The Contract Looms: UFT Delegate Assembly, 5-17-2023
Summary/Analysis: There was a packed agenda at the May DA. I can only offer a few words of summary and analysis, as my own schedule is equally packed. Here that goes. Outside the DA, volunteers from United for Change handed out flyers with our five big demands before we concede a yes vote for any [&
UFT Contract Update: Countdown for ‘Chump Change?’
It seems like everywhere we’re getting signals that UFT leadership is readying for contract ratification. To get a ‘yes vote’ though, they’ll need membership to agree – whether it’s a good deal or not. And that work needs to start now – before we see the details and have second thought
The UFT Endorsement Process: A Recollection and Critique
Last night, the UFT Executive Board approved the second and last round of City Council endorsements (full list at bottom of this article). While I did not agree with every name on the list, this time I can at least say that I was a part of the process. On Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023, I […]
Imminent UFT Contract? Healthcare Alternatives, and More: UFT Executive Board Minutes 5-8-2023
Summary/Analysis: I’m getting home a bit late tonight, so just some quick notes/analysis. Open Mic Peter Lamphere: Good evening Executive Board members and UFT siblings… I recently had a second child and have come to even more appreciate the value of our hard-won health care benefits. Not
UFT: what makes a union powerful?
The other day, a friend and I were passing a strike that seemed to be in the early stages of gathering their troops. A small band of workers were holding signs and chanting. Especially if more people didn’t show up, my friend found it hard to believe that they were going to achieve their demands [
UFT: our tenure system is broken.
Over the last couple weeks, I’ve heard from fellow unionists about tenure decisions. April/May is ‘tenure’ season. But, it’s also ‘denial/extension’ season. This year, there seems to be an unusual amount of bad news. Some of the best teachers I know are being exte
New Action/UFT Message on Contract/Healthcare
New Action is concerned about the current state of contract negotiations. We have repeated many times that by allowing DC-37 to negotiate their contract first, they have set the “pattern” for all subsequent contracts to follow. The UFT, the strongest city union, should have negotiated first. The
UFT Loses Big on Budget
This week, UFT educators lost big on budget. We lost particularly big in the City, but we lost big in the State as well. In New York City, Mayor Adams doubled down on cutting school budgets. He framed his arguments around ‘enrollment declines,’ but then directed cuts in places that had nothing t
New Action Meeting Tonight (4/27/23) at 5:30 PM
A reminder that New Action Caucus of the UFT (NAC) will have our monthly meeting tonight, 4/27/23, at 5:30 PM. We look forward to seeing members, friends, and supporters. Zoom links have been sent out, so if you did not yet receive one, make sure to contact Nick Bacon or Michael Shulman. Tonigh
A Timeline for the UFT Contract: Executive Board Minutes, 4-24-2023
Summary/Analysis: There was some pretty big news tonight on contract. Carl Cambria explained that ideally we’ll have a tentative agreement before Summer. In terms of what’s left, most of what we’re looking at now is workplace-related (negotiations with the DOE). On the City end, the pattern is