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Police Violence and Charters – 2-13-2023 – UFT Executive Board Minutes

Published February 13, 2023 UFT Executive Board , Uncategorized 2 Comments
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Summary: Both Unity and United for Change speakers discussed what we can do to win the charter schools fight. Ed Calamia spoke about the train derailment in Ohio and what we could do as a union to help. A moving resolution was passed on ending police violence. During the open mic, one member spoke on compensation issues for substitute teachers who take long term positions. A Manhattan CL spoke about the need to advocate for universal healthcare.

Analysis: No fights tonight. On the bright side, there was unity (little ‘u’) around many of the issues. On the negative side, there wasn’t much debate (with some notable exceptions).

  • We got a nice resolution on ending police violence. My minutes won’t do justice to the moving way in which it was motivated by speakers. Ilona Nanay (MORE/HS. Exec Board via UFC) did suggest that the resolution could have gone further  – especially in terms of pushing to remove police from schools and increase restorative justice programs. It’s worth noting that United for Change members of the executive board (such as Ilona) are often criticized by UFT leadership for pushing ‘political’ resolutions without first sending them to Unity (i.e. UFT leadership) for their pre-authorization. However, we are not given the same courtesy in return. Indeed, this is a resolution on which many of us would have liked to add our two cents.
  • With the exception of the CL of Fashion speaking on universal healthcare, nothing else was really said (just Mulgrew’s usual vague ‘fighting for premium free’ stuff). Mulgrew did not answer Nick Bacon and Daniel Alicea’s call to ‘show us the receipts’ on why UFT reversed the will of membership on fighting for NYHA.
  • The district reports often present very interesting information on future and previous events. However, they are almost entirely given by UFT staffers and make obvious a glaring issue with the executive board: very few members at the executive board are school-based. United for Change almost entirely ran school-based members, but Unity almost entirely ran staffers with patronage positions. Unity won all seats but the high schools. This sometimes makes the executive board feel like a staff meeting, and not a meeting of school-based unionists raising issues and addressing policy. District reports also drag on for quite a while and make us wonder why it was the question period (primarily used by school-based members) and not the reports (primarily given by well-paid staffers who barely work in schools) that was cut by Unity.
  • We got some answers on how membership might get involved in the Charter fight, though it’s still somewhat vague on how widespread the organizing will be. Charters do present an existential threat to public schools and unionized teaching, so it’s an opportunity for both opposition and leadership to work together on something for the good of all members. I hope we make good on this opportunity.

Minutes:

Moment of Silence: for a Chapter Leader and Pat Filomena, both who recently died. Rashad Brown speaks on Pat Filomena. She was on eboard and DR for years, union activist. Worked in D. 7, poorest congressional district in the US. Worked at one of first schools in community schools model. Chair of Italian American Committee. Close friend to me. Made me the unionist I am today.

Open Mic:

Tammy: Issues of concern for long-term substitute teachers filling in for long term vacancies. Not much information on UFT website. However, per diem substitutes are supposed should be paid like regular teachers. I don’t teach on occasion – I plan and teach every day. Can you give guidance on retro pay for substitute teachers in this position? Queens Borough Rep. agrees to speak with her after meeting.

CL of Fashion: Last week interesting things were said about healthcare. Mulgrew said the union would be busted because of budget issues. I’ve taught for a long time and question how many people have done the work. If teachers are made to pay for healthcare, I’m afraid they’ll leave. I don’t want to split with retirees. Benefits are what held me together when I saw my friends go away and make much more with the same education. Smarts are here – we do what was done in Queens against Charters and maybe we’d get universal healthcare. It would improve my working conditions if all my kids had glasses. Maybe it’s time that we dream and fight for universal healthcare.

Minutes approved.

LeRoy Barr: Black history month continues. Twenty Pearls next film on the agenda. School counselor conference coming up. Herstory celebration. March 13th – Lobby Day, Charter School Campaign.

President’s Report:

Proud to announce that we have opened a teacher center in a D79 transfer school. Cookie cutter stuff doesn’t work for D79 – in talks.

Fight is on charter schools in Albany. We have a whole plan. There’s a caucus weekend now. We’re going hard on the Gov. It’s us, the state union, parent groups, saying no, no, no, and no. Some legislation needs to be undone. We appreciate a lot of Hochul’s actions, but not on charter schools. Continue that campaign. Budget ends April 1st.

Contract: Believe bargaining will move forward. One big thing with CAT teams was supporting other unions. Hope is that pattern will be set in a couple weeks by DC37 or PBA. Only benefits us if they get a good contract. Mayor can say all he wants that we’re falling off a cliff, but it’s not true. We have record reserves and surpluses.

DOE – a lot of people coming and going. Presented demands from negotiating committee last Wednesday. Our demands are good. We want to be paid, secure our healthcare premium-free. But, we also just want to do our job – can you just do us a little help.  

Question Period:

Nick Bacon: Raises concerns about Charters coming into NYC. Thanks UFT leadership for successes with huge negotiating committee and CATs. Asks what can be done by members at the chapter/individual level – beyond the stuff happening at Albany.  Can we draw on our successes in contract organizing?

Janella Hinds: Asking UFT members to come and talk to politicians in districts where we will be directly affected.

Amy Arundel: Out of Charter school fight in Queens, building a coalition that will work beyond this moment. The war is a public relations war with people like Eva and maybe even in the DOE. So we need to be talking to communities.

Ed Calamia: What can we do in times of grave human suffering? Terrible train derailment in Ohio – highly toxic chemical leak. Would like to propose and ask – what can we do to raise awareness for this event?  This happens with ‘speed-ups.’ It’s a union issue. And how can we bring awareness?

LeRoy: will check with AFT.

Reports from Districts.

Seung Lee speaks on various successful events.

Rashad Brown speaks on the success of the Black History Film Series. This week is 20 Pearls. Pride Committee scholarship to be publicized soon.

Nancy Armando speaks on MS51, mentions that principal has finally been removed. Thanks members for working together. First teacher center opened in District 15.

Pat Christino speaks on new teacher center. Only one to operate after 3:00 PM.

Tom Murphy speaks on Chicago Mayoral primary. Janella Hinds mentions that charters represent an existential threat to our profession, as does technology. We had a conversation on this. This Thursday, Alzheimer’s event, virtually. Herstory is March 11 (in Queens), same day as school counselors conference. Keep your eyes pealed for news on our charter campaign. Will be kicked off at the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus event. We’re going to need all hands on deck.

(Name Missed): Brooklyn SRP event. Honored related professionals in Brooklyn. Another teacher center opened.

Joe Usatch: Al Shanker scholarship deadline increased to March 10. Financials better; immigration status no longer a factor.

Servia Silva: In East Harlem, CEC has already endorsed anti-charter resos. We need to talk to our legislators. We’ve already spoken to many of our reps.

Adam Shapiro: Mets game officially sold out. Button making event. There were over 60 members from the district there to donate labor. Labor seder is coming back. March 30.

George Geist: D. 30 teach-ins were amazing. A lot of people who weren’t traditionally union organizers came out.

Amy Arundel: Thursday, CAT teams should wear green and black in solidarity with DC37 who is organizing. Significant to have two largest labor unions in NY joining together in one action.

Resolution in Support of Just, Respectful and safe public safety practices for all.

Janella Hinds motivates. Aftermath of so much police violence, we need investigations, policy change, ongoing education and dialogue.

Tanesha Franks: Rise in support. What we are seeing in the most recent killing of another Black man. If we look at the systemic nature of this problem, you can have black police officers who get into a culture who believe that not all lives matter. This is not a matter of bad apples. This conversation is about systemic problems. If we don’t deal with it, there won’t be change. Numbers show something is going on. We prevent the next George Floyd by preventing the next Derek Chauvin. This only stops with education.

Ilona Nanay: Rises in support and would even ask that we go a step further. As we come to the end of the BLM week of action comes to a close, we think about police in schools as something that we want to fight for. We need to remove police officers from the schools and bring in restorative justice.

Amy Arundel: Stand in favor of resolution. Appreciate the way it’s written in a way that addresses that UFT members have police in families. But we need to talk about trust. There’s none where I am in East Harlem. This helps us think about things in terms of a systems instead of persons. Bring this back to your chapters.

Rashad Brown: Rodney King, we didn’t learn then. Floyd, we didn’t learn enough. Continuous attacks. Always nervous when police are behind me. Country was founded on racial issues and not over. Look what is happening in Florida. Erasing a whole history, are you serious? Urge you to vote for this.

Motion carries unanimously.

Healthcare and Charters: Exec Board, 1-23-2023

Published January 23, 2023 Uncategorized 5 Comments
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Summary:

Along with some meaningful speeches on contract from rank and file members, tonight’s UFT executive board meeting focused primarily on charters and healthcare.

Contract: A Chapter Leader commented on her perplexity at the rationale behind the contract ‘teach ins’ given the massive amount of work it takes to do them and the lack of a contract draft in place. A member from Brooklyn Tech advocated for vacation days.

Charters: UFT joined communities in beating Success Academy from co-locating in some specific school buildings. In a city-wide sense, we aren’t safe yet. Eva Moscowitz is back. But, then again, so are we. The fight goes on.

Healthcare: Michael Mulgrew gave a speech suggesting that UFT leadership plans to fight the city from lowering our options. A battle may be readying. On the other hand, he stated that our resolution on supporting NYHA was short sighted, because we hadn’t done a cost analysis yet. Once we did, he realized it was too expensive to have universal healthcare in NY state and such a bill would likely hurt education funding as a result. That’s why UFT leadership disregarded the resolution we passed. He also said ultimately we need a federal solution to healthcare. Unity later tabled a UFC resolution on ‘keeping GHI premium free’ (see text and motivation below) after Geof Sorkin spoke against it. Then LeRoy Barr gave a long speech, suggesting without specificity that, even if our intentions are good, the progressive opposition is harming the union in how it frames the issues. Ronnie Almonte countered with a wonderful rebuttal.

Commentary on Healthcare:

Some of this is going to take a full article to completely digest. Mulgrew and Barr both suggested a healthcare battle was brewing. They seemed to even suggest the possibility of striking without saying that outright. Some on the progressive left of the UFT were hopeful of that fact, though I lean on the pessimistic side. I think it’s just as likely (if not likelier) that Mulgrew and Barr were performing. Indeed, Barr tonight vocalized his ire at blogs that paint the UFT leadership as ineffective or worse. Knowing that I publish the minutes in full, they could very well have been responding to critiques of their inaction, such as the piece I wrote about the January DA when Mulgrew announced that members should prepare for premiums.

Mulgrew’s response about why we don’t support the New York Health Act despite a DA resolution in its support was interesting. Some have criticized unions for blocking this legislation as a power move to keep their control over members’ healthcare at the expense of other workers who also need good care. But, Mulgrew made some interesting points–if they’re true–about the expense of NYHA possibly blowing such a hole in the budget that education funding could be reduced as a result. My take is that, whether this is true or not (I don’t think it is – not when looked at circumspectly), the union should not change union policy without putting it to a vote. If Mulgrew came in with a resolution to present at the DA that asked us to rescind our support for NYHA because of new findings about cost, that would be one thing. If opposition did not have convincing enough arguments (or weren’t called on to make them), he’d probably get that resolution passed and could go on lobbying against NYHA with the consent of membership. However, union leadership should not be changing UFT policy voted in by rank-and-file delegates without that sort of vote.

Mulgrew’s response about a federal ‘single payer’ system is a good sign. However, it’s hard to believe him when he and the rest of UFT leadership are working to put retirees onto privatized Medicare Advantage plans. How are we going to have Medicare for all if we no longer even have publicly run Medicare for retirees? Moreover, how are we going to convince the rest of the U.S. to vote in Medicare for All if we undermine state-created versions like NYHA that could buttress such a movement?

Finally, on GHI. UFC put forth an unpolitical resolution, without particularly specific asks, merely committing that the union do what it can to keep GHI premium free (and without taking the money from other places like our pay or retiree healthcare). This was a very simple resolution. It was not an attack on Unity. Based on the way Mulgrew was speaking earlier, I almost expected Unity to vote it in. Geof Sorkin appeared to go rogue in his odd attack on union opposition, as no one joined him. (Later, LeRoy Barr also semi-attacked opposition, but only after the resolution’s debate was safely over). Vincent Gaglione immediately followed Sorkin by asking that we ‘table the vote’ for another time. No one else, other than me, was lined up to speak. Usually, when Unity doesn’t like a reso, they fight it. Dozens of people get in line. Not this time. Now, were they just avoiding having too many of their arguments against be published in this blog and others? Perhaps. Do they actually agree with our resolution but can’t support it publicly for reasons they can’t explain right now? Also, perhaps. Nevertheless, it’s still disappointing, that after a whole lot of talk about saving our healthcare, they couldn’t stand in support of a simple commitment to do what we can to keep GHI premium free.

That’s all for now. More full articles to come in the coming weeks. The full minutes follow.

Full Minutes:

Open Mic:

CL of Fashion Industries: Getting emails about Contract Action Teams. I’m interested to know in the context of a closed negotiation process, what is the role of that team. It’s a lot of work to put together – valuable – but fear that I’ll burn out our best, then once the contract comes out we might not have that much time to discuss before a vote. So having a sense of what the end goal is.

LeRoy Barr: You can talk to your DR.

Janella Hinds: Purpose of the team is to engage members as to the development of contract negotiations. It’s about hearing what the concerns are, what actions they’re willing to take, and to be unified from the beginning. Appreciate your concern. Would ask you to consider this as a venue you can use to organize around the contract.

Ben Morgenroth, Brooklyn Tech: Teaching about 10 years, nearly all in the public sector. Prior I worked in a hedge fund. Come from a family of public teachers – public education is really important. Want to bring an issue to your attention – recent survey showed that number one priority for job seekers is flexibility in the workplace. That’s really challenging to teachers relative to jobs that require similar levels of education. When we received the Spring Break arbitration decision, to me it set a precedent that that’s something that we could have going forward. One way to make our job more flexible is to get a few vacation days per year that would roll over. That allows teachers to go to say a family union outside of a regular school break. Know it’s already on your radar, but want to highlight the issue. Read Simon Rodberg, teaching must be more flexible until it falls apart. This is one of many possible things. This is important for teacher retention.

Minutes adopted.

LeRoy Barr: This weekend is the CL training weekend. Feb 2., beginning of black history film series. On that Friday, we have two events: CTE awards. Secrets of grand central scavenger hunt, please see Rich Mantell if you want to help participate.

Question Period:

Ed Calamia: Noticed the next exec board meeting has been moved. Why?

LeRoy Barr: Sometimes things happen. We’d rather move the date than cancel.

Ilona Nanay: When a resolution is passed, when/where/how is action taken by UFT leadership? (Mulgrew will answer).

Luli Rodriguez: In light of the decision on Senior Care that the City pays full up to the HIP benchmark? Shouldn’t we not have copays in-service?

Ronnie Almonte (missed): fair student funding task force update?

Michael Mulgrew: Thanks everyone who was involved in co-location fight. Eva Moscowitz was quiet for a few years, but is back now. We expected that with Adams coming in. We want to rescind the law that says we’ll give them free space (charters) and pay their rent. Our answer about raising the cap is simple – no. Want to know what the fiscals are. We want explusion policies – and dates (usually last week before November, we suspect). In terms of fair student funding task force, we said we weren’t necessarily agreeing to everything said there. City said they weren’t adding money in – said money had to come from somewhere else. In the end, it’s under mayoral control. State has increases in funding, but City has flat. That’s a big fight. City is actually running a surplus this year. We will have 10.6 billion dollars at end of next fiscal year. So this ‘cliff’ Adams says we’re going over, we don’t see where it is. Could there be a recession? Maybe. Overall, a city like New York is doing quite well. I agree with changes to add funds for students dealing with transitional funding. Breakage in SPED also an issue. Money comes per kid, but then only 3 kids have that IEP (can’t be funded). So that’s now part of the appeal process that can be changed – used to not be able.

On healthcare: unions negotiating contracts. It’s gonna get ugly. We don’t have a deal with Aetna. I don’t see it happening. The court case is an issue. They say we’re not responsible for HIP. What are you supposed to do if you haven’t done your home? We passed a reso without doing a fiscal. It took us 7 months to get the fiscal done if we did the NYHA. Showed that this would blow a massive hole in the state budget. Tax the rich? Fine with me, but not happening in Albany. So do we push for something we know is going to harm us? We’re not gonna have money put into education funding if they have to pour billions into a health act. We know we want it done federally. Here is the actual price tag? Maybe there should be clauses in resolutions? Also have to check things with AFT before can have some resos are made. When we pass resos before doing the homework and don’t add things like ‘pending…,’ that’s a problem. Healthcare costs have doubled in the last six years. City used to be good about this, but with costs where they are. Sick and tired of bad medical costs, but I don’t want us not to have the quality healthcare we do have. But it’s tough stuff when we’re talking about billions and billions of dollars. City’s position RE HIP we don’t agree with. Going to be a big point in this round of negotiation and then beyond. We have to decide how to increase HIP and GHI, but tricky situation. This one is gonna require some blowups.

Don’t diminish the great work of the charter fight. Yes, they’ll look at other locations, but this was big.

Reports from Districts:

Mary Vacarro: FSF, we didn’t agree with DOE. We all fought breakage and for an expected appeals process (August not after school starts). Money for SPED and other categories. Actual document that is going to be presented to CECs.

Name Missed: Trustees of Shanker scholarship took a vote. Students can now apply regardless of immigration status.

Janella Hinds: Deadline for academic high schools awards is Monday, Jan. 30. Please nominate!

Carl Cambria: Update on CAT trainings. They went awesome both in content and in turnout. We had 1200 people come and participate over three days. What’s incredible about that number. Of the people who registered, 90% of registered showed up. All of us organizers here, and we know that usually turnout for virtual events does not happen like that. We tapped into something here. K. Alford and R. Mantell had a conversation with our 500 member committee, sent out survey, and we had a lot of great ideas come in. The need to educate our membership was one of those ideas. That connection is at the heart of what these CAT teams are about – the relationship between action and negotiation. Amy Arundell, Brad Alter, Emily James (some others) were chief among people who helped make this happen. That’s not the final result – the final result is next Monday, Jan. 30, where we encourage all of those who participated. When a healthcare blowup happens, we need to make sure that membership is engaged and motivated – ready to spring into action.

Adam Shapiro Co-reporting with Ashley (last name missed): Promoting our event: going to a Met game. About 200 people went to that event. How do we make this event bigger and better? On May 30th we’re having Brooklyn Queens day with the Mets vs. the Phillies. Last event, tickets sold out in hours. Had to get more tickets. Then those sold out. Then more. Then more. In the end, 663 tickets sold.

Ilona Nanay: Teacher to Librarian (T2L) second certificate initiative: subsidizes over 80% of cost to become. Great opportunity, webinar on Jan 26 at 4:00 PM. http:/bit.ly/T2L2023webinar. Also see http:/bit.ly/2023T2L.

Amy Arundell: Proud of work done on an campaign against co-location of Success academy in DOE schools. Community reached out to UFT to help. Expanded. Mentions several key UFT staff members who helped, PEP. Schools all passed SLT resolutions against co-locations. Threat of Success Academy was mentioned not just for schools, communities, but to the borough. Hundreds of SLT resolutions attached to briefs against co-locations. This is what it’s all about. Of course we also lobbied, utilized UFT resources.

Mary Vacarro: In district 11, DR, rallied around 113. Huge amounts of people even in the pouring rain. Need to support the community around us, because it’s really powerful. We’ve pushed them back – but don’t think they aren’t coming elsewhere.

Seung Lee: District had some excellent gatherings which were great to discuss CAT conversations.

Special Order of Business (NYSUT Revolutions):

Mike Sill: rise in support of three resos.

  • One is on observance of a moment of silence for 9/11 at NYC schools. We passed a similar reso at the DA.
  • Reso for reducing turnover for our nurse siblings.
  • Reso on respect for Diwali, calling on recognition across state of that holiday (and how to make it work with their school calendars).
  • Reso on FEMLA: DOE had previously expanded FEMLA coverage to all UFT members. But there’s a technicality that makes the school year just too short for qualification. Off the clock provision, so presumption in law that teachers meet that 12,050 hours. DOE had extended that presumption to OTPT, Paras, then one day stopped. We’ve been able at the UFT. Resolution calls on all our state lobbing power to make sure that folks who work in schools, regardless of title, are covered by that law.

Motion carries.

Resolution to Keep GHI Premium Free:

Alex Jallot: Motivating resolution to keep GHI premium free and to make sure that union does the work to keep GHI premium free. GHI was formed was formed under Laguardia in 1937. It was meant to help working families to have a chance for healthcare and quality healthcare. Since that time we’ve been afforded. The spirit of this resolution is just that we will continue to fight to keep GHI premium free. It’s incumbent on us to be able to do that.

“

Resolution to Keep GHI Premium-Free

Whereas, GHI, which is by far the most popular health plan for in-service municipal employees, has been offered premium-free to UFT members for decades; and

Whereas, article 3G of the contract guarantees “a choice of health and hospital insurance coverage from among designated plans and the Board agrees to pay the full cost of such coverage; and

Whereas, healthcare is now negotiated between the City and the Municipal Labor Committee; and

Whereas,  the 1993 MLC and City letter of agreement mandates that any changes to healthcare be collectively bargained between the MLC and City; and

Whereas, in the short term, the addition of premiums would cause financial distress for members already dealing with record-high inflation rates, while in the long term, the addition of premiums would be remembered as one of the most damaging give-backs in UFT history; and

Whereas, in-service and retired members deserve sustained choice for access to quality premium-free healthcare on which they and their families depend; be it therefore

Resolved, that the UFT will use its power in the MLC to keep GHI premium free; and be it further

Resolved, that in the effort to preserve GHI coverage as premium-free, the UFT will not use any strategy that makes contractual concessions or reduces the healthcare quality of retirees and/or in-service members.“

Geof Sorkin: I rise in opposition. I do believe that the intention behind this is misguided. I’m frustrated. For 50 years, we’ve had premium free coverage. Because of the efforts of the MLC, we’ve been fighting to continue for premium free coverage. That is our goal. This resolution pertains to both in-service members and retirees. Fails to acknowledge. Pandora’s box now open. This resolution would tie our hands from doing certain types of negotiations. Room is full of experts because of quick google searches. Vote this down.

Vincent Gaglione: Motion to table this motion.

Nick Bacon in line to speak but 2/3 vote carries to table motion, so debate ends.  

LeRoy Barr: Quandry. Know the intention was good. People think they’re doing the right thing. Then they write about it and say the UFT isn’t doing something about healthcare. This is dangerous. People don’t understand the moment we’re in. When we talk about the moment: hospitals are fleecing the working people. That’s the issue. We’re gonna go to war. Will you be there? So I appreciate the intent, but I don’t appreciate the spin. Feels like some people are spinning it for political gain at the expense of the membership. Appealing to you: I’m trying to help people, no intention to harm. Intended to help. Don’t make this political. You think we’re trying to hurt the members? Do you think we’re trying to hurt the members? We’re members too. You’re here, you’re leaders. Some people listen to us. The average member doesn’t know this stuff. Can’t burn the house down. We’re struggling to find an answer through this thing.  Respect ‘these guys’ right here (the high school executive board). But let’s think this stuff before?

Ronnie Almonte: Appreciate what you said and agree with it. But, this goes both ways. Would like to avoid ad hominem attacks – that what we do here is ‘theatre,’ that ‘we’re being political.’ Never called by name, whether it’s us or associates. If names were mentioned, maybe we could respond. But we’re here to work together and represent the high school members who voted us in. We’re organizers, some of us chapter leaders, but would like a little more benefit of the doubt. Feel some positivity, but not from all. If there’s feedback you want to give us, but nebulous critiques are ambiguous, and it feels directed to me. So I hope you do hit the streets. I hope we do have 1,000s. I think we can all agree that healthcare is a mess. We need to be united to win. Debate starts with having good intentions on both sides. We share the same spirit and thanks for allowing us to respond.

LeRoy Barr: Closes.

Who actually needs time to read a contract anyways? – Executive Board Meeting, 1-9-2023

Published January 9, 2023 UFT Executive Board , Uncategorized 6 Comments
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Summary: The full minutes are below, but here are some highlights:

  • The meeting started with two librarians talking about the specific issues they face. They called for better union infrastructure, such as the creation of a functional chapter.
  • Then, Luli Rodriguez (ICE/Solidarity) was ‘sworn in’ as the replacement for Lydia Howrilka (Solidarity), who recently left the DOE and thus her HS Executive Board seat to pursue other opportunities. We thank Unity Caucus for not running a candidate of their own against Luli. They agreed that UFC should keep the seat we won. I look forward to working with Luli in the future (her full endorsement by Ibeth Mejia can be seen below in the full minutes).
  • Two resolutions were presented on the floor. One, made in solidarity with the nurses, had no opposition. The other, motivated by Nick Bacon, was supported by MORE, New Action, Solidarity, and ICE, but voted down by Unity. That resolution asked that (1) After the experience of 2018’s rushed contract vote, especially in the DA, UFT members be given more time to read/understand contracts before holding pre-ratification and ratification votes; (2) all changes to contracts be summarized neutrally – i.e. not just claim in the ‘contract at a glance’ or equivalent that ‘there are no givebacks and we preserved premium free healthcare,’ if we actually ‘bargained’ away $600 million in healthcare ‘savings,’ basically compelling the privatization of Medicare; and (3) we get to vote on all MOAs, which function as addendums to contracts but often aren’t voted on even when they have profound effects on the workday (think ‘mandatory per session office hours when any student in your class has COVID). In any case, this resolution met with fierce resistance from Unity. Some of the points made sense. Carl Cambria in particular made a few fair arguments, like that the resolution would prevent timely votes if agreements came up in June. I still think an informed executive board, delegate assembly, and general membership is more important than a quick vote on something as important as the contract. But his point is taken. Amy Arundel, on the other hand, gave ad hominem attacks on either Nick Bacon or the High School Executive Board more generally depending on how you read her arguments – accusing the motivator(s) of having political motives. She also argued that somehow ‘being in schools and talking to members’ (a strange false dichotomy to make as a UFT staffer in opposition to school-based members) or doing the ‘teach in’ in January (where there won’t be a contract to read) is what is really needed, not additional time to actually read said contracts. It was a confusing set of ad hominem attacks and irrelevant points in an otherwise calm meeting. But, nevertheless, many in Unity applauded when she was done. And they voted down our right to vote on MOAs or have time to understand our contracts before we vote on them. A disappointing finish.

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. Gave up money coming out of teacher leadership to become a librarian, find out I’m teaching 6 different courses and a librarian all at once. I want to be fair – a lot of people tried to help. But, no one really knew. Got into contact with other librarians. Felt like I had to come down and speak for those librarians. We went to school to be librarians and are treated like substitute teachers. Need support on a union level. UFT librarian ‘Check me out’ shirt design was disturbing. Good intentions, but our questions weren’t answered. So I’m just here to see we need help. I’m on my way out, but we’ve got new people coming in and they deserve help – the kind of union that I saw helping me all my years as a teacher.

Daniel Leviathan: Long-time librarian. Was also at the above UFT librarian meeting. The question of what can be done in libraries, especially in elementary schools, is a big question. There are library tasks (e.g. skills) that we can teach while teachers focus on content. But that isn’t happening in most places. We often find that UFT unable to help here. So, we need to ask about a functional chapter for librarians. This will help students get what they deserve.

LeRoy Barr: Introduces new district reps. Minutes approved.

Reports from Districts:

Karen Alford: For this year, instructional coordinators and social workers will remain in their original positions and not be excessed. Know the fight isn’t over, but enjoying this moment.

Amy Arundel: Update on success academy. Hearings on Success Academy. Well attended – long hearings. Asking people to get ready to come to Long Island City to join us in being vocal opponents to co-locations. Success will bring plenty of people, so we need to do the same. Another vote for a Bronx school coming up.

Debra Penny: In March of 2020, COVID death benefit, created. It has been extended to December 2024. Amazing benefit, but I hope no one has to use it. 50% of salary + health benefits for qualifying beneficiaries.

Seung Lee: Some well attended pension meetings mentioned. CDC training weekend. Next week, Asian American Lunar New Year banquet tickets. Everyone is invited to buy a ticket (March 10).

Adam Shapiro: District 21 met CLs and want to do district-wide contract negotiation activities. Button making, 75 people volunteered to donate their labor.

Nancy Armando: Feb. 2, Brooklyn will celebrate SRP event.

Carl Cambria: 500 negotiating committee. Wednesday, Feb. 1. Over 800 schools with CAT teams. Going to hold trainings for CAT members. Gearing up for teach-ins late January so they can gather to discuss contract benefits.

(one speaker missed).

Special Order of Business: H.S. Executive vacancy.

Ibeth Mejia: Nominates Luli Rodriguez (H.S. for Economics and Finance). Leader who received the majority of high school votes in her campaign for Treasurer. She was tapped for this for her extensive experience of accounting. She can follow the money on school budgets. Led evacuations out of the World Trade Center on 9/11.  Staunch advocate for students of disabilities. Used to call her the IEP maiden when worked together. Battled two abusive administrators who were trying to change IEPs. She is respected for these reasons. Elected as a UFT delegate and a member of the consultation committee in her current chapter. Her experience in advocacy makes her the ideal candidate for this position.

With no other nominations, Luli gets the nomination. She is welcomed to the Executive Board.

Resolution Supporting Striking NYSNA Nurses:

Mary Vaccaro: We support the NYSNA nurses that are striking seeking a better nurse to patient ratio, so they can provide better patient care. We support patients before profits.

Resolution passes unanimously.

Resolution Supporting Full Disclosure of Finalized Tentative Contract Agreements and Memorandum of Agreements.

Nick Bacon endorses the resolution. Full language is here. This resolution is inspired by the experiences of many chapter leaders, delegates, and regular members during the 2018 contract vote and during 2020. In 2018, there was a sense that CLs and delegates didn’t have any time to read the contract (only a few hours) before having to hold a pre-ratification vote. There was also a sense that some of the changes in that contract (later I note the commitment to healthcare ‘savings’) weren’t adequately and neutrally communicated to members. So this resolution would give members a bit more time before each vote to read over the contract. It would also ask UFT leadership to communicate neutrally and completely any changes in writing to the various bodies before their pre-ratification votes. Finally, it would obligate that all MOAs in the future are held to a vote. Many MOAs during COVID, for instance, changed our working conditions (e.g. mandatory per session ‘office hours’ when students tested positive for COVID). But we didn’t have a chance to vote on them at all. This resolution would mean future MOAs would be subjected to a vote.

Karen Alford: Stands in opposition. Charged with taking information back to our schools. It seems like a bureaucracy. We’re entrusted to make a decision. Teach in becomes very important as we make contract decisions. But we don’t negotiate in public. Would hate for all our work to lead to stuff getting leaked and the City saying ‘deals off.’ This isn’t what happens for negotiations for any City.

Alex Jallot: Supports. Giving folks to read over what’s going in our contract and to be informed decision is not just good for morale but good for participation in our union.

Ilona Nanay: Supports. Understand some of the concerns, but what we’re asking is that members have a chance to understand what they’re voting on before they vote. In elections, we have time to think about things before voting. But what often happens here is that we’re given an hour or so, don’t even understand what voting on, and asked to vote. Under COVID, I often got MOAs from my principal before the union even sent anything out. I certainly never had a chance to vote.

Mike Sill: One resolved at that time. Says it’s theatre because all this is done in terms of appendices for collective bargaining. COVID was not a typical time, was unrealistic to do some of this. Summarized.

Geoff Sorkin: Opposition. Don’t negotiate publicly. If you wait too long, beneficial agreements go away.

Carl Cambria: Stand in opposition. Can’t do everything in this reso. It will put our membership at a disadvantage. Can’t wait until every member understands every part of everything before we vote. How could we do it? Good goal, but how would it be possible. Second resolved is something that already done. Contract at a glance form is an example of that. That’s used for many functions including arbitration. Orally, not sure what’s meant there. Certain people will have certain opinions. Parts of this reso would require ratification only in Fall/Winter if something came up in the June resolution. We’d be handcuffed by some of the language.

Amy Arundel:  Ask people to join us in what we’re doing at the school level. When I read these, I wonder if people are in schools. I had lots of meetings. We had lots of structures that bring member voice back to our leadership. Speaking hostilely, says she’s offended (looking at Bacon) at all these political resos that make it seem like people aren’t doing their jobs. The key is the ‘teach in.’ Asks everyone here to join the teach in.

Nick Bacon: Point of personal privilege. This isn’t political. We’re here today because people need more time to read contracts before we vote on them. We’re here because things aren’t communicated neutrally – Michael Mulgrew said there were no givebacks. It turned out we were promising healthcare savings. Teachers didn’t know and didn’t have time to analyze. Not sure what teach-ins have to do with anything since there’s no contract there for people to read/understand.

Name Missed: Question called.  UFC votes in favor. Voted down by Unity.

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