Archive Page 99

Resolution on UFT Elections

Published July 2, 2013 New Action , UFT , UFT elections , UFT Executive Board Closed

(from the New Action leaflet distributed at the May 2013 UFT Delegate Assembly).
For a printable version click: Leaflet 2013 June

Resolution on UFT Elections

Only 18% of our in-service members voted this Spring. We should all be concerned. At the June 3, 2013 exec board meeting New Action introduced a resolution to form a committee to study this and make recommendations. It was amended, and passed, and is before you today:

WHEREAS, in the recently concluded UFT citywide election the total in-service vote dropped by a total vote of 11,434 which represents a decrease of 12% from the 2004 election; and

WHEREAS, the UFT made several efforts to increase membership involvement in the election, including Robo calls and emails to members for the first time, District Representatives working with CL’s to increase the vote; be it

RESOLVED, that the Election Committee conduct a study of the reasons affecting low voter participation and issue a report to the President, Executive Board and Delegate Assembly with recommendations.

… and an amendment

The original resolution called for a new committee with equal representation for the three caucuses that participated in the election. The amended resolution calls instead for the election committee to do the work, since that body already exists. But the election committee only has one member from New Action, and one from MORE. Issues of fairness and representation should lead us to amend the resolved to read:

Election Committee, expanded to include at least 2 members of each caucus, conduct….

 

Post-Victory Demonstrations

Published July 1, 2013 UFT 3 Comments
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(from the New Action leaflet distributed at the May 2013 UFT Delegate Assembly).
For a printable version click: Leaflet 2013 May

Post-Victory Demonstrations

UFT and CTU election results in New York City and Chicago gave landslide victories to Michael Mulgrew and Karen Lewis. Mulgrew won with nearly 86% of the vote. Lewis won with 80%. The reelected Ms. Lewis called for three days of demonstrations against 54 closing schools. Those demonstrations have been all over the news, capturing our imaginations. Our own President called for support for a MLC demonstration demanding contracts for New York City public employees.

New Action/UFT has called for actions at the school level before the end of school. In fact, we have been calling for “Days of Solidarity” to be held at schools on an ongoing basis. The extremely low turnout in our own UFT election (18% of active members voted) proves to us that our membership must be mobilized, involved and this can only be accomplished by activating the base—our rank and file. While we call for all-out support for the June 12 rally, New Action calls for regular mobilizations at our 1,700 schools. Until that happens we will continue to witness increasing demoralization and increasing detachment from seeing our union as a relevant, invigorating, active force.

 

UFT Elections

Published June 30, 2013 New Action , UFT , UFT elections Closed

(from the New Action leaflet distributed at the May 2013 UFT Delegate Assembly).
For a printable version click: Leaflet 2013 May

UFT Elections

New Action will have 10 seats on the new UFT Executive Board: Keith Fessel, Joel Garcia, Bill Goldman, Regina Gori, Jonathan Halabi, Douglas Haynes, Kate Martin-Bridge, Francisco Peña, Maria Ramos, and Michael Shulman

New Action’s vote was 9.4%, better than 2004 or 2007.  Unity swept the officers.  MORE’s vote exceeded the 2010 ICE/TJC vote in all divisions and had a good showing in the high schools. All victories? No. New Action’s vote fell from over 11% in 2010. Unity in-service vote total is about half what it was a decade ago. And MORE’s in-service vote was less than their predecessors received in 2007 and 2004. The big story, unfortunately, is the overall drop in turnout.

This is symptomatic of many members not feeling part of the union, not being involved. But that is where a union’s strength should lie, in an active membership. New Action will continue to prioritize rebuilding chapters and organizing at the school level, to involve members in the life of our union.

The drop in vote is also symptomatic of members being overwhelmed, angry, and confused: Overwhelmed by the unreasonable and unceasing demands of a system that seems designed to punish educators with paperwork and impossible requirements, not to allow us to educate children; Angry about colocations and school closings, about the threat of being forced into the ATR pool, about losing 20 or more days each year to testing and test prep, angry about maltreatment at the hands of abusive administrators; Confused that our union is not doing more, and is cooperating with Danielson and a new, potentially dangerous teacher evaluation system. Each of these is a challenge to our strength. New Action remains committed to addressing all of these issues – be it by supporting the leadership, by urging a more active approach, or by opposing the leadership where they have taken a wrong stance.

There is much work going forward.

 

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