Been busy most of the day, but did glance during my lunch at the ballot returns and read that the numbers of returned ballots from active members was the lowest in memory.
There was a teacher in my school who didn't receive a ballot.
She called the UFT to say she hadn't received one and they said they would send it right out.
She received it yesterday, after the deadline for voting.
Ah, but they made sure all the retirees - a bloc of reliable Unity votes - got their ballots, didn't they?
Just anecdotal, but it says a lot about this union that biggest bloc of voters was the retirees - the people who do not have to work under Danielson or under APPR.
The leadership does not want a membership that is active in the union.
They want a membership that is apathetic, disconnected, isolated, and demoralized.
And that's exactly what they've got.
We are a union of retirees.
Mulgrew is the president of the United Federation of Retired Teachers.
I'll have more on this when the results are in.
Many UFT retirees have no idea what is going on. I mentioned MORE at a meeting and told them not to vote for UNITY as Mulgrew was selling out rank and file. Some asked who Mulgrew was Retirees, including me, have no business voting.
ReplyDeleteHere is what I do not understand: Are not the pensions and benefits of CURRENT retired teachers protected by NY State law? In other words, what "negotiations" does the UFT handle for retired teachers? My understanding is that once a NYC teacher retires, whatever benefits they had the day of the retirement starts is protected forever. If benefits/pensions are protected for currently retired teachers, then they should have no vote in any UFT election. I talked to a cop buddy of mine about this and he laughed his ass off about the fact that retired teachers can vote in union elections.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this story, P.O. I will be blogging this later because it really is significant.
DeleteI agree, anon.
DeleteIt is a joke.
It is fixed and rigged.
I agree, PO'd and RBE. It would be extremely difficult to organize retirees or give them information about alternatives to the Unity caucus; the latter pretty much runs the retiree chapter and hires people who teach courses and seminars and run trips. The Bronx office, where I attend a course, has a "Unity Newsletter" in full view on a table in the main lobby by the main entrance. I know about MORE since I read blogs and met someone who is a retiree but active in a MORE chapter in Manhattan. I have NEVER voted for a contract or for Unity. However, retirees shouldn't be voting. They are no longer rank and file. This policy definitely is designed to bring votes to Unity.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget the free buffets they offer the retirees! Mmmm, thanks Mikey!
DeleteAs long as Unity is in power, members need to find a way to stop paying dues.
ReplyDeleteWait, I never got my free buffet.
ReplyDelete