New Action Priorities – Spring 2011

GOING FORWARD IN 2011 … OUR PRIORITIES

SCHOOL CLOSINGS
• We must organize a citywide fight to prevent these 50+ closings. This should be done at the same time each school mobilizes with the school community to beat back their own closings.
• We must guarantee that every school is informed and mobilized to join this fight. Each school must know that their school is next on the butcher block. Petitions must be circulated. The rank and file must be urged to attend PEP meetings and citywide rallies such as February 1.
• Chancellor Black should be trailed at all her public appearances and made aware that school closings are not an option. Our schools must be fixed not decimated to allow charters to open.
ABUSIVE ADMINISTRATORS
• Let’s end the reign of abusive administrators. Experience shows that ONLY collaborative relationships make for a healthy work environment that benefits staff and students.
• Too many Leadership Academy principals were hired by Bloomberg/Klein to get rid of veteran teachers, U-rate teachers, deny tenure and ignore the contract. In addition to targeting the worst abusers we need to modify the behavior of all abusive and troublesome administrators.
CONTRACT
• The City has put aside money to settle all contracts with public employees, including the UFT. The economic crisis has no bearing on the settlement of our contract, which is long overdue. The main obstacle is not money -which is there- but Bloomberg and Klein’s insistence that we give up senioirity and surrender on tenure and ATRs.
• WE DEMAND a parity contract: 4%, 4% with no givebacks.
• WE DEMAND that our ATRs are guaranteed a position and appointed to appropriate license areas within a district of their choice.
TENURE AND TEACHER EVALUATION
• WE OPPOSE tying tenure decisions to standardized tests. The negotiations on Race to the Top in New York State (as with states across the US) led to many dangerous concessions. 25% or 40% of tenure decisions will be based on student test results. This has the potential for disaster to our members.
• Tenure means due process rights. We have already witnessed serious setbacks to the 3020A process. We need to educate the public as well as our own members.