OCTOBER 3 EXECUTIVE BOARD REPORT

 The Executive Board starts with Secretary Leroy Barr reading a report on the UFT Election. Leroy announces that Michael Mulgrew won. There were complaints but it is with AFT and UFT lawyers.

Mulgrew Report

We are going to wear blue on the first day of negotiations. We will have citywide things but we want for things to work up organically. Parent are our biggest allies. Class size; polls went up when bill was signed. Want things to develop organically at the local level. October 13 is first negotiation with the city. State Receivership list came out. DOE didn't make plans for these schools the last two years because of COVID. They were supposed to have plans the first two years. There can be serious ramifications for schools in receiverships. 290 teachers and 75 in other titles still in excess. There were 1,200 before.

At the DA on October 12, we will come up with something for healthcare committee. What is going on in the US in healthcare is an absolute disgrace. Healthcare is getting worse. We have to be strategically smart with providers and insurance companies. Can't believe these institutions are not for profit. Down in DC listening to President Biden talk about accomplishments in the Inflation Reduction Act. Pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies got much out of the legislation. We are not accepting what insurance companies and hospitals say any longer. This is a national outrage. This issue, public and private, is destroying workers. List is growing of unions who are getting raises but healthcare costs are going up. We are fighting it a different way in NYC. Healthcare costs have doubled to $11.3 billion. We have held costs down. Costs are premium free but it is not free. City and we pay for it. We've put in more as have MLC unions. It's not sustainable at that rate. Stuff pulled out of anti-inflation legislation. Healthcare costs get put into spending on education in the USAs. Other countries all have universal healthcare. This is very complicated stuff. Simple procedure with the same machines cost 3 times more in one place as opposed to another. Should get yearly checkups in doctor's office but in hospitals it costs much more. We have to educate our members. It comes down to Citizens United and the unlimited spending. Hosptitals spending on commercials by gouging patients. Insurance companies blame hospitals who blame insurance companies. This can't be fixed at the state level. it would take money from education. It must be fixed at the national level. We need an in-service committee. Medicare Advantage is just part of it. We have to change the administrative code because of a judge's decision. We offer 8 plans to retirees. Forget about everything else, you never take away someone's ability to bargain away. We go to the doctor a lot. We go more than any other city employees. We like to choose. We like to offer options. Medicare Advantage is part of Medicare. GHI is a private company. We could start a Medicare Advantage plan and would have to follow Medicare rules. We could design a city Medicare Advantage. We will not try to change Medicare. We had to stop people from going to the emergency room as it was costing $5,500 per visit. We want good quality healthcare with no premiums. We are the only municipality to offer premium free healthcare. City looking at second company not picked the first time (Aetna). They have to offer what we were offered.

Class size

First meeting on class size reduction. First students who get benefit are the ones with the most needs. We need a whole new subset of people within the union to look at it. In the pandemic we found out we have much more square footage than we thought. We gave city data on schools enrollment with the highest poverty level and enrollments. Class sizes will be the thing that will change the school system forever. Law passed and was signed by governor and we will make it happen.

Leroy Barr continues on election complaint. On September 1, we had our first response to the omnibus complaints and moved them on. Recommendations for 11 complaints are acted on.

Election committee will be enumerated.

New rules for advertising in NY Teacher.

Committee for election reforms.

Complaint 12- Union reps used union email addresses. Union used emails for administering the election. It was not campaigning. They approved campaign activity. No allegation that they campaigned with UFT addresses.

15- No evidence of retaliation against candidate Christina Gavin. No showing of retaliation.

16-April 11 report that was provided to the Executive Board. No impact on votes. Members can attend meetings. 

21-Delegate Assembly do not violate Robert's Rules. These are issues of UFT governance, not the election. President's Report varies in length. No allegation that contents were not important topics. This is unrelated to election. UFT recognizes non Unity people. November 2021. Jan 2022 Amendment made on Jan 19. and second one made on Jan 19 then May 21. Another three amendments. voted on brought up by UFC candidates.

Procedural changes were added. New voting process takes up more time. 3500 delegates. Mulgrew is not aware of caucus affiliation of those who speak.

23-UFT did not inappropriately violate advertising space. WECU after order of ads were agreed to.

24-UFT did not promote Unity candidates in NY Teacher. None of the articles violated the LMRDA. These were newsworthy events. 

25-UFT is not required to have anybody on the committee. Constitution-bylaws don't mention this.

26-UFT complaint process not impartial. That has been appealed to AFT.

27. No impact on election of not having bylaws. 

31-Observers. Adequate ballot observers were there. DOL does not require that observers be present at all parts of process. UFC didn't ask to observe anything but the count.

32-No specific allegation. No impact is alleged. 

Report before you with Mike Sill chairing.

Nick Bacon-UFC did not exist in November. He was a member of Unity at the time. UFC didn't exist in November. Amendments only or points of order to be called upon. 

Question Period

Mike Schirtzer- Get members in front of cameras to say we want what familes want?

Sill Answer-It will be a part of a larger campaign.

Ibeth Mejia asks about health plans. Choice of free plans. Why are we discussing limiting choice of free plans when it is in our contract?

Jeff Sorkin-Says choices are based on HIP rate. We are talking about amending administative plan. We are championing a choice. We are looking to preserve healthcare. We are looking to maintain choice for premium free healthcare.

Ibeth-We will be keeping GHI and HIP? It looks like we are bailing out the city. 

Sorkin-We want more options. Money comes from stabilization fund. 

Ilona Nanay-Will we only receive raises if we cut benefits? DC 37 letter.

Sorkin-We are not looking to reduce healthcare benefits. City says they won't negotiate. We don't know about that. We are trying to preserve health benefits.

Ronnie Almonte-Screenings for middle schools. Shouldn't we have admission on an equitable basis? How does UFT feel about screenings returning for middle schools?

Sill answer- I don't know how the UFT feels about it as we are all the UFT.

Ronnie-Use our resources for a common good.

Sill-We have had committees in the past and we will have a report at the next Executive Board about that.

Lydia Howrilka- Clarify on why are we looking to change the administrative code to help the city? How are we helped?

Jeff Sorkin- It comes down to what the judge said. He said one plan. We say there should be choice. Changing the code will maintain our voice.

Alex Jallot - Universal healthcare, we are not supporting universal healthcare on the state level because of cost, will we only support federal candidates who support national universal healthcare?

Sill-You can raise it as a resolution as a condition for support.

A non exec bd member tries to ask a question but Sill refers her to the open mic period.

Question about OP 44 for termination pay.

Sill answer that electronic form needs signatures in the right fonts. It doesn't work. Give Sill the situations we have with OP 44 so we can get it. Whatever craziness is out there, we want to know about it so people get the money they deserve.

Question on budgets. 

Sill: City has more money from state and federal governments and still cuts in schools. We need class size laws because city doesn't do right with the money they have. Must hold them to account. DOE has more money than ever so no reason why they should have smaller budgets.

Lydia Howrilka: Article 5, Section 12 of Executive Board: How is UFT pulicizing Executive Board meetings?

Sill-We are all in this together. We are happy to hear suggestions on how to get more people to Executive Board meetings. 

Reports from Districts

Coat drive

Albert Shanker Scholarship Fund applications soon online. Fewer fields need to be filled out. Income numbers are higher.

Midterm elections-Campaigning here and buses going to Pa, a battleground state. Phone banks will be open. Will be calling Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. If we lose Congress, much that the Supreme Court has done can be codified into law.

Food pantries

Street fair rescheduled.  on 120th Street after it was postponed on October 1. Wear pink on October 12.

Mike Schirtzer reports on team high school events. Union event for students on trades. GAMA not working out well. Janella holding an event later this month. Articulate problems. Thanksgiving coat drive. Salute to Rich Mantell for this. It goes to right place.

CTE initiatives

Walk AIDS day Dec 1.

Amy Arundell-Reception with Queens UFT staff and superintendents. 

Legislative Report

Tom Murphy reported on this on Reports from Districts. Cassie Prugh reports on deadline to register to vote coming up.

Special Orders of Business

Resolution against privatizing Medicare. Nick Bacon introduces it. Medicare is a public program we worked our lives for. We shouldn't be promoting programs that privatize Medicare. This resolution says we shouldn't privatize in a Medicare Advantage Plan. We are against prior authorizations. We fought for public schools. Medicare Advantage is very much like charter schools. This is a public employee issue.

Jeff Sorkin opposes it saying resolution is misguided and inaccurate. Not saying what is in the resolution.

Ilona mother was on Medicare Advantage and she died with inferior care. Why is NY Health Act antithetical to us? UFT supported it in 2015. It would epand healthcare across the community. I can't understand why we are opposed to it.

Vinve Gaglioneopposes resolution saying we have to be careful what plan you choose.  MA is not private. Medicare Advantage around for 25 years. MAP+ was crafted by MLC. It mirrors Seniorcare.

Another Unity person opposes it. Prices going up. Medicare offers huge subidies for others to administrer plans. We wanted a plan to mirror seniorcare. We are one of the few municipalities to offer premium free healthcare. 

Alex Jallot supports resolution. If we give an inch, they will want to take a mile from us. This is part of the bosses ploy to keep us down. This will be the same fight, every couple of years. 

Ibeth- Responds to Mr. Gaglione.  Supports choice. We need free choice. It would cost almost $400 a month for a retired married couple to keep what they have now. We need Medicare for all.

Question is called.

Vote is overwhelmingly against resolution.