Saturday, November 28, 2015

UFT Warns Over Friedrichs But Still Doesn't Get The Real Danger

UFT President Michael Mulgrew on the Friedrichs case:

The U.S. labor movement today faces perhaps the gravest threat to its existence since the creation of our modern system of labor law and collective bargaining in 1935.

In Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, now before the U.S. Supreme Court, the plaintiffs challenge the “fair share” requirement that public-sector workers in unionized jobs who choose not to join their union must still pay their fair share of the cost of union representation and services.

They argue that agency fees should be abolished because money is speech, and requiring nonmembers to pay fees to unions therefore violates their First Amendment rights. That is patently false. Agency-fee payers can choose not to have their fees spent on unions’ political activities.

Let us be clear: Friedrichs isn’t about the First Amendment; it is about undermining this country’s labor unions because we are the last great defenders of working people and the middle class. The far-right forces behind the lawsuit despise unions because it is our collective voice and collective action that prevent them from further enriching themselves at ordinary Americans’ expense. They don’t just want to abolish agency fees; they want to abolish our unions and undo the decades of progress we have made.

Let us be clear: Mulgrew's upset not because Friedrichs threatens to undermine the "last great defenders of working people and the middle class" in this country but because it threatens to undermine the gravy train that the current leadership of the AFT/UFT/NYSUT ride on.

The AFT/UFT/NYSUT leadership stopped defending the rank and file years ago, have sold us out at every turn to the education reformers, are complicit in much of the harm done to the teaching profession (including the use of VAM, which AFT President Weingarten once championed along with Chancellor Joel Klein when Weingarten was UFT President, and teacher evaluations tied to test scores, which UFT President Mulgrew happily agreed to in 2012), and exist simply to aggrandize their own egos and enrich their own purses.

With the Friedrichs decision looming, you'd think the AFT/UFT/NYSUT leadership would become more responsive to rank and file, especially since they might have to beg members to stay with the union and continue to pay dues post-Friedrichs.

But instead, they continue to do whatever the hell they want, from endorsing Hillary Clinton long before the presidential primary season started to telling New York State legislators who voted for Cuomo's poison pill budget that imposed a receivership law for "failing" schools and upped test scores to 50% of a teacher's evaluation that it was all right for doing so.

And they spend their time attacking critics to their leadership, as happened this past week when NYSUT Executive Vice President Andy Pallotta asked the NY attorney general to look into a blog post written by a teacher that dared to criticize NYSUT for selling members out.

Quite frankly, I see the words someone wrote that Mike Mulgrew signed his name to about Friedrichs and I roll my eyes because I know that they know that they don't give a shit about any of the stuff Mulgrew says he does.

Al they care about is maintaining power, maintaining control, and maintaining the gravy train.

It's a shame they're not taking the Friedrichs threat seriously and thinking about ways to become more responsive and responsible union leaders.

Alas, it seems that the leadership of the AFT/UFT/NYSUT is incapable of that.

22 comments:

  1. Have to say I think that gravy train conclusion is bogus. Believe it or not, we are (public sector unions) the last gasp of strength in the labor movement and teachers unions are the strongest (largest, most politically involved) link in that chain. Say what you want about MM (I so, every day), but you can't imagine he's where he is and doesn't care about the movement, the experience of workers and his own members.
    A misguided caring? Il informed and ridiculoulsy off base? Paranoid of any organized criticism of him or his leadership? Sure. But not corrupt and not caring only about the gravy train.
    Although, he also cares about that train.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Does it really matter if you knock me off a cliff on purpose or if you're a bumbling f'n idiot who does it by accident? I'm dead either way. I see Mulgrew as a bumbling idiot who also happens to purposefully push his members off a cliff from time to time. I will not pay union dues if given the choice.

      Delete
    2. My opinion? Yes it does. The accident scenario implies that he can be influenced by people who love this profession and who love this Union. It implies that our own involvement can sway his decisions and actions. I've an enormous amount of respect for this blogger -much more so than many other colleagues I know. But I think undertanding MM as a gravy train engineer lets us all off the hook of becoming involved and saving our union. Is MM a screw up who doesn't trust his own members? Of course he is!!! But he isn't a corrupt Union official looking to enjoy the gravy train either.

      Delete
    3. That's a really strange kind of self hating kool aide you're drinking. Everyone is ok after all and it's nobody's fault in the end so let's hold hands with the people who've shat on us for years and hope we can make it work out? Not thanks.

      Delete
    4. Wow some personal volleys there, Sean. Everything ok? Look, I hate Koolaid. But I hate all types of Koolaid, the type you're serving MOST included, so I'm a bit of a lone voice that way. You should listen to that one voice becaus I'm not hoping for the best, I'm merely pointing out that understanding him as a 1000% crook only gets you so far. And if I -the one who has actually been shat on by him since 2009- can see that, then you should too.

      Delete
  2. I remember Jamila Hinds of the UFT coming into my school about 5 years ago. She came with some other idiot who couldn't speak clearly, so she took over. She speaks clearly so I will give her that.
    Jamila actually told us that as our school was phasing out, the two new schools phasing in were "required" to hire 50% of our staff as part of the agreement between incoming/outgoing schools. She actually said to call the union immediately if we hear of something fishy and they would come in, etc.
    What a CROCK. I remember the two new principals saying they weren't following any rules. They hired NOBODY from my phase out school. They just hired 20 somethings who are now late 20 somethings. The union did nothing. They actually agreed to this phase out piece so teachers like me could become ATR's.
    Jamila Hinds is a real piece of work. She's a class A liar. This is what's representing us RBE? Are you serious? I was actually told to "call the union" if somehow I managed to find out that one of these new principals hired someone else in my subject area. Can you believe that? Somehow I was supposed to know this inside information and then call the union? Then they were possibly supposed to come to the school and find out whatever? Five years later I actually made a funny connection with one of the principals who is still there as I ATR'd for her back in September. I decided to open up a little and make a joke as to what I wrote above. She actually talked about it with me and told me that at the time she was told to interview (just interview) a few people from the phase out school, but not to hire. I told her the Jamila Hinds story because at this point, it was just funny. She laughed and actually admitted that there was no rules to follow other than the fake interviews for show.
    I then asked her to hire me. She laughed and said she'd keep me in the back of her head. Basically she said "Not a chance, I have 20 year olds who are I tenured who stay till 6pm preparing". The union has watched the destruction of members' jobs. There is STILL AN ATR POOL. WHY???? Why is there an ATR POOL? How can new teachers at Tier VI be hired before the pool is emptied? How is this possible as a union? Is there a Bricklayers ATR pool? Is there a Police Officer ATR pool? How bout a Firefighter ATR pool? A Bus Driver ATR pool? Is the a Sanitation ATR pool? A Corrections ATR pool? Is there an Electricans ATR pool? Doorman's ATR pool?
    Why are TEACHERS the only force with an ATR POOL? Why? Where the hell did this TITLE (ATR) come from? The UNION agreed to this. NO OTHER UNION ABOVE WOULD EVER AGREE TO SUCH ABSUDITY. REALIZE THAT!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's disgusting. You would think with the new fantastic relations of Mulgrew/Farina/DeBlasio, that they'd eliminate this pool. So disgusting that it is still in effect.

      Delete
    2. That would be Janella Hinds. Otherwise those points work.

      Delete
  3. Ok, ok. We can rant all day about how much the UFT has sold members out. What we really need to start looking at is what are our choices once NYS becomes a right to work state. I am betting that some form of the UFT will remain as a health benefits organization. What happens to those who are NOT members of the UFT? Will the city "offer" different contracts for individual teachers? Will we still have sick bank days? There are a million questions that need to be looked at right now in the event that NYS becomes right to work. I wish somebody could start giving some real explanations as to what will happen to us in the near future if the case is lost.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your pay and benefits won't change. It is negotiated with the city for people not in the union too.

      Delete
    2. Yes, but currently it is negotiated via the UFT. If this case gets lost and the UFT becomes history, who will do the "negotiating"?

      Delete
    3. The UFT does the negotiating still.You just won't have to pay dues. Only change. Completely optional dues. That's it.

      Delete
  4. Mike Deely NYSUT's Western NY BIg Man on Campus just said this article is garbage on Facebook. I totally agree. "Leadership" has been very responsive to rank and file lately. Mike Mulgrew responded to working teachers by attacking PJSTA President and classroom teacher Beth Dimino about 2 weeks ago. Then a few days later NYSUT Executive Chief Paper Shuffler Andy Pallotta went and tried to tattle to the AG of NY State on teacher/blogger Sullio cause Andy thought Sullio called him a dago or something. Remember about this time last year where you and I agreed the Union Management has no skin in the game. Well now they do and they are showing it by attacking teachers whom they perceive as a threat to their high end life style.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I really do hope the Supremes rule 9-0 in favor of Friedrichs. It's the only way NYSUT/UFT/AFT/NEA can be saved. I have been a member of NYSUT for 35 years and I wish there was a way to get my money back.

    NYSUT has become a complete laughingstock. It holds none of the legislators accountable that routinely stab us in the back. It has squandered tens of millions in VOTE COPE contributions. It has sold us out on Tier 5 and Tier 6, APPR, Common Core/Race to the Top, 4-year probation/tenure, etc.

    NYS received $700 million from the feds in Race to the Top monies, but only about half that trickled down to districts. The rest was confiscated by SED to fund its schemes with Pearson, InBloom, etc.

    If I can be relieved of my obligation to pay dues/agency shops fees, then I extend to exercise that right until such time as my local, state and national unions starts caring about me. I hope Mulgrew, Maggee, Pallotta, et al starve when the spigot gets turned off.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Be careful of what you wish. When and if this goes down we are all done!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You must not have read the first paragraph. He/she stated they have been part of NYSUT for 35 years. Retiring any moment. These are the most dangerous members, ones that can retire BUT don't give a shit about you and me. The person that wrote that is a selfish bastard. He/she would never have said that if they were 40 years old with minimum 15 years to go. My guess, the poster is at least 60 years old. Schmuckk!!!!

      Delete
    2. You sound like a total ass. Don't give a shit? Retiring any moment? I have no intention of retiring. People like you are the morons that gave us Mulgrew, Pallotta, etc. You think we should all just keep sending them our money and hope for the best. They count on pathetic people to maintain their power. If the union does a good job there will be no problem collecting dues from members. You want it to be compelled regardless of their performance. What you wrote is sickening.

      Delete
    3. .....and one more thing: Before I ever taught a day, my local called a strike. I honored the picket line for six weeks at which time I was sent a certified letter and told if I did not report for work I would be permanently replaced. I continued to honor the picket line and was, indeed, fired. I wonder if you would have the guys to strike and lose your job? I do not need any lectures from you or anyone else about my union credentials.

      Delete
    4. I have 15 years in with 10 more to go. I will be the FIRST to pull my dues. I've already pulled COPE.
      Some of you say that we will have no more union after Freidrich's. The truth is we don't have a union now. Don't believe me? Go ask all the teachers who were rubber roomed on false charges, terminated based on false charges, forced to pay bogus fines and accept ATR status where they are being railroaded once again. Ask teachers that have been brutally harassed by administrators and we're ignored by UFT leaders. Ask teachers who've emailed Mulgrew and other UFT big shots only to be blown off.
      Union? What union. We are funding their generous salaries. That's it. UFT leaders are only concerned about keeping their positions not about rank and file keeping theirs.

      Delete
  7. Someone needs to get laid

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Other than Mike Mulgrew in the woodshed.

      Delete