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UFT Leadership Says No to Strike Readiness; Adds Symbolic Reso to Fight for Lost Calendar – UFT Executive Board Notes, 6-12-2023

Published June 12, 2023 UFT Executive Board 9 Comments
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Note: Most of tonight’s executive board meeting was an executive session, as is customary for the final executive board meeting of the year. Therefore, I have only reported on that business which was conducted when we were out of session.

Summary: In tonight’s executive board meeting, the last scheduled meeting of the 2022-2023 school year, we heard two resolutions. One dealt with the calendar—specifically with UFT pushing to add two Passover days and Easter Monday to the observed holidays of the school year. The other resolution dealt with strike readiness. The former resolution passed; the latter failed. Let’s analyze:

  • The first resolution, motivated by Mike Schirtzer, successfully confirmed that the UFT would work to get the DOE to get back three days that are traditionally observed. These days are important to observant Jewish and Christian groups, respectively, and especially in the former case will require many to take religious observance days—at considerable financial expense. Meanwhile, even secular workers and workers of other religions take issue with extra days on the calendar when historically they are indeed taken off. UFC had two amendments, one which failed and one which passed.
    •  I motivated the first—failed—amendment, which advocated that UFT support a petition that had already gathered many thousands of signatures from teachers, parents, and community members to have those two Passover days restored. See here and here to see some of the publicity. My rationale for motivating this amendment was that UFT had already failed to get a fair calendar using our traditional methods, and that simply passing a resolution to use those same methods would merely be symbolic. Why not also join and help buttress a successful community-originated method that we haven’t yet tried? You can look at Unity’s arguments against below, but ultimately I think the real reason is that an opposition unionist—Melissa Williams of OT/PTs for a Fair Contract—did the bulk of the organizing.
    • Ilona Nanay motivated the second amendment, which advocated the addition of Eid to the calendar. This amendment passed, as did the resolution itself. There are still more days we should add to the list of course, but it’s a step up that at least the UFT recognized Eid as being worth a calendar fight.
  • The second resolution, brought to the table by the High School Executive Board, was motivated by Ronnie Almonte, and subsequently endorsed by Alex Jallot, myself, and Ed Calamia. We sought—not a strike, which we concede the UFT is not ready for—but rather a strike readiness campaign, so that we could be ready for one if it came to it. Unity spoke against the resolution, with all sorts of outlandish sophistry ranging from ‘we don’t need it, because we already have it,’ to ‘if we really needed to strike, we would just strike,’ etc, etc, etc. These arguments, are of course, absurd. The whole point of strike readiness campaigns is that it takes months to years of preparations for unions to be ready to strike. For a union who hasn’t struck since 1975, and who has publicly spoken against the right for teachers to strike, we’re clearly lacking the infrastructure to strike if we ever need to. That’s something the City knows all too well when it hands us over a 3% pattern, then prevents even a mediocre contract from coming out in time for the next school year. And if we were even ready to strike, we’d have more luck at the bargaining table. On that note, I’ll close by saying I think Lamar Hughes gave the most honest Unity take of the night, when he said that  ‘I am a firm believer that if you hang around the barbershop long enough you will get a cut. If we keep talking strike, members will say “whens the strike.’ I think, this is the truth. Unity fears a strike. We’ve heard Unity be anti-strike enough to know that they fear the idea that, once educated, membership might actually want one. I appreciated Lamar’s argument for its earnestness and lack of sophistry – even though I strongly disagreed. Ultimately, I hope we can get past this Unity anti-strike mentality so antithetical to what unions—especially unions with gains—are about.

Informal notes – minus the session portions—are shown below.

Minutes approved:

Mike Schirtzer: motivates inclusion of Easter Monday and Last Two Days of Passover in the 2023-24 NYC DOE Calendar: Calendar showed DOE doesn’t care about us. As a practicing Jew, this is a problem for me. There’s precedent for Easter Monday. Had the DOE collaborated with us, we would have told them we need these days.

Dave Kazankzky: Want to stand in support of this resolution. Passover is a big holiday – there are many.

Nick Bacon: Support, but motion to amend. Would like a second amendment too but will start with one since it’s 3 lines.

Be it resolved, that in the spirt of collaborating with our community groups, the UFT will publicly support the “Restoration of Passover Days” letter, which is already undersigned by thousands of New Yorkers, including teachers, UFT leaders, parents, and religious leaders.

Here is a copy of the letter with all 4,000+ signatures. The reason I support this amendment is because we’ve already tried negotiating with the DOE It didn’t work, that’s why we have this calendar. Joining with community groups to gain back that time is a strategy that might work. It’s also an opportunity to work with the community—parents, teachers, union leaders, and community members–towards a goal we share.

Michael Sill: Speaks against the amendment, although not particularly strongly, could be convinced otherwise. This is a community issue and we should make it a community issue – but I think there’s a way to do that without adding it to the resolution. Reason why I think this is so is because this is would be our first official response outside of the negotiating committee. We need to smack back against the DOE. Important on religious grounds. If the DOE thinks they can put out a calendar without our approval, they’re going to do it again. Next year, they’re going to do it again. We can’t let them do it. Not familiar with the letter – might be great, but shouldn’t be following on this issue, but leading.

DeShana Barker: Stand against amendment, because the first draft we saw was inclusive of the Christian community. I may be a backsliding Christian, but I’m a Christian. Find this divisive. Original resolution.

Dave Kazanzky: Never met a Jew that likes Bacon more than me. Haven’t seen this letter, it’s bad form to sign onto something against the amendment.

Ilona Nanay: Second amendment – addition of Eid to the amendment. To be inclusive for all religious communities.

Janella Hinds: Favor of the second amendment. I think we should add to the first clause. It is of critical importance that we build on ways that we honor and respect the different parts coming up.

Be it resolved that the UFT will also support the addition of EID to the school calendar. Passes.

First amendment fails.

Resolution itself passes.

Ronnie: This isn’t a resolution about a strike right now. This is a resolution about being prepared if we ever have to strike. Strike should not be carried out haphazardly. Saw Chicago teachers prepare in 2021 took a lot of time convos fundraising trying to get through member concerns about what a strike is what it is not. It has been mentioned we are not ready for a strike. I agree we are not. The only way we get ready is by preparing, I think we are at a moment where we need to start the process. We have not had a strike in decades lack organizational culture. We need to take the lead on this. 1.Hold workshops (like SF) where they educate members about laws around striking. 2.Encourace CL and Delegates to turnkey workshops. 3. Be able to bring those with strike experience here to help mentor us.

Lamar Hughes (opposed) I don’t disagree, however I am a firm believer that if you hang around the barbershop long enough you will get a cut. If we keep talking strike, members will say “whens the strike” Instead of ‘strike’ we should say ‘organized’ we should organize around what a union is and our collective power. If principal sees that you are organized that is more powerful than a strike. If we are truly organized we may not even need strikes.

Adam Shapiro (opposed) I feel like we are already doing that. Teachins grade-ins etc etc actions. It feels good to sign up for the marathon but I have no training. We need to move gradually to build the members up through the actions we have been taking.

Alex (support) We have done much since Feb. I don’t think this resolution opposes anything we have done so far. It strengthens what we have already been doing. Across the nation other teacher unions have put in the months of preparation and it has paid off. This is a chance for us to be educated on what a strike is and why it is important particularly in a city hostile to teachers. We know who the Adams admin is they don’t respect us.

Nick (support) We have come a long way doing many of the CAT strategies, but the City is not bargaining with us in good faith even after we implemented those strategies. That is not to say we won’t win with other strategies, but I think it will help us if the DOE knows we are strike ready. They know we have not had a strike in decades. We need something more specific than what Shapiro proposes. Members need to understand the difference between striking and other actions, need to be prepared for the consequences. This is not about a strike tomorrow, I hope we never need one, but if the DOE saw us preparing for a strike they would fear us more.

Rashad (oppose) our members are not here yet. Financial implications are not included in this plan. We would need to get ready on the financials. When we start using strike like we use the word ‘the’ it desensitizes the management.

Patty Christino: (oppose) Lived through the Bloomberg years, and the members have to be angry. Think we’re underestimating the effects of the strike. How long are the details? Not that wrong. Afraid they’ll hear 2 days pay – once they hear that, it won’t matter. I ask for now that you vote this resolution down.

DeShana Barker: Contract rallies, while successful, we know how difficult it was to get people out. We’re still dealing with the aftermath of COVID and trying to get people in to do things in person. If we have 140,000 members, 10% is 14,000. That’s a lot. Everyone is watching us. We have to be careful – we’ve been dealing with fake news. My sister and I are fighting, I don’t think we expose her. I appreciate Ronnie – last point, we’ve been building muscles with this. Strikes sound nice, but we can’t be the only ones ready to strike.  Table for when time comes.

Sean Rockowitiz: calls question.

Ed Calamia: Requests some leeway so that he is able to speak.

LeRoy Barr: Can I do that in Robert’s Rules?

Ed Calamia: If you say so, then why not? (Laughter – Ed allowed to make point).

Ed Calamia: Everyone has made good points. At a certain points though, if this becomes necessary, if we aren’t prepared, we’re going to get steamrolled. Even if it’s a mustard seed in the earth, we need to make that step.

Fails (Unity votes against, UFC for).

 Full text below:

Resolution to Educate Our Chapters and Communities for Strike Readiness  

Whereas, the City has shown evidence of negotiating in bad faith, releasing a calendar without negotiating with the UFT, and keeping us working for almost a year under an expired contract.

Whereas our current campaign strategy has helped organize our members and awaken the public to our plight, but has left the City unmoved to give us the fair contract we deserve.

Whereas more disruptive tactics such as job actions have been linked to the most dramatic union gains in recent labor history, as also demonstrated by wins by public educator unions in Los Angeles, Oakland, and Woburn; and by private-sector nurses here in New York.

Whereas, while the Taylor Law states “no public employee or employee organization shall engage in a strike,” public-sector unions have successfully defied this prohibition in the past, and have either payed out the specific penalties for job actions (such as the “2 for 1” penalty) or have bypassed them entirely.

Whereas, the UFT had previously gone on strike and won many times, but, in part because of the Taylor Law’s draconian provisions, has not gone on strike since 1975, and as a result has lost much of its infrastructure to be ‘strike ready,’ such that we are not at all ‘strike ready’ today.

Whereas, in the event that further disruption is required to advance negotiations in our favor for this contract or for future contracts, it is essential that we are definitively strike-ready, as only a well-prepared union can win a strike in such a way as to offset or bypass Taylor Law penalties.

Whereas, being convincingly strike ready would increase our bargaining power with the employer, even if we opted not to actually strike. 

Be it resolved, the UFT will organize “strike prep” workshops to educate chapter leaders and delegates on how to organize for strikes and run them, as well as what are the laws around strikes and why we should advocate amending them.

Be it resolved that the UFT will call on chapter leaders and delegates to hold “teach-ins” to turnkey those strike trainings to their chapters. 

Be it resolved that the UFT will coordinate with other teachers’ unions who have had recent successes using job actions to increase their bargaining power.

Be it resolved that the UFT will establish a strike readiness committee to monitor and oversee efforts, and to report on progress to the Executive Board.

Be it resolved that the UFT will coordinate with our allies in the community so that we have the support of parents and residents in the event a strike is ever deemed by the Delegate Assembly to be necessary.

Alex Jallot   Illona Nanay   Ibeth Mejia   Luli Rodriguez     

Ed Calamia   Ronnie Almonte   Nick Bacon

On Contract and Democracy – UFT Executive Board Minutes, 6-5-2023

Published June 5, 2023 Contract , UFT Executive Board 10 Comments
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Summary/Analysis:

  • It’s unclear how things are going on contract. The 37.5 strategy has clear problems, as I pointed out yesterday. Ilona Nanay also noted that CSA appears to actually want 37.5, rendering the strategy ineffective. When she brought up other tactics, Amy Arundell gave a speech about how we’re not strike ready. I agree, but I specifically blame the Unity-led leadership for that – who have completely thrown strike readiness to the wayside and gone so far as publicly trying to convince UFT members that teachers in NYC should not push to have the right to strike. On the other hand, the contract may be ready for a DA vote as early as next week, which is why the DA is now being rescheduled. Unfortunately, this now means we probably aren’t going to have full turnout. Either the DA will fall on Monday/Tuesday (extended day) or Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday (regents afternoon/evening shift proctoring for high school teachers). If the DA is on a Regents day, that will notably mean high school teachers will be disproportionately affected. Since high school teachers are statistically more likely to be opposition, that would make it easier for Unity to get an undeserved yes vote. I stood up for high school teachers being able to attend, after which Mulgrew got quite testy with me, but let’s hope they receive the message. Ronnie Almonte also pointed out that we need time to review the contract before voting, but Mike Sill did not give us an answer on how much time we’ll get. Frankly, even if we got it this week, that wouldn’t be enough time for a DA next week.
  • The DA ‘hybrid’ model was approved for a DA vote. I tried to amend so that folks over the phone could also offer amendments or motivate resos. My reasons were simple: more people attend over the phone than in person, and it’s unfair that ‘life’ should keep those who can only participate on the phone from meaningfully impacting union policy. What was left unsaid, but which is realistically why Unity voted it down, is that people over the phone are more likely to vote with the opposition. Indeed, while there are many who prefer to go to the DA in person, most of those who do so regularly are UFT employees (i.e. Unity) with voting privileges rather than rank-and-file teachers. There are exceptions—such as myself—but the vote breakdowns don’t lie: in person is predominately Unity, over-the-phone is predominately not. And that, I gather, is why Unity doesn’t want to give everyone else full democratic access.
  • For the full informal minutes, see below.

Informal Notes Follow

Mike Sill: filling in for LeRoy Bar.

Open Mic

Karen Miller: 2nd grade ICT gen-ed teacher at PS15 in D1. June, with everything going on wanted to reflect and share on some of the successes that go on in the classroom, and things that have been great at least in my room. Thought about this and what stands out. One thing is 12/16 of my class made over a year’s growth in reading – a testament to being able to close door, teach in way that works, comes with being able to do what supposed to do. Second success: February received 21 asylum children – 4 in my class. I don’t speak Spanish, so from April 5 to Memoria day, kids weren’t getting serviced, but went to my principal and she gave me a device, when I speak into it, it translates right away. Works in reverse too. Now my children are interacting with one another. It’s called a Pocket Talk. You can set it to any language. Kids love it. We only have one now, and am sure it’s costly, but think it’s to be noted that the children really love it. Doesn’t work as well for reading/writing lessons, but does in math, social studies, and other subjects – where they can feel engaged.

All minutes approved.

Reports:

Mike Sill: 5k run in Coney Island, fun day for families.

Deshana Barker: UFT Family Day at global sports complex in garden city. We’re at capacity. All about union comradery and fun.

Mindy Rosier: Save the date on June 14th, Park Slope bar where there will be discounts, plenty of fun.

Pat Christino: Expanding GED program for NYHA housing in a complex in Brooklyn. Hope this happens elsewhere in NY. JZ got his GED, as did his wife. Email me if you don’t have a GED program.

President’s Report:

Couple things going on. Thanks everyone on Contract Action Teams for doing the work last night and today. DOE sent out a calendar that we don’t agree with and didn’t approve. So now back to 37.5. That’s it – might change, might not. Contract negotiations are getting difficult and hostile. That’s what it will take. I have to go right back upstairs. This thing is either blowing up or getting done. If it blows up, we need a summer plan and school year. DA scheduled for Wednesday, don’t believe we’ll know if it’s getting up by Wednesday. So not sure it’s a good idea to have DA on Wednesday if we’re probably going to have to bring them in next week. So, rescheduling most likely.

Nick Bacon: High school teachers may have trouble getting there because of afternoon regents scheduling if you do this Wednesday or after, so can we avoid that?

Mulgrew: happy to take a question, as long as you don’t misquote me, though you probably will anyways. Thanks for point of information. Will try. If this blows up we may even have to have a DA as late as this summer.

Haven’t had a chance to read all the speculation yet, went to a play. Shulman was there, but a different show. I was at a The Show that Goes Wrong.

If we have to move a DA we will need an emergency executive board in advance as well.

Questions:

Ronnie Almonte: 2 1/2 questions.

  • How much time at minimum are delegates going to have before voting on tentative agreement?
  • In a PROSE school. Is the SBO process frozen for Prose or Prose modifications due to this tactic that’s being pursued?
  • Half question: at rally and were out of my size for teachers, so I need a size L, can I be hooked up. (laughter).

Sill: Usually, only have L or XL. Can order. Amount of time at a minimum – there’s gotta be some calculus, we don’t know when it’s gonna get done. There’s gotta be a date when it’s too late. I don’t know if I could state a minimum, but no one is interested in delegates not having enough time. Can’t give estimate on when we might be done, but it’s full steam ahead.

Prose schools – look. We’re in a moment right now when I don’t think what we wanna start to signal that there are these following ways to get around the predicament that the DOE has placed us in.

Sally-Ann: PROSE schools right now, what you have you have, but until this is resolved – no voting. What’s on your ballot is your ballot.

Ibeth Mejia: New lawsuit on Medicare. Will this affect negotiations on in-service healthcare?

Joe Usatch: Negotiation process is still going on, regardless of that lawsuit.

Ilona Nanay: Been speaking to members across the city, and a lot of them and principals are excited about reverting back to 37 ½. Appreciate this as a push back against the DOE, but are there other things we are thinking about? Mulgrew mentioned shutting things down? Are we working towards strike preparedness?

Mike Sill: Speaking as myself – others may disagree. Can’t imagine we’d entertain a strike between now and the end of the school year. That would be more for September if that were to happen. We will do an analysis of all kinds. At the moment, all the efforts are to get a fair, just contract that honors people’s time, reflecting everything that came out of the 500 member negotiating committee.

Amy Arundell: Add to this discussion around strike – there’s an organizing tool called a structure test around how organized is a group of people. I think that going from 0 to 1,000, for the City of NY, is not a romantic notion. It’s a serious act to take -not that we shouldn’t take it. But, there are many many millions of people who would be impacted by a strike by teachers. We have engaged in many different types of mobilization, and from my vantage point, I don’t see a demand for a strike from our members. That’s because we have a lot of work to do to prepare people for a strike – and the other place is with the community. So it would be reckless to say here at the executive board that we’re preparing for a strike. With the calendar, everyone is mad – us, parents, religious communities. But that tells me that we have to do work to build a coalition. So we’d have to have the community behind us. We know what happens in the City of New York. Look at what we are doing instead of what people believe we are not doing. Because in my experience as an organizer, we’ve been engaging our members in a different way to raise the stakes. We would not be where we are today if it were not for our actions – that’s why we had 3,000+ people who wanted to get on a Zoom CAT meeting. This is not 1900, it’s 2023, and a lot has happened in this century. Just saying – it’s true that we’re mobilizing, and would like to see more support of our actions from our union as a whole instead of what I see at nitpicking.

Alex Jallot: Was on the CAT yesterday and I was impressed at how many people tried to get in—I’m getting to the question—impressed with how energized are, including many of my chapter members who were livid about the calendar, but I’m holding a chapter meeting this week, and they want to know if we’re close or are we not.

Mike Sill: Fair question, but with utmost sincerity, I don’t know. I think we ought to be, but if they try to pull more stuff like on Friday, that’s another story. Think you can look at things like DA being rescheduled, but we aren’t gonna settle.

Janella Hinds: Pressure that we’re all bringing through emergency consultation meetings that are happening today, tomorrow, Wednesday – heard about picket lines, calling Mayor, etc – the actions being taken are impacting what’s happening. We are all pushing to make this happen. Ronnie mentioned time to absorb – we wanna make sure that is happening. People are not chilling/relaxing. This is serious business – we didn’t reschedule last month. Not operating in good faith required that response. DOE violated an agreement and that required a response – so we’re responding and will continue in our schools to respond, make our voices, and make our voices heard.

Mike Sill: Amy says a lot of people angry about the calendar – I bet I’m number 1. Even the way they went about doing something shady is shady. There are times we work more than 180 days, but there are not days when we do and some days that we’re working that traditionally are. They did that with that express knowledge on purpose – and we need to smack the for that.

Reports from Districts:

Name missed: gathering paraprofessionals at a hospital to focus on self care.

Nancy Armando: Brooklyn rally that we had a few weeks ago, great turnout. We ran out of shirts as Ronnie mentioned. Across all the boroughs. Council members. Celebrate how many people came out across the rallies.

Ashley R. / Adam S.: Met game last week, first of Brooklyn Queens event, well attended. Michael Mulgrew through the first pitch.

Janella Hinds: Today, we welcomed a group of students in the next generation of educators club at Curtis High School. They want to become educators. Young people were inspirational today. Thanks many.

Shawn Rockowitz: Our rally on the boardwalk, signed up 125 people that day – well over 300. Supported by SI Democrats and many labor groups. Also PS46 is under siege by a principal, who was reassigned several weeks, and an IA principal was put in today.

Danny Rodriguez: Rally in Bronx – we also ran out of T-shirts. Big showing, some politicians came, including Vanessa Gibbons, Robert Jackson, and Councilman Salamanca. Had fun. A lot of the public drove by and honked for support, including train conductors.

Lamar Hughes: D25 – Queens Rally. As with other rallies, great turnout. District 37 reps came. Had reps from Queens Borough President office. When we thought we were done, people stayed. Moments of solidarity do matter. Personal point of privilege: moment of silence for member who passed away, founding member. In working with Leo he was engaging, sweet gentleman, first D rep in D25, and we both taught in PS201.

Victoria Lee: May 25th had our AAPI Heritage Month celebration month – great turnout. Panel discussion, number of topics, networking opportunities, next generation. Awarded two students who shared their stories. Closed with opportunity to meet UFT representatives. Hope you’ll come out and support our next event. Thanks staff.

Faiza Khalid: D5 have big event coming up – first book event, Saturday June 17th, share out. We need volunteers for 16th and 17th. Let us know if you can – giving out books in Harlem.

Mary Vacarro: Excited to have 170+ members on SEL workshops for new reading curriculum. We will make it simple. Mind Up is now DOE/UFT collaborative, so we can get it free into your school. Important to understand that it’s free. Piloting at one high school in each borough. Excited about energy in room that day. Will do that a few more times if interested let me know.

Seung Lee: Last week, further AAPI curriculum in schools announced, initiated by SEIU. Teacher Center was there and others.

Mike Sill: Speaking of Vacarro, she shut down notion of doing PD at a clerical day.

Legislative Report:

Liz Perez: Stated meetings at City Council – making sure budget gets passed, especially education. Mobile phone bank trainings available. Primary election day is on June 27th, with early voting from the 17th to Sunday the 25th. Go out and vote.

Special Orders of Business:

Resolution to continue Hybrid DA rules: Thanks to Joe Diodato, who wrote his own minutes today and captured some of what was said when I was busy speaking. Some of the text below is quoted from him.

Amy Arundell: support. High levels of engagement.

Nick Bacon: motion to amend: Be it resolved that delegates on the phone will also be allowed to raise resolutions and amendments.

Nick Bacon: Motion to amend. Goes at the end.  “Resolved, delegates on the phone will also be allowed to raise resolutions and amendments”.  Motivation: more and more people (esp. In outer boroughs, have family at home) are unable to come in person. They can’t raise important business. To increase democracy in the union we give people a chance to participate. 

Rashad Brown: We should table indefinitely until we have a committee to look into it.  We’re all connected to somebody, if I can’t make it there’s someone else who can.  

Sill: Personal privilege as chair. Not sure it’s in Robert’s Rules to table an amendment. Not being certain, would prefer to err on side of caution and proceed with debate on motion.

Anthony Harmon: Rise to speak against the amendment. In-person DAs we tell folks that amendments have to be concise. We don’t know who the person is on the other end of the phone. I would ask that the body vote the amendment down and go with the original resolution as presented.   

Undrea Polite: Rise in opposition. If something is important enough to make a resolution, you should be able to come [and motivate/present it]. I have made time despite having sick parents and other circumstances. If it’s important enough for you to write the resolution, it’s important enough for you to come down here and support it.

Sean Rotkowitz: We’ve found a good balance with the new hybrid. Coming out of the pandemic, motions should literally be brought to the floor. Value in doing union business in the union hall.

Deshanna Barker: Truly believe that we’ve gone through a lot this year. Trust has been broken. Who is to say what’s happening on the back end when folks are at home making motions. Members aren’t always able to make it. But if members want to raise a reso or make amendment, we have to be able to meet members where they’re at. 

Faiza Khalid: appreciate the hybrid model, but prefer it to be in person, if there’s an issue that’s important to me. People can raise amendments if someone else speaks on our behalf. If it’s important to you, you should be in person.

Ilona Nanay: Rise in support of the amendment. Do so because we are extending the hybrid DA, because it does help engage delegates and chapter leaders who otherwise might not be able to engage beyond their school sites. There are also resolutions presented – and someone at home may have a strong amendment at home.

Pat Christino calls question, with a few UFC people in line.

Amendment fails, only UFC High School Executive Board votes yes. Motion itself passes unanimously.

Resolution to Combat Laws Targeting Transgender and non-binary people in Florida Through Educating the Public

Rashad Brown: Two laws that violate human rights, including transgender and non-binary people, contradicts documents we hold dear. A law cannot single out LGPTQ people, as it can’t to other groups. If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the menu. We had 315 last year, this year 540 attacks. There is censorship of school curriculum, so that people could understand. Teachers we need to change this law. If don’t have seat at the table, bring a folding chair.

Alex Jallot: Speaks in favor. As a high school teacher for about 10 years, this is near and dear to my heart, even though I’m a cisgendered male. Shocked at Florida, shocked at US. Think about my own students. Encourage everything to vote yes on this.

Passes unanimously.

Next exec board is next week, June 12th.

Imminent UFT Contract? Healthcare Alternatives, and More: UFT Executive Board Minutes 5-8-2023

Published May 8, 2023 UFT Executive Board 8 Comments
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Summary/Analysis: I’m getting home a bit late tonight, so just some quick notes/analysis.

  • Contract: From Carl Cambria’s summary, it appears that the contract is imminent. It sounds like we’ll be seeing a draft as early as the end of the month. It’s clear that UFT leadership wants to ratify before the summer. But, Carl also alludes to potential issues – a pattern with poor raises, committee members who are saying things they want to say to the DOE, but not necessarily getting the needed changes in return. I gotta say, I’m worried we’re potentially rushing into a contract that won’t have everything we need.  Will a summer’s share of 3% raises be worth ratifying a potentially bad contract – especially if we’d end up with retro eventually either way? It’s starting to look like we might find out soon. But, let’s keep on ‘keeping on’ with contract actions so that that draft is as good as it can be.
  • Healthcare: Peter Lamphere gave a phenomenal open mic with a great analysis of healthcare changes. He pushes for the New York Health Act (NYHA). Note that New Action hasn’t taken a firm stand on NYHA, but I do recommend reading Peter’s speech in its entirety.
  • Credit where credit is due: we heard a lot of responses tonight from UFT officers/staffers to questions raised by the UFC’s high school executive board: stuff on denials/discontinuances (and hopefully, soon: on tenure extensions, which I was surprised to learn the UFT knows nothing about), a relatively full grievance report (though I believe some of us still want to hear more on wins vs. losses and the number of grievances turned down). The list goes on. Thank you to Mike Sill and Mark Collins for their responsiveness.
  • Pension: there were some vague updates on pension, and some promising news that the recent stories on losing money to SVB overstated the impact on TRS. We need to keep on with this. Tier 6 needs to be reformed well before we are ready to retire – our contribution rates are so high that they will lead to significantly lower lifetime net earnings if things aren’t fixed quickly. But at least we hear that UFT staff are working on it.
  • There is a new round of endorsements, with some names that were missing last time. There are more progressive names on here, but some names that probably shouldn’t be there, as Alex Jallot noted. I pointed to some potential positives and negatives with the process, and plan to put out a larger piece within the week. I’ve included the text of the reso below.
  • We unanimously signed a reso in support of the strike by the Writers Guild. I wrote a bit on this in the context of our own reluctance to petition for the right to strike here.
  • For everything else, and there’s much more, please see below for the informal minutes.

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 only have I been paying for health care on COBRA during my childcare leave, so I know the exact monetary value of the plan, but I’ve come to appreciate even more what the health care means for my family – surgery for my wife to enable her to have children and a complex c-section with only limited out of pocket costs. It has helped with important mental health care for my teenager and regular checkups for my baby. 

I don’t need to tell this room that this premium-free health care is in danger due to the rapacious cost increases from greedy pharmaceutical companies and even greedier hospital chains and insurance giants. However, there is a massive but hidden debate in this union about how to solve this crisis and I speak to you tonight to ask you to have this debate in an open, democratic way so that all members can both appreciate the depth of the crisis we face and contribute their voice, and actions, to help change it. 

Our union has embarked on finding a 10% savings on the Emblem Health/GHI plan by switching to a new provider. Although this body has not been able to get basic information about the request for proposals or even been informed of who is bidding (which I hope folks will continue asking about, since those answers will be available later by FOIL anyway), we know these savings can only come in a few ways – by further reducing and restricting the networks of doctors and hospitals that our members have access too, and increasing copays and other out-of-pocket costs. If you think we can get a 10% cost savings without reduction in services, I have a bridge in Brooklyn you might be interested in.

This crisis is coming to a head in a number of months. How do you think members, after being sold a below-inflation contract as the “best that we can do” and told that it preserves our health care, will react to receiving a new health care insurance card and gradually seeing that their hospitals or doctors now charge them more to access services or be out of network entirely? How do you think they will react, after seeing years of increasing copays at ERs and CityMD, to higher out of pocket costs? How do you think, after dealing with a dental plan whose reimbursements rates are so low that I’m embarrassed to ask my dentist if they accept it, they will react further worsening of services?

The reaction will not be good for this union. It will increase the demoralization of our membership and their distrust of the UFT.  It will not be good for people in this room. 

And, it will only be the first step – because after this 10% savings, we will have to find more, and more, and more – the thirst for profit from the insurance conglomerates, the hospital chains, and the pharmaceutical giants will never be quenched.

Fortunately, there is an alternative of this vicious cycle of cost-cutting. Imagine if, instead of fighting to defend our premium free benefits for this tiny corner of the workforce that happens to have NYC as it’s employer, we fought for free health care for every worker in New York State. What if the teachers union, instead of being politically isolated because of our “Cadillac benefits” was known as the champion of workers everyone who had won a pioneering health plan for everyone?

A majority of both houses of the state legislature support the New York Health Act, which would provide insurance for everyone in the state, including dental, vision, and long term care.  Our union has emphatically supported single payer health care for years (although we are not on the list of sponsors of the latest 2021 bill from Representative Jayapal, which we should be).  We know that the only way to stop the cost spiral is for their to be a public health plan that covers everyone. We also know that federal legislation is years away – it’s not coming under a Biden or Harris administration, regardless of what happens in the elections.

But, there is a possibility of winning single payer in New York State. New York has a bigger economy than Australia, Spain, Switzerland and Sweden, all of which have national health care plans. If they can do it, so can we.  Despite the right-wing rhetoric from the Manhattan Institute types (which we have unfortunately echoed on our website), this plan will not break the bank. Studies from the RAND corporation indicate that it can be fully funded without hurting the budget. 

And yet, our union and our MLC partners remain the key obstacle in Albany. If we have issues with the bill, let’s sit down with the sponsors, who are eager to talk, and work them out.  

Out of state retirees do have their health care maintained by the bill, but if that’s a concern let’s insist on stronger language. If you are worried about your welfare fund jobs, those could be retrained as health care advocates explaining to people their new benefits – I would imagine the bill could even include provisions to keep those jobs within the control of the union. If you are worried about how the bill will be funded, that is wide open for discussion with the sponsors of the legislation.

But at the very least, let’s have an open and democratic debate in this union about it. In our classrooms, if there is an important question, we encourage students to debate it out: should you use the associative or distribute property to solve this equation? Was the main cause of WWI nationalism or economics? Get in groups and prepare your case with evidence – that’s how we teach our students.

If your goal is to get members on board with the strategy of saving our health care 10% at a time with piecemeal negotiations, then you should be able to defend that strategy in our union newspaper – let’s have pro and con editorials about GHI RFP and about the New York Health Act.  We should be able to have forums about our health care crisis where we talk about single payer and how to win it. 

Because we aren’t going to defeat the healthcare industry, nationally or locally, without massive mobilization of our membership – and that starts by engaging people with a debate about what strategy to move forward. 

So that is our choice: engage in a debate about whether we can, together, win health care as a human right for all the workers in this state, or be faced with a constant, downward spiral that will only result in more givebacks, continued worsening of care, demoralization of our members.

Minutes all passed. Some reports:

LeRoy: The president is in a meeting with OLR – hoping good things will happen.

Some reports tonight, endorsement.

Karen Alford: 3 reports. (1) k-5 is rolling out a new curriculum for 15 districts, choosing between three options. Press conference to occur. A rollout in early childhood as well. Every elementary school is impacted. Impact from rollout. (2) new teacher week, august 28-30. DOE deciding where to do this. First day will be in-person at a large high school. Then, new teachers will report to home schools. Moment to be acclimated. We’ll offer workshops to new members. (3) first divine 9 annual event – black church, fraternities, thread of community service. Special day – god’s love we deliver, 10,000 meals a day. Great to have UFT members there packaging the food. Teacher who had her daughter there who consistently brings daughter there. Folks are making time to give back to the community.

Mike Sill: At last executive board meeting, question about high school discontinuance. DOE is open to talking about the change. Turns out it’s a state issue. So it would require a state change for the definition of a district. Lawyers are looking at that right now. Don’t want unforeseen consequences, but that’s where we are now – trying to make sure teachers get the process to do it again.

May 8th, so next week is May 15th – if we have people on leave, they need to declare intent for next school year before next Monday. If want to extend leave, they have to take next step and actually APPLY for the leave. We’ve gotten the list pretty small by doing phone calls, but we definitely don’t want people to go past this Monday without declaring intent.

Leo Gordon: In absence of Anthony Harmon, I remind you that the spring conference is May 20th. Going to be a great event. Please sell it – get more people to come. Something this summer for new and emerging CTE teachers – this is new, something different (tactile nature of job – different skill sets). New training for them in conjunction with the CSA. Teachers will evaluate the evaluators. Will dig deep into advance. New, different, and specifically for CTE teachers. So if you know a CTE teacher, let them know.

Mary Atkinson: Prom committee – this Thursday, May 11th will be the prom boutique in the Bronx office. Free clothes and accessories, so if interested in donating or participating, please email UFTprom@uft.org –

LeRoy Barr: Next contract action on May 24th at each of the boroughs, rallies at each. Borough Hall, Parkchester Train Station, Queens Borough Hall, Harlem State Office Building, Staten Island Board Walk. May 24th, full participation of the members out there, awareness – best contract possible. Share with schools and networks.

Question Period:

Ilona Nanay: Questions about the solutions not suspensions act. Rally on Friday, some youth and parent allies are asking for adult allies.

LeRoy Barr: Not sure who is connected with that group.

Ilona Nanay: We’ve been organizing with them for  awhile.

LeRoy Barr: don’t have

Nick Bacon: Reports of tenure. There are anecdotes of excessive extensions, principals/superintendents extending or denying at higher rates. Tenure is simple due process – we wait far longer than most other jobs to get it. Is it possible that we’re getting a return to Bloomberg numbers under Adams? Do we have data on overall tenure extensions/denials/discontinuances? Can we also aggregate by division/district? And to that end, what are we doing in response to particularly problematic principals/superintendents?

LeRoy Barr: Confident that we don’t have data on tenure. District reps probably have a good idea of which principals are less than cooperative. Sure that our district reps are there to fight against tenure but also other things.

Mike Sill: No problem getting that data. We aren’t entitled to it, but I’ll try to get it.

Ronnie Almonte: Happy with change to Tier 6. Saw an email last week of pension updates. What are they?

Dave Kazansky: Whole list of mods that can be made to Tier 6 to improve it. Looking at which ones are most attainable at this moment. At NYSUT last week, there were resolutions passed around this. Also work is emboldened by the fact that other unions with members in Tier 6 are right alongside us. Reductions, contribution rates, etc. Long process – but goal is that by the time we’re ready to retire it’s implemented.

Ed Calamia: A colleague forwarded me the article about some implications of the SVB bank collapse. According to it, NY pensions stand to lose a little bit of money about it. Not sure if it’s correct, but I’m concerned. So are we concerned or is this just to stoke fear?

Tom Brown: Don’t focus on the dollar amount that you might have read. That dollar amount was spread among 5 pension systems. Among the five, the percentage was a minute part of one percent maybe one twelfth of one percent. So it had a limited effect. Bureau of Asset Management is always looking at where we invest our money. We had approximately 124 billion dollars invested; so negligible loss. Of course it’s a concern, and we’re proactive. Since 1917, when TRS was formed, we’ve never missed paying a benefit to the retirees and beneficiaries. Our goal is to keep that going.

Alex Jallot: Speaking of news, as of recently, there’s been a lot about the rent guidelines board. Folks are looking at 17+% increase in rent. Members are concerned about the amount of money we’re going to get in the contract. So have we thought about….what kind of messaging can I bring back to my members?

LeRoy Barr: Yes, and goes beyond rent – inflation period. If there is a position we want to take on cost of living, with all the bills we all have to pay each day, we can talk about that. Turn it over to Carl on mic.

Carl Cambria: We all know that the pattern is out there. 16.26 percent is what we’re looking at. We’re concerned about this relative to other numbers like rent. Contract isn’t going to be the answer for everything out there, such as rent stabilization.

Reports from Districts:

Howard Sandel: This week is nurse’s week, so a couple comments. Let’s recognize these care givers. UFT hosted us here for a nurses celebration. We had a massive turnout. Sea of red.

Pat Crispino: Represent D79 (transfer schools). Because aspiration high schools was losing lease, so Brownsville Academy chapter rallied and won (now colocation). Then they teamed up to beat colocation, still working on that battle. Westside high school, one of first transfer schools, BOE decided that since population diminished, they’d bring TYWLA over from D5 (east side to west side). CL and his members rallied. At the PEP, the vote was 9-12 and westside is to be moved over. Round of applause for hard work. Meet the president event went well—D79 specific, questions could be asked.

Mindy Rosier: UFT will be participating in the AIDS walk on May 21st at 8:00 AM. Would like to raise $5000 for this cause, so consider joining us and donating.

Name missed: On Thursday, all teachers being observed under advance received another copy of MOSL selections. They should talk to principals/CL if wrong. May 23rd, CLs in affected schools will get 2 CTLE hours and hear about the curriculum. Email link going out Thursday morning.

Seung Lee: Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month. Small march on May 21st in afternoon in midtown. On May 25th, meeting AAPI staff and students, so please come.

Melody Anastasiou: Saturday, May 15th action research showcase. Small but mighty group, great presentations. 8 to 11, with hour break for lunch, then afternoon session. Randi Weingarten will be there, her favorite program. Expectation of a robust turnout for our group. Union siblings who are in this program are on your teams, in your borough offices, testifying at City Council, at your walks, at your conferences/conventions. If you want to see the next group coming up, then come on Saturday, May 15th.

Rashad Brown: Happy nurse and teacher appreciation week. Holding a few webinars for student debt relief. There are opportunities to get forgiven – don’t wait for Biden, there are other options. Secondly, in looking out for our students, the Daniel Dromm scholarship, deadline extended to May 31st.

Faiza Khalid: ps36, had great well attended events. Had our district 5 teacher appreciation event. Lots of members showed up. Had chance to be appreciated. Prom dress giveaway for district 5. Hiring fair coming up for District 5 May 18th/19th.

Carl Cambria: Not a whole lot has changed since report 2 weeks ago, except we’ve negotiated a lot in the last 2 weeks. 500 member negotiating committee on May 23rd and will try to give as much of a report as possible there, before moving into borough rallies next day. A lot of subcommittees are wrapping up, seeing some agreements going into tentative agreement, other groups getting less. After subcommittees wrapping up, there are different emotions about what they got out of the process. There’s been a lot of positive feedback that people got to say what they wanted to say to City – not necessarily heard back what they wanted to hear, that’s another story. We keep talking about the pattern, we all know it’s out there. The pattern is out there, it’s not in our members pockets. We have to wrap up negotiations and put something before our members so that they can have something to ratify and get that money in their pockets and everything else. A lot of people putting in a lot of time. We’ll continue doing that until May 23rd and will have a fuller meeting then.

Name missed: Letting you know that Friday, May 12th is national provider appreciation day. Celebrating at 7 pm here. Honoring VP Janella Hinds.

Mark Collins: Grievance report, asked to give, about numbers for this year. Some context for these numbers. For many years, the DOE has struggled to issue timely decisions at chancellors level. In 2018, tried to address those problems. In that year, we scheduled 200 arbitration dates, 10 percent were for reorganization (typical since 05), about 45% for class size, remaining 45% for everything else (discipline, contract cases, suspensions in particular). Using that 45 percent, we could get through 110, setting aside organization and class size. In 2018 MOA we had the class size change, prior to which class size had to be done in arbitration. Now it’s done by DRs. That work replaced 45 percent of the arbitration done prior. Second, we created a unique process for salary, leave, and religious observance. Under this procedure, any Leave or religious observation could go to expedited arbitration. Whether compliant or not, we can take those issues to expedited arbitration. Third change, timely decisions, developed process to codify into contract. In this instance, any issue can go to expedited arbitration, but only if late decision or no decision, exception of union animus and one other. Para due process provision also created, huge issue that paras were being suspended without pay if arrested, and we needed to use the grievance process to make the paras whole. 10 dates in 2018, we used a lot of days back then, but now we need to use dates for that anymore. This year, reorganization is typical. Class sizes went from 90 dates to 6. That allowed us to do salary, leave, and religious observation: 175 arb, 250 for another, and 30 for traditional cases. So, in that four years, we did 4x increase in these types of arbitrations. A couple topics this year, fallout from covid – timekeeping issues related to COVID days (misapplied provisions). A lot of per session retention issues. A LOT of substitute teachers issues, people who weren’t paid for a period of time. Many made whole. Many para termination cases – 3 reinstated this year, and many others. Another decision LODI, great decision that don’t need causal factor for the line of injury claim.

Resolution in Support of the Writers Guild (see full text in appendix below).

Dave Kazanzky: Writers guild, issue of being milked dry. You can read about in the resolution. Staging picketing events outside of Netflix, Silvercup Studios. Finding out at places with shooting to make their voices heard. Janella and I participated in picketing last week.

City Council Endorsements Reso (see full text in appendix below):

Lamar Hughes: Have received inquiries and gone through process. Did extensive search with district reps, cls, full time members, and believe that list of names on this list will represent our districts on education.

Alex Jallot: stands against this resolution. I know a lot of work has gone into vetting these candidates. But some people here, like Inez Dickens, a well documented slum lord, who I don’t think we as a union should be supporting. I don’t think it’s a good idea to group all these people together.

Dermot Smiyth: This is the last endorsement round. We’re never going to get a room to agree on every single candidate. Are there issues with some of these people? But Inez Dickens showed up.

Faiza Khalid: Support, Inez was able to answer a lot of the questions.

Nick Bacon: A lot of names I agree with here. But I hear Alex on some of these names being off. I was on a committee for Council District 1 and agree with the recommendation. The people on my committee all took the process seriously. But there were only two rank-and-file teachers, including me. And I do worry that some of the committees might have also been small and maybe not diverse politically.

Lamar Hughes: Lots of committee members in Queens were rank and file teachers. One district doesn’t reflect the others.

Question called – resolution passes with some no votes and some abstentions from UFC.

Appendix:

Endorsement Reso:

WHEREAS, the UFT will endorse 25 NYC Council candidates in May 2023;

WHEREAS, the 2023 local elections in New York City require all 51 sitting City Council members to run for election due to redistricting; and

WHEREAS, City Council candidates seeking to represent City Council Districts 1, 2, 6, 9, 11, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 30, 33, 34, 36, 37, 39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, and 49, submitted our UFT City Council candidate questionnaire; and

WHEREAS, Christopher Marte from CD 1, Carlina Rivera from CD 2, Gale Brewer from CD 6, Inez Dickens CD 9, Eric Dinowitz from CD 11, Oswald Feliz from CD 15, Althea Stevens from CD 16, Amanda Farías from CD 18, Tony Avella CD 19, Sandra Ung from CD 20, Tiffany Cabán from CD 22, Robert Holden from CD 30, Lincoln Restler from CD 33, Jennifer Gutiérrez from CD 34, Chi Ossé from CD 36, Sandy Nurse from CD 37, Shahana Hanif from CD 39, Darlene Mealy from CD 41, Chris Banks CD 42, Wai Yee Chan from CD 43, Kalman Yeger from CD 44, Farah Louis from CD 45, Mercedes Narcisse from CD 46, Amber Adler from CD 48, and Kamillah Hanks from CD 49, all demonstrated to their respective borough Political Action committees that they will be the best representatives for their districts, and continue to support their local school communities and our members’ needs; and, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the UFT endorses Christopher Marte, Carlina Rivera, Gale Brewer, Inez Dickens, Eric Dinowitz, Oswald Feliz, Althea Stevens, Amanda Farías, Tony Avella, Sandra Ung, Tiffany Cabán, Robert Holden, Lincoln Restler, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Chi Ossé, Sandy Nurse, Shahana Hanif, Darlene Mealy, Chris Banks, Wai Yee Chan, Kalman Yeger, Farah Louis, Mercedes Narcisse, Amber Adler, and Kahmillah Hanks, to be the next City Council Members to represent their respective districts.

Resolution in Support of the Writers Guild of America Strike

WHEREAS, the United Federation of Teachers stands in solidarity with fellow labor unions in pursuit of fair and equitable working conditions for their members; and

WHEREAS, the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) represent writers in motion pictures, television, cable, digital media and broadcast news and are determined to maintain the integrity and value of their members’ profession; and

WHEREAS, the WGA Negotiating Committee entered these negotiations with the intention of securing a fair deal for its members, who are facing an existential crisis, but in return has received wholly insufficient responses from the studios; and

WHEREAS, the media companies’ actions have created a gig economy within a union workforce and have demonstrated a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing, including by refusing to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, by creating of a “day rate” in comedy variety, and by stonewalling on the questions of unpaid work for screenwriters and on regulating AI for all writers; and

WHEREAS, last year, eight Hollywood CEOs collectively made nearly $800 million, while pay for TV writers has fallen by 23% over the last 10 years, highlighting the growing income inequality and disregard for the value of writers’ work within the industry; and

WHEREAS, the rise of streaming services has adversely affected the pay and working conditions for writers, as half of TV series writers (up from 33% in 2013–14) are currently paid the basic minimum rate, and the companies have used the transition to streaming to cut writer pay and separate writing from production, which worsens working conditions for series writers at all levels; and

WHEREAS, the WGAE and WGAW, acting upon the authority granted to them by their memberships, have voted unanimously to call a strike, effective May 2, 2023, following six weeks of negotiations with major media companies under the umbrella of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers; be it therefore

RESOLVED, that the United Federation of Teachers fully supports the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America West in their decision to call a strike and their ongoing efforts to secure a fair and equitable deal for their members; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the UFT encourages its members to support the Writers Guild of America strike by following the WGAE and WGAW on social media platforms, sharing their posts and raising awareness about the strike and its objectives within their personal networks; and be it finally

RESOLVED, that the UFT encourages its members to join the striking writers on the picket lines to demonstrate our solidarity and commitment to the labor movement and the rights of all workers to fair and equitable working conditions.

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