Word is that Mulgrew is backing a slate to run against Iannuzzi and all the VPs (including the UFT's own Maria Neira who seems to be backing Iannuzzi with the exception of Andy Pallotta. They have a hand-picked candidate to oppose Dick (more on all that in a follow-up.)
Then the other day an anonymous Twitter account and Facebook page was created with the handle @ReviveNYSUT. They are calling for a change in NYSUT leadership. The tweets are anti-Iannuzzi and seem to be coming from people who would normally be allied with us but insiders have challenged them for being phony shills for the Mulgrew/Pallotta team since they attack Dick but not Andy. We received this message:
THE ACCOUNT IS ANDY PALLOTTA. The Mulgrew/Pallotta crew is behind it.
The UFT leadership has been awful quiet as many other locals and the NYSUT have raised the level of criticism over the SED/Regents reform agenda.
And Mulgrew and the UFT leadership have had a close working relationship with Cuomo in the past, especially on APPR and the imposition Cuomo wanted done on NYC teachers by SED Commissioner King.
I can see where Mulgrew and the UFT leadership might be working behind the scenes to shiv Iannuzzi and other NYSUT figures if they feel like they're going to far out on a limb in their criticism of and opposition to the SED/Regents reform agenda that Cuomo wants and supports.
What have you heard out there?
Is there a split between the UFT and NYSUT leaderships?
Is Mulgrew trying to stick the knife into Iannuzzi and other NYSUT VP's?
Pretty much goes along with what I have heard. Generally where there is smoke there is fire.
ReplyDeleteI know that the @ReviveNYSUT account pushing all of this and attacking Iannuzzi was originally anonymous calling themselves "grassroots". They later were revealed (and are now admitting) to be Andy Pallotta, Karen Magee (running for prez against Iannuzzi), Martin Messner (running for Lee Cutler's position), and Paul Pecorale (running for another VP position). The latter three are local presidents, fairly active in the state union scene. The account now also says "Members of Unity Caucus". Pallotta is known to have weekly office visits with Mulgrew.
I don't know, if you ask me I have a hard time calling a group of Unity hacks, including the reigning Executive Vice-President (arguably the most powerful position in NYSUT, as Norm points out) "grassroots".
Oh yeah... also hear that Randi is siding with the Revive NYSUT slate... Randi Weingarten, Mike Mulgrew, Andrew Pallotta... grassroots unionism at it's best, lol.
AFT politics resembles the Politburo.
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