UFT: Let’s Organize for a Fair Contract
UFT members need a decent contract. With inflation at sky high levels and our pay rates stuck in the 2021-2022 school year, we frankly need that contract yesterday. On Jan. 30, many chapters across the city will engage in ‘teach ins’ to learn about and organize around the contract. Hundr
Mulgrew to Members: Prepare for Premiums – Analyzing the 1-18-2023 Delegate Assembly
The UFT’s first delegate assembly of 2023 was an incredibly rich source of disappointing information – particularly Mulgrew’s nonchalant remark that in-service members will likely now pay premiums. The big topic tonight was healthcare. For more exhaustive minutes, including the man
Who actually needs time to read a contract anyways? – Executive Board Meeting, 1-9-2023
Summary: The full minutes are below, but here are some highlights: Full minutes below: Open Mike Victoria (Librarian): 22 year veteran. Came in as a teacher. Always felt like I had a union presence in district 85. Feel like I’ve been thrown into the waters since I’ve moved into being a librarian
The Case for Tier 6 (and later Tier 4) Members to Oppose Changes to Our Healthcare
Tier 6ers have it rough. We have to work for larger portions of our lifetimes and contribute to our pensions fat higher rates, only to receive fewer proportional benefits if we even make it to the absurd minimum retirement age of 63. But, many of us will stick it out, and will therefore receive medi
Open Letter to Members of NYC City Council
Dear Council Members, My name is Nick Bacon. I’m a constituent of District 7. I’m also a city worker and a member of the UFT Executive Board. I understand that the leadership of my organization (the UFT) has been lobbying the City Council to change Administrative Code 12-126. Please und
Why UFT members don’t get a vote on Healthcare – Notes on the December DA
There are two stories on the December, 2022 DA. One is the protest outside the DA, where hundreds of retirees and supporters gathered in front of 52 Broadway to protest healthcare givebacks. The other story is what happened in the DA. Mulgrew spoke a lot tonight on the ‘arbitration decision
UFT Healthcare: What will we give back next?
Last week, New York’s public sector stirred anxiously about a supposed arbitration ‘decision‘ that would end traditional Medicare as we know it. Municipal retirees, it was said, should be thrown onto an Aetna-managed Medicare Advantage plan without any option to keep Seniorcare (un
UFT Members Take Note: Medicare Advantage is a Consequence of Backroom Bargaining
Today, Martin Scheinman issued an expected arbitration decision that elaborated what he had already told us he would do several months ago: force retirees onto Medicare Advantage. This time, the privatized Medicare program will be managed by Aetna, who you may remember sued when they didn’t ge
Is Tier 6 ‘good enough?’ And other questions of disproportionate impacts on UFT members. – 12-12-2022 Executive Board Minutes
Introductory Notes: Today’s executive board meeting followed a certain theme of disproportionality. Minutes: All minutes approved. LeRoy Barr: No President’s report – vacancy announced for high school executive board. Nominations at next board. If need be there will be a final executive board
Tier 6 and the Extension of ‘Working Lifetimes’
Today is December 11, 2022. In exactly 28 years, 8 months, and 29 days, I will be able to retire under Tier 6 without penalty. The date will be September 9, 2051. I’ll be 63 years old and will have worked for the DOE and contributed to my pension for about 35 years. I will […]