVID. Do we have to reapply?

Answer Accommodations are for a year or six months. It is now under all accommodations. Need updated accommodation. Apply and get documentation.

Question: Potential buyout?

Answer: I don't see anything happening at the state level. Big teacher shortages upstate and it is just starting in NYC. Districts want to keep the teachers they have.

Question: But there is excessing?

Answer: These are false excesses created by the silliness of the budget cuts.

Question: Salary schedule ended May 14, 2021, can it be updated?

Answer: It will be updatd when the contract is in place but we are probably going to have to have a good old fight to get one.

Question: Front doors are unlocked, can they get buzzers?

Answer: 50 schools getting them but what about the rest. We don't want this school safety expense charged as an educational expense which should not come out of any potential raise.

Question: thanks Michael who thanks questioner. News says budget cuts are because there are fewer students in the system. If numbers increase, can we get money back?

Answer: City went to strict interpretation of Fair Student Funding as it was when Bloomberg was mayor. de Blasio didn't do this. State does not fund per pupil. State gave us an additional billion dollars. DOE probably sold someone at city hall a bill of goods. Less money to schools leads to more money in central bureaucracy. Lower class size had overwhelming bipartisan support in the Legislature. If the legislation goes into law, money will get to schools. 

Mulgrew thanks all again and says to be there for new ones. Meeting in Brooklyn with a thousand new teachers next week. We have to help them. Show humanity toward each other. Don't know what new normal is. Thank you again. Another town hall in late October. 

82 comments:

Anonymous said...

As predicted, immediately says he's been working all summer.

Anonymous said...

So this dope says they have gotten NOWHERE with contrct expiring in 3 weeks. But we will get louder. Wow. I'm sure Adams is shaking.

Anonymous said...

What a jackass. With all the problems, lets play political games and attack Florida.

Anonymous said...

Crappy raise in contract. Extended day. Medical worse. Get screwed.

Anonymous said...

So does the fact that most unions are working with an expired contract mean that we are likely not getting a new contract before it expires?

Anonymous said...

It’s funny these clowns don’t even know Teacher’s Choice stipends it was $250 for teachers last year.

Anonymous said...

Same old nonsense from Mulgrew, never any substance, never tells the truth

Anonymous said...

Didn't mention that we only get 2 weeks for COVID for the entire school year. Also minimized monkeypox being in our schools. Didn't they say kids couldn't get Covid and where are we now?

Anonymous said...

Yes. We aren’t. No chance.

Anonymous said...

When did he speak about an extended day?

Anonymous said...

I truly do not understand why we should walk back in our buildings on 9/14 and work with no contract. Our labor is the leverage! Adams is a bully, and bullies only respond to a show of strength - he's literally laughing us out of his public events, and Mulgrew is acting like this is a normal, good faith negotiation process...

Anonymous said...

Can someone explain what he said about a resolution that "we don't bargain for time" in regard to working more time for more money. It sounded like he said that the UFT will NOT agree to a longer day for more money.

Anonymous said...

Teachers Choice-NO INCREASE DUE TO INFLATION dipstick didn't even know the amount

Contract-Kept saying most unions don't have contract-translation-Don't expect a contract and forget about us getting back pay with interest.

MonkeyPox-says not a concern for schools-NO CONCERN FOR PRE-K OR 3K TEACHERS AND PARAS

no thought about the risk for Pre-K, 3k.

Come to school when exposed only quarine when have signs-NO CONCERN FOR TEACHERS HEALTH

COVID HAS ADDED MULTIPLE HEALTH RISKS TO THE TEACHING PROFESSION COVID, PLAYING COUNSELOR, DYSLEXIA,

NO COLLEGE STUDENT SHOULD GO INTO EDUCATION RUN DON'T WALK FROM THIS TERRIBLE PROFESSION

MASTERS DEGRESS PLUS CANT WORK FROM HOME-SO MANY OTHER PROFESSIONS CAN.

Dawkins said...

"... Only change was more project-based learning. Sometimes, we are not allowed to do this. We know bells and timers don't work. Teachers will tell you projects work."

Can anyone clarify what he means about bells and timers?
Thanks.

Anonymous said...

4:58, in this age of Google Classroom and other remote work our labor is not the leverage is used to be. They'll put the students right online, post some virtual work and they won't miss us at all.

Anonymous said...

Any luck on the vaccine mandate being reversed or having it included as part of contract negotiations? I know there are people on this blog who say they are trying very hard to make that happen.

Anonymous said...

5:00pm - that’s the way I understood it. But he did mention a staggered start time for teachers if city wanted longer school days - so all teachers keep same contractional hours but start and leave at different times while students get the extra time built into the school day. Anyone else catch that / have a different interpretation?

Anonymous said...

It’s the same nonsense from Mulgrew. We will not see any change unless he goes. 8:36- I agree with you about this age of Google classroom. They will definitely replace us with the technology or someone with no experience. We’re just a file # to them and honestly, they don’t care about the kids.

8:42- Mulgrew and the Mayor (M&M) have made it clear that they want all city workers vaccinated so I don’t know about them reversing the mandate. All along the mayor has been saying “we are following the science.” Are they following the science now that the CDC and Hochul eased the COVID restrictions? None of this makes sense.

nerd said...

Why does our union need to go first in negotiations. Let unions with expired contracts lead the way and set the pattern. The other unions hate the UFT for setting the pattern. There are stronger unions than we are, far stronger.

Anonymous said...

To remove the vaccine mandate would imply that the 2 idiots did not "get stuff done"

The mandate is essentially a failure because the vaccine did not stop the spread they don't want to admit force vaxing was not successful.

Anonymous said...

They want all city workers vaccinated EXCEPT for the 6000 plus police officers who are still waiting to hear for over a year now about decision on their covid shot exemptions and are on the job and being paid while they continue to wait!

Anonymous said...

They never should have let the contract expire in September anyway. That gives them 4 months of not having a raise from when the our last raise came through. So now our pay increases will be coming through in September instead of May

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew makes over 300,000. Randi makes over 420,000. Teachers can't get through to HR Direct or TRS and we have no contract update??.. Hysterical 😂😂😂

Anonymous said...

I’m pretty surprised he mentioned trying to get housing for city workers since they don’t want to match pay to living expenses.

Anonymous said...

And keep paying dues

Anonymous said...

I do not know who told him that projects work. Busy work for the most part. A way to hide ss's lack of skills is the rest of it. With rare exceptions.

Anonymous said...

God, you’re awful. Mulgrew is not a jackass. What have you done this summer?

Anonymous said...

What about meetings that we are in school till 350 on Mondays and 345 on Tuesdays— I know not every a school has that schedule but it’s getting ridiculous, especially when nothing is being accomplished in these meetings. Are we negotiating poi’s??

Anonymous said...

We switched ours to 30 min before school everyday 730-8.
It's glorious leaving at 220 every day

Anonymous said...

Projects work, in fact they're used in Montessori schools, and if I recall from my teacher training they're used extensively in Norway. The issue is they require a LOT of work upfront and you have to be very organized, so it's hard to do them all the time. I remember a friend sharing that when her son was exploring Africa they actually got passports, came in with suitcases the morning of as if they were really traveling. That's just one example, but it was pretty funny. Once you've got your project, they're busy for a week or so, and all you have to is observe, and circulate the room. The kids love it, even at the high school level. It doesn't have to be busy work, they should be completing reading, and written work alongside whatever they're exploring.

Ebby said...

Good lord, what an ignorant thing to say. A McKinsey study found the pandemic left students in schools with majority Black populations six months behind in math and reading.The learning losses, McKinsey noted, could reduce their lifetime earnings by $49,000 to $61,000.

"I don't think it's irreparably damaged anyone," says Anthony Fauci when asked if he regrets the forced lockdowns that kept kids out of school.

"People selectively pull things out about me."

Anonymous said...

How did the world produce people who invented and cured without the liberal Ed scholars injecting projects and learning circles? Must’ve been miracle after miracle. Fix the family fixes society. Education will follow.

Moose said...

Once again, every year this job becomes more and more grueling. You wouldn't believe what is written here but James is a very reliable and honest source. History seems to repeat itself with us not having a contract when we start work in September.

Not thinking as a teacher; Why would Adams put funding back into the schools if less students are in the system? This contract situation is HUGE due to all of the life-changing situations in the past 3-4 years.

Let's hope something happens where we get 10 percent in the next 3 years. Maybe 3 percent a year (it's a pipe-dream with the DOE. I know.) It's no wonder 50 percent of teachers don't make it 10 years. This profession is ridiculous.

PS: I miss Golf-Guy and other humorous posts. I'm not making fun of you guys. You truly understand this is a JOB. Do what you have to do and go home to what matters.

Enjoy the rest of what's left of the Summer before we go back to more slop thrown against the wall!

Anon2323 said...

We will be lucky to get 2% raises. Adams was installed, Silwa would have done 100 times more and he is not even a strong candidate.

I am dying laughing seeing biggest fraud Fauci leave. He was your savior who left this world a disaster in the 80s let alone now. 90% here followed his commands like the sheep you are bahhhhhhhhhhh. Once the republicans win the midterms, he will be exposed even more. Mandates will be gone, these crazy dems giving 50 billion to support ukraine bullshit and everything else we have had to go through will be ended.

Anonymous said...

Keep in mind the entire world took a major economic hit. And many of the already disadvantaged communities lost a lot of both money and lives.

Anonymous said...

Like Trump, anon2323 is a Putin guy too. Sorry to veer off topic

Anonymous said...

Anon2323 is an American patriot who doesn’t want anymore bullshit wars that kill other people’s children…. How the progressives used to be. 9:59 Are you a Cheney guy who still thinks we’ll find wmds in Iraq? CNN told you if you oppose bullshit wars you must be a commie loving Putin. Before that they and Fox News told you if you don’t want war with Iraq you must be on the side of terrorists. CNN also told you the vaccines prevent transmission. Fuck Putin and fuck giving billions to corrupt Ukraine. You can see they’re both evil when you stop believing what mainstream media tells you.

Anonymous said...

Well if Putin wins and expands, how exactly does that benefit us? I opposed Iraq. You stop at Baltic states, Poland or the whole Warsaw Pact? You sound nostalgic for the USSR. You must be a communist.

Anonymous said...

They hate America unless their savior Trump is in power.

Anonymous said...

6:59 you must be the most ignorant person on this entire blog and the reason students are uninterested, and uninspired if that you refuse to change with the times. Nobody said it must only be projects but it does change things up on occasion. This generation of students is the first to have had full access to technology so . The only reason people don't like projects is because they are too lazy to set it up, or they're so full of themselves they can't fathom why someone doesn't want to hear them lecture and prattle on for 45 minutes. You say "fix the family, education will follow". The "family" is not going to be fixed overnight, and you cannot fix someone else's family. You can however do something about your own classroom, but's it's clear that you refuse to do that and have nothing but excuse, after excuse for why you can't teach anyone, anything. Some people are just stuck on stupid, and they like it there.

Anonymous said...

Anon2323 - stuff like this is why you are not taken seriously except by other QAnon propagandists "Adams was installed, Silwa would have done 100 times more and he is not even a strong candidate". If the vaccine is the poison that you say it is, your savior Trump should not have signed off on it. He pushed it through except he had nothing in place to distribute it which was fixed after he left, or rather, was dragged out.

Anonymous said...

Yeah. The person who says fuck Putin and who also hopes all communists die is definitely a pro Putin communist. The only good commie is a dead commie. Hope that clears that up for you. You must be a Nazi.

Anonymous said...

10:15 Isn't that rich. All of you were "Cheney loving guys" and believing the "WMDs" until his daughter started investigating Trump. You have very low standards for who you consider to be "American Patriot".

Anonymous said...

10:34 Yes. Even when he was in power they were always disparaging the country and agreeing with him when he praised Putin while criticizing our own government. Then they went to the Capitol and beat the crap out of the Capitol police and defaced it with feces. These people are not well.

Anonymous said...

5:06: I agree projects are a good idea, but sometimes the whole course revolves around the project and yes thay are a lot of work. The other downside is by the time the student is a Senior, teachers feel pressured to pass the student so he/she can graduate. The students have to actually do very little to get a minimum passing, so like everything else projects are good if they are done correctly and standards are held.

Anonymous said...

Isn't that special. Anon2323 the guy who wants Trump installed and claimed it would happen after the audits, now claiming Adams was installed.

Anon2323 said...

@2:11 @9:59 ignorant small minded losers. Trump won Biden was Installed. Election could not been more rigged. Trump allowed for freedom to take it. When he mentioned vitamin D, zinc and hcq mainstream went nuts because he was correct.

Putin is helping by eradicating the real nazis the avov battalion, who kill own people. Destroying 46 bio labs and the child trafficking. Biden, pelosi, lyndsey graham, romney, etc have so much hidden why do you thimk we give billions?

@11:13 its Q you moron its not qanon. Trump exposed fauci, birx, the WHO and the NIH.

I have been on the right side and 20 steps ahead of James and you goons

Anonymous said...

I agree about school going on-line but I think it's going to be some time before that. Kids would have to start in Kindergarten. High School kids are still used to the classroom and few if any preferred on-line learning. On-line learning has a way to go before it becomes mainstream, so I think teachers are safe for now. Although I can't stand the fact that parent teacher conferences are going to be all on-line now.

Anonymous said...

So you are for QAnon but against Nazis and for Putin. You are one mixed up fellow, 2323.

By the way Biden won. Get over it. When is that Maricopa County recount gonna change the results?

Anonymous said...

8:36 of course he's for QAnon. The stuff he spouts around here is classic QAnon talking points. Marjorie Taylor Green, Alex Jones type kooks. Very dangerous people

Anonymous said...

@4:40 the only one exposed is Trump, you buffoon. Exposed as an incompetent, and a criminal. The only thing he has succeeded at is evading charges, and defrauding the banks. His modus operandi is "if you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit". Even now with the FBI he has no shortage of excuses as to why he had classified nuclear documents. Just wear them down with the bullshit lies. It's very disgusting that a teacher's blog allows anyone spouting QAnon conspiracies to post. Your type of garbage is more suited for the National Enquirer or the Globe with their wacky cover stories.

Also, Trump didn't allow for shit. The vaccine was developed and then he became so wrapped up in stealing the election that the distribution of it was stalled. Only a complete idiot still believes the election was stolen. The only way Trump could really believe it was stolen is because he did everything possible to steal it and was probably guaranteed it would work. Sore fucking losers who can't accept defeat. And that's what it was, a resounding, embarrassing defeat. He's a loser, deal with it.

Anonymous said...

From Trump's former Press Secretary (8/22)

"If there is anyone that we can say, megalomaniac maniac, addicted to power, thinks she should’ve been president, still essentially hasn’t conceded the election, and wants to be president again, it would be this woman. It would be Hillary Clinton. I’ve always said she’s the dark horse."

Hilarious!! Still obsessing over Hillary and claiming she wants to be President and hasn't conceded. WTF

Anonymous said...

4:40 You forgot disinfectant injections.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to interfere with your Mainstream media narrative. I’ve always hated war mongerers like the Cheneys, never voted for a Bush and have always seen communists as evil. I also see Hilary and Biden as worse than Trump. Anyone who doesn’t want to send other people’s children to die in a war so the elites can profit is a patriot in my book. This war isn’t about anything other than the war profiteers profiting. It’s a money laundering scam just like Iraq. I also think any American willing to charge into battle and possibly die to fight in a war is a patriot. Respect the soldier. Despise the war for profit. Wrap your head around that.

Anonymous said...

5:11 true, but in the short term, walking out won't be the negotiating chip it was in the past.

Anonymous said...

7:40, So how would you stop Putin from dominating Eastern Europe? Is it in our interest to have Putib dominate and bring back the Soviet Union with satellite states? How would you handle the problem if not by arming the Ukranians? Serious question.

Anonymous said...

This is not Iraq where Germany and France opposed us and US boots were on the ground. Different war. After what is happening in Hong Kong, would you help defend Taiwan or do we just give Russia and China everything?

Anonymous said...

What does this have to do with Mulgrew's meeting? How many times does James have to repost the rules? Maybe everyone should be required to disclose their identity to cut down the silliness...

Anonymous said...

7:40 sorry to interfere with your narrative but I don't watch mainstream media.


Anonymous said...

@7:40 I see Trump as worse than Hillary, Biden, Obama, Reagan, Bush, Bush Sr., Kennedy, Nixon, and so on.

Anonymous said...

10:06 You see Zelensky as better than Putin. I don’t. China is the stronger enemy. Not sure how strong our military is these days so yes defend Taiwan if we can, assuming we get something from the Taiwanese in return. Freedom ain’t free. I wouldn’t have picked a fight with Russia. I’m not buying Russian aggression being the reason. Like I said, it’s a money laundering scam in my opinion. I’m no historian on warfare and Russia or China but I know this much.. my government has a sketchy war history and I do not trust our current administration to do anything good or right or what’s best for Americans. Isn’t the US paying a hell of a lot more to Ukraine than European countries? If Putin is a threat to Europe, they should be paying more. Thank you for your civil response and your direct question.

Anonymous said...

So what do you do if Putin threatens Baltic states next? I mean the Neville Chamberlain analogies are easy 12:37 and here they kind of work.

Anonymous said...

12:37 maybe you should try being civil yourself. Telling someone that they ascribe to a mainstream media narrative and to wrap their head around yours is very rude and not civil at all. Maybe you should stop listening to right wing propaganda.

Zelensky is no better than Putin? You are equating the invader to the one invaded? Is Zelensky dropping bombs on men, women, children, schools and hospitals? One is a butcher who poisons his opponents, and the other is not. They are not the same and it's a shame that you can't see the difference. It's no wonder you think so highly of Trump.

LVIV, Ukraine, March 9 (Reuters) - A children's hospital in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol has been destroyed by Russian air LVIV, Ukraine, March 9 (Reuters) - A children's hospital in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol has been destroyed by Russian air strikes, the city council said in an online post on Wednesday.

"The Russian occupying forces have dropped several bombs on the children's hospital. The destruction is colossal," it said, adding that it did not yet know any casualty figures.strikes, the city council said in an online post on Wednesday.

Newsweek: "a school in Ukraine's Luhansk region that was serving as a shelter for nearly 100 people in the village of Bilohorivka has been bombed by Russia, a Ukrainian official said Saturday."

James Eterno said...

Mulgrew talked about federal, state and city situations so here much is kind of on topic. At least, it is close here.

Anonymous said...

This is on topic to Mulgrew's town hall? I'm posting about Ukraine also, but that's hilarious.

Anonymous said...

I’m genuinely concerned about the fact that we can’t stay on topic. I understand it’s nice to vent about our personal concepts of realities and truths, but we should focus on the topics at hand which is the consistent battle to uphold the education of our scholars. Also, the topic of how can we do that while receiving livable wage and keeping our mental health somewhat normal. Mental strength is imperative to improving the ever increasing numbers of issues we have to deal with. Personal or at work.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew mentioned insanity throughout the US. Yes, some of the comments are right on topic.

James Eterno said...

I basically agree 2:03 but so much was covered at the town hall so this was an almost anything goes type post. Others will be more narrowly focused. Ukraine impacts economy. It matters for sure to us going back to school no matter where you stand on the war.

Anonymous said...

2:00 you're absolutely right. It was on topic and then Anon2323 came on, made a comment about 2% raises and the rest had to do with Fauci, and Ukraine. It's his little trick. Start on topic and then use the remainder of his post to call people losers and hurl other QAnon propaganda.

James Eterno said...

He knows if it was a more narrowly focused topic, it wouldn't fly but as Mulgrew reported on national insanity, Q Anon does kind of fit in but I get what you are saying.

Anonymous said...

We just don’t agree 1:16. I’m often not civil but I do appreciate it in others. I read and hear a lot of propaganda. I recognize it as propaganda. I think the ‘Europe is in danger from Russia so we must send tens of billions of dollars’ is propaganda. I’m anti death penalty and pro choice and think religious institutions should be taxed. Not exactly right wing.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew is a highly ineffective leader of the UFT. And you know it.

Anonymous said...

Yet you all pay dues. You would think, with all these complaints, there would be action.

Anonymous said...

No 4:09 we don't just disagree. Right wing, left wing, doesn't really matter. Zelensky is not the cold-blooded that Putin is and therefore not comparable in terms of not being better. Thats a fact. But then how can one reason with someone who thinks Biden and Hillary are worse than Trump, who tried to steal an entire election to keep himself in power, and then refused to act when our own Capitol was under attack.

Anonymous said...

9:11 serious question.. .If everyone stopped paying dues and the union is destroyed, who would negotiate with City Hall? Do you think we would just get offered Teacher's Choice, and a raise, whatever pittance it may be, without negotiations? I'm just trying to figure out what your end game is. What's the plan?

Anonymous said...

Crickets. I guess there's no plan for what happens after everyone stops paying due.

Anonymous said...

You ask who would negotiate? Who negotiates now? Mulgrew just had a town hall and said, with a contract expiring in 2 weeks, we have gotten nowhere. Not an inch. But we have a 500 person team. I feel better now.

Your answer, like all others, is to be happy with nothing and saying at least we didn’t get less than nothing.

We actually have. Medical has gone up. Against inflation, we’ve lost money. A lot of money. TDA went down. We went 12 years waiting for retro with no interest, having it getting destroyed by inflation. Our raises since 2010, started with two years of zeroes, have average under 2% per year.

And non financially, constant complaints about admin, pd, hardship travel, open market issues, etc.

If you are cool with all that, great. I’ll be the one who keeps my money. Oh, we just had an election and Mulgrew won by a landslide. But you got teachers choice.

Anonymous said...

Dues...DOE's promotion of a sketchy principal, as well as our failure to oppose standardized testing and Eric Adams, and our failure to join the education budget lawsuit.

Anonymous said...

uft dues?

1,300 NYC school staffers must now get COVID vaccine — or will be let go https://trib.al/fGnfYBN

Anonymous said...

5:58 There was no need to repeat your grievances as we already know you're dissatisfied. You you said a lot but didn't answer the question. I'll just assume there is no plan for who negotiates with the city if we all just stopped paying dues. So yeah, I'll just keep paying dues because I like being part of a union which *is* better than nothing especially when it comes to job protection, tenure, seniority, right to grieve, etc. You are what is known as a free rider, you receive the benefits of collective bargaining without paying for them.

Anonymous said...

6:46 Finally some good news around here!

Anonymous said...

From the color me surprised file:

https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/lawyer-accuses-city-of-new-york-of-conspiring-against-employees-over-covid-exemption-requests_4695775.html