This is right from Nick Bacon's Minutes from yesterday's Executive Board:
The DC37 contract and healthcare conversations were a big part of the exec board meeting tonight. Nick Bacon pointed out that the pattern being set by DC37 is below inflation and asked what we were doing about that. (Secretary Leroy) Barr deflected, saying it wasn’t our place to do anything public about another union’s contract. Bacon remarked that this union’s contract would have the effect of committing our union to sub-inflation wages. (President Michael Mulgrew also commented that there may be other (bad) costing things in the DC37 contract other than what we already see. However, when asked by Mike Schirtzer what healthcare ‘savings’ would also be a part of the contract, he claimed that none of that costing will have anything directly to do with healthcare (this bargaining round). On the other hand, a new Aetna Medicare Advantage plan is to be reviewed, and Mulgrew confirmed that while he won’t approve it unless it meets UFT’s preconditions, we won’t get to vote on it before it goes to the MLC. He was frankly hostile with new HS Exec Board member, Luli Rodriguez, when she pressed him on this.
This is the exact question Luli asked that angered Mulgew:
Luli Rodriguez High School for Ecomomics and Finance:
We saw that there is an emergency MLC meeting scheduled for Thursday to discuss a proposed contract with Aetna for a privatized Medicare Advantage Plan for Medicare eligible retirees but there is not going to be an MLC vote on the Aetna Contract on Thusday.
My question: Will the UFT Executive Board and Delegate Assembly, the two elected representative bodies of this organization, get to see the Aetna contract and vote on it before the UFT casts its weighted hugely influential vote at the MLC?
A reasonable question for sure. After Mulgrew responded by being hostile toward her, Luli did not back down but followed up by stating that she is looking out for our retirees.
For now, we know the pattern DC 37 set for wage increases is well below inflation, there are no new healthcare concessions for this round of bargaining but we still owe the City $600 million annually from the last round of bargaining, and Mulgrew himself will vote on Mulgrewcare at the Municipal Labor Committee. The DA and Executive Board will have no say and Mulgrew was hostile when it was suggested that representatives vote on Mulgrewcare.
38 comments:
Lawsuit, lawsuit, lawsuit! It's the only way to fight the a-holes in the MLC who are messing with our healthcare.
Look, we were never getting 7% per year.
Lowering worktime?
Sick bank 1 for 1?
8.25% TDA?
Larger "signing bonus?"
I hope Mulgrew is as smart as the tin foil people who said covid came from a lab in Wuhan.
There is a significant cost to raising TDA interest to 8.25 percent, making the sick bank 1 for 1 when you retireand reducing the work hours without a loss in pay.
How would you like to make up the 3% vs 7% raise per year?
You need to take a look at costing. There is a price for anything that costs the City money in a labor contract. The change in the interest from 7 to 8.25% would come out of those 3% increases which would be lowered to get the TDA back to 8.25%
James, eliminating the extended time would not cost the city a dime and it would not bother the parents one bit. 3% raise is freaking pay cut and as such, we should not have to work for time that we are not being paid for.
Name an employer that reduces the hours and still gives an increase? Will the City give the same reduction in hours for cops, firefighters, etc?
Let's be realistic although if you want, you can ask for anything.
James, you are still missing the point.
Based on inflation, the city owes us 2 years at 14% total raise.
If they are giving us 3% per year, they owe us the difference.
We don't have to pay them for the other stuff mentioned, that's in addition to the below inflation raises.
Lowering worktime?
Sick bank 1 for 1?
8.25% TDA?
Larger "signing bonus?"
Now, anybody who knows simple math can tell you that while 1 for 1 sick bank would cost money, it isn't compounding yearly like a larger raise would be. They could even make it a one shot deal for people who retire/resign this or next year.
They could make the 8.25% TDA only for current employees. Or just for employees who were employed when they reduced it.
Of course, none of these fair ideas will happen.
But, ya know, it could be worse.
That's what Sill and Amy always tell me.
You should look up pattern bargaining. It is how contract settlents work in NY among municipal workers. One union settles and it sets a pattern. All others adhere to it.
Then why are we discussing it? Just take what it is, which is 15.25% over 5.5 years.
I think pattern bargaining for the UFT means follow the pattern of UFT givebacks and exchanges as demonstrated in previous contracts. If the UFT manages any kind of salary increase, it will be in exchange for more work, time, or duties.
Billions are wasted on useless, do-nothing DOE administrative positions, cronyism, consultants, woke agendas, academic fraud, individual school budgets which mushroom yearly with waste and fraud, etc. yet the City is broke when it comes to teacher pay?
I disagree.
One big component of DC37 contract is to hike lowest wage from $15 to $18 after July 1st 2023, 20% right there for many members. This doesn't apply for UFT. There must be some other make-up to make the patterns comparable.
Also, one sick day for one day pay is far too expensive per vote, about $63000, and it will be paid by the current administration.
8.25% fixed TDA could be expensive, but the current administration only pays the interest for a few years, then the later administrations. If I were the current Mayor, I will use 8.25% to buy the members.
Good question JR. The pattern is well below inflation so unacceptable to many here. However, it is what it is. How do we break the pattern? Another question to ponder.
The big picture down the future road is tier 6 is going to save the city billions. Nobody going to last 25-30 years in the future, maybe 5%.
Not like 8.25% or the 1 to 1 CAR will hurt the city. In 10 years when 90% of the tier 4 teachers are gone. The city hit a goldmine with these tier 6 contracts, it's insane.
bye bye beetljuice lightfoot in Chicago, hoping Camille stance on vaccine changed now science changed, shame/
Wow, perhaps our negotiatiors aren't so good at negotiating.
Delta Air Lines pilots on Wednesday approved a new contract that includes 34% raises over four years and other improvements as the industry faces a protracted shortage of aviators and strong travel demand.
As stated, none of the above is happening. It will be in the area of 2.5% per year. Everyone will vote for it. Move on.
I would take the 8.25% TDA over all else. Makes so much more difference if you are a heavy contributor.
But, not happening. You are a teacher. This is how contracts are done.
New Action-UFT is having a new article today:"UFT Contract Update and Analysis – Get Ready for a Pay Cut", providing more bad news.
If we all city employees will have some bad health insurance, can we ask the city to provide an 8.25% fixed option to city 457b (deferred compensation plan) in exchange? Let's have this on the table please.
The city 457b (deferred compensation plan) covers all city employees.
You guys are living in fantasy land. This would have to pass the State Legislature. I wish you good luck trying to get Mulgrew to agree, then Mulgrew to get the City to agree and then both go to the State Legislature. Start you own blog to push it. I don't see it happening but you guys can try.
Why "Start your own blog?"
Did we offend you?
How did the opposite happen to get the TDA down to 7% if it's so impossible?
Oh, Mulgrew is the problem?
But pay dues, right?
That's how this goes, right?
2023 1:55:00 PM
You want to push for 8.25% on TDA. Go right ahead. Keep writing the same comment. I can keep tesponding why it isn't happening and then you can write the comment again. I can give a few more reasons why it isn't happening and then we can go in a circle all day and night. I get it. It is your number 1 priority. Push for 8.25 and may God be with you but let's talk here about what is going on back in the real world we live in where it isn't happening.
Cool. What should we ask for? What should we expect?
JR, your best hope is that you get 4 and half years of 3% first 3 year then 3.25% last 17 months, and the ratification bonus of 5 "vacation day"s.
If you dare to ask for 6 vacation days as the ratification bonus, James will ask you to start your own blog and push for it.
The outlook is really pathetic.
JR, you should expect to have your health care benefits taken away from you and to have your pay cut by 15% - 20% during the next 5 years due to high inflation.
JR, you should expect the UFT to help NY City make your job a living hell every day.
JR, you should expect Mulgrew to cut backroom deals with NY city to help NY City at your expense.
JR, you should expect the perversion of trade unionism by Mulgrew because Mulgrew is promoting himself for future leadership in the Democrat political world.
JR, you should expect to be told to shut up and be thankful you even have a job.
JR, you should expect to be lied to and deceived by Mulgrew.
Moose here:
I said it before and was mocked for it but 3 percent a year for the next 4 years is realistic and a win for the us. We are not getting raises that keep up with inflation. We have not gotten raises in the past that kept up with cost of living.
The 1 to 1 CAR Days will not happen. If you have 200 CAR Days, you can retire early and use your CAR Days for a whole year and get paid (while at Top Salary). That idea will not pass. I hope we do not have any givebacks. Do not touch our 401k, Pensions, or Healthcare.
The only thing I can think of that MAY happen is an Early Retirement Incentive. Other than that, the "ratification" of a Bonus potentially can happen. We are also now 5 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days of Back-Pay since our last contract expired.
It has been repeatedy said, a non monetary issue wouuld be going back to the 6h 20m day.
James shoots it down.
I take a below inflation raise, in exchange I will work a little less time.
Of course, again, will never happen.
Jeff, I am not on the negotiating committee nor do I have any role on the inside. I am just telling you what I know from experience. A shorter day would have to be paid for.
It is paid for. We are taking 3% per year instead of the 7% inflation says we should get.
I swear, I don't understand what you aren't seeing.
Adams: We are prepared to offer 15% over 5.5 years.
Mulgrew: That's 2.9% per year. Inflation is 14% over the last 2 years. We will take 2 years at 7% per year.
Adams: NYC is broke. We can't afford that much. We can afford 15% over 5.5 years.
Mulgrew: Ok, we accept what you can offer since the city is broke. You owe us the difference of 4% per year over the first 2 years. Just shorten the day back to the old 6 hours and 20 minutes. That costs you nothing.
Now, you can certainly say that this won't happen. But don't say we have to pay for the shortened day when we are already by taking the considerably lower raises.
Mulgrew: We expect raises that keep up with inflation.
City Labor Commissioner Renee Campion: Mike, we have a pattern that DC37 set. You get the same. Arbitration panels have settled that.
THAT IS THE ENTIRE FINANCIAL PACKAGE. Distribute it as you like.
Mulgrew: We'll take a 3% actual cut but make the day 6 hours and 20 minutes a day, a 6% shorter day.
Renee Campion: Good luck selling that to your members.
We are compared to DC 37, not the inflation rate.
Fair…Except, that proposal was made in this blog far before dc37 settled. Perhaps we should’ve gone first and offered the low raise plus shorter workday. Whatever. That’s why I don’t pay this joke union.
What exactly was the dc37 delegate assembly vote for this shameful deal. Was it 97percent for or just 90 percent for I've heard both ..
I heard reports from 90-97% yes. Obviously, I was not there.
What were the uft da votes on the shameful 2005 and 2014 deals? Seems like they both went through fairly easily. I remember Sill and others making a hashtag of vote yes. Yeah, the dues collectors have our best interest in mind.
UFT agreement to come in April?
DC37 timelines (Votes end on 03/31/2023):
Your DC 37 Delegate Assembly voted overwhelmingly to recommend our tentative contract agreement with the City of New York. The decision is now in your hands.
Important Upcoming Dates
March 10 – Member ratification period begins, ballot packages are mailed out by AAA to active members covered by the agreement
March 17 – All eligible members in good standing receive ballot package in the mail
March 31 – Ballots must be received by AAA from members no later than 9 a.m.
This historic collective bargaining agreement is subject to ratification by DC 37 members in good standing who work in NYC's mayoral agencies, Health+Hospitals, the Department of Education, NYCHA, three city library systems, cultural institutions and workers at the offices of the Borough Presidents, District Attorneys and the City Comptroller.
Question--
do non uft members get to vote on a uft negotated contract?
Of course not.
As if it matters.
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