Please expand upon the statement re: the Unity members who’ve had it and that you’re hoping they’ll join us? Are you referring to full time Unity patronage job holders joining ABC? If yes, joining in what capacity? Are they giving up their paid positions and relinquishing the loyalty oaths that they’ve taken?
Some are doing just that. We will have more to say about that very shortly. Sorry, but I'm just one person, and I can't make group announcements by myself.
I agree with everything you said except the part about Cuomo attacking unions. Actually when the Janus decision was made by the Supreme Court Cuomo went public that he wanted union workers to continue to be forced to pay dues. Why you ask? Because before the Janus decision whether a worker joined a union or not, dues still had to be paid as "Agency Fees". Hence the likes of Mulgrew didn't really about the membership needs but did care what political leaders wanted since their actions guaranteed his salary. Planning for switching members into Medicare Advantage began, secretly, in 2014, the Janus decision occurred in 2018.
Cuomo said a lot of things. However, the Times article, for which I provided a link, shows that, when he first ran, he ran on a platform of going after unions. He may have changed his tone, or his mind, when it suited him. I found him to be a creepy opportunist.
Yes going after unions publicly was popular. But privately he knew, at least in my view, that government controlled the union leaders by guaranteeing their salaries via the mandatory check-off prior to the Janus decision. I support the Janus decision. If the union wants my money then make me want to pay.
Yes coming together without politics seems to be the logical way to vote out Unity and its inferior leaders. Uniting is not the same as Unity. A clear understanding is what you have written here and I hope all teachers will see the value in reading and subscribing to Union Matters. You are a true Crusader for all those you represented and currently represent. My one sadness was in learning through Marianne and our Organization that Bennett Fisher (whom we all gave the benefit of the doubt to with our original support) is now a regrettable decision since he chose loyalty with Lynn W. over his fellow Unionists. Both he and Lynn are now debunked by Marianne as she has called them out on their disinformation. If there is one thing I have learned over the past 4 years is that Marianne is a force of nature and her honesty is her armor. I trust her and I don’t trust easily. I also trust you because your honesty is also your armor. Thank you for your writing truth to power always.
If Unity faces more than one opponent, they're likely going to win. Please try to get all anti Mulgrew members to unify this one time. As a coalition, we can win, split we will lose.
That is my fear also. If ABC and ARISE both run against Unity, UNITY may win again. Also, I fear many things in their platform will turn off some teachers. We need to only focus only on the needs of retirees and teachers. We need a true unified slate that is non-political. I am very nervous because I truly want Unity out.
The writing is on the wall. Arthur, misjudgments have been made before, now is not the time to make them again. What is the reason that Unity wanted him out, assuming that none of this is true.
I read about all that. Wrote about it too. And the fact is, I had a long discussion with the writer of the second story. A lot of it was in the comments of the blog I linked to. You can't see them because my domain, nyceducator.com was blocked and the comments are no longer visible.
Curiously, that happened very shortly after UFT lawyers threatened me with civil and criminal penalties for exercising my first amendment rights and parodying Michael Mulgrew. I guess I'll never know whether or not the same lawyers sent a cease and desist to Blogger, causing me to come here, where my readership has exploded.
Anyone can write whatever they like, but I know Paul Egan. I didn't know him when the first story appeared and I jumped on the bandwagon, writing something pretty awful indeed. However, knowing him now, I buy neither story. I'm proud to work with him, and I stand by him.
Sorry if you're disappointed, but that's where I am.
I’m willing to move on to the more pressing issue of ABC apparently working or intending to work with Unity patronage job holders or former patronage job holders.
This choice is asking in service and retirees to trust those who carried the torch for Mulgrew. They can say that they were lied to but they did not make any effort to look into the deadly problems that there are with Medicare Advantage on their own initiative. We both know someone else who swallowed Mulgrew’s hook without questioning it and this was not the first time.
The question of patronage jobs and atypical use of funding has not been addressed by the ABC platform.
These are serious and pertinent questions that must be answered to move forward with integrity. Thank you.
I respect those questions. Honestly, while I was never a member, and while I never held a union job, I aligned with Unity after being tossed out of a caucus. I worked hard to try to reform CR Part 154, which hurts my ESL students by depriving them of instruction. With ever-diminishing support from Unity, we failed utterly in that endeavor.
When I first heard about MA, being run by GHI/ Emblem, I was unconcerned. I'd had cancer and GHI was pretty good to me. Then, of course, they dropped out and I was less sanguine about Aetna.
As I learned more about MA I pulled away from Unity. I don't remember exactly when I dropped them completely, but I do recall Mulgrew's email stating we had to either amend 12-126 to screw the retirees, or pay $1500 premiums.
Well, it wasn't amended, and we aren't paying premiums. The next month, I was invited to a meeting with Mike Sill and two or three Unity women who I knew and liked.
This was to pull me back into the fold. As I recall, they showed up with no solid argument, and expected to somehow persuade me on that basis. But having spoken with several retirees, probably Norm Scott being one, I was persuaded that MA was inferior.
I can't speak for friends who were or are in Unity, but I presume they'll speak for themselves.
Thanks, Art. We shared the same approach to Chapter Leadership. Unity worked hard to undermine our chapter’s efforts (Murry Bergtruam HS) to fend off closer principals’ arbitrary U ratings of senior members and members that filed Special Ed complaints re IEP violations with NY State (all sustained, BTW). I am interested in an ABC - ARISE debate but more so a coalition to defeat Unity in the election.
Yes Arthur, I sat with you at the Queens Chapter Leader Meetings. It was a meeting we controlled because we had a strong cadre of opposition chapter leaders and there was no caucus crap at those meetings. We were all comrades whose main concern was to protect our members including their right to make professional teaching decisions in their classrooms; a right that has been lost.
And we won major battles in those days.
Also, as a leftist, unlike you, I didn’t back off from those in-school political differences-including issues of war and race.
I took the Bernie Sanders strategy and told people that I was a socialist, who opposes Bloomberg and war and I will support you down the line.
I won each chapter election by a landslide in a politically conservative school.
Today we face a number of overlapping national crises and being in the New York City public schools-each crises will make its way into the classroom, our halls and into teachers lounges. Politics will happen whether you want it or not.
But for working teachers, those in the schools, progressive humanist classroom reform must happen and it must be driven by young dedicated teachers. Everyone recognizes that these systems which have been imposed on teacher and student have failed.
Teachers in many schools face isolation, overwork, and daily debilitating stress that is not acceptable in a functioning school system.
If ‘bread and butter’ means ignoring these issues, it’s not enough.
Right now, ASPIRE seems closer than ABC.
And Sister Lydia Howrilka, we need your mind and heart now too.
Please expand upon the statement re: the Unity members who’ve had it and that you’re hoping they’ll join us? Are you referring to full time Unity patronage job holders joining ABC? If yes, joining in what capacity? Are they giving up their paid positions and relinquishing the loyalty oaths that they’ve taken?
Please elaborate!
Some are doing just that. We will have more to say about that very shortly. Sorry, but I'm just one person, and I can't make group announcements by myself.
I agree with everything you said except the part about Cuomo attacking unions. Actually when the Janus decision was made by the Supreme Court Cuomo went public that he wanted union workers to continue to be forced to pay dues. Why you ask? Because before the Janus decision whether a worker joined a union or not, dues still had to be paid as "Agency Fees". Hence the likes of Mulgrew didn't really about the membership needs but did care what political leaders wanted since their actions guaranteed his salary. Planning for switching members into Medicare Advantage began, secretly, in 2014, the Janus decision occurred in 2018.
Cuomo said a lot of things. However, the Times article, for which I provided a link, shows that, when he first ran, he ran on a platform of going after unions. He may have changed his tone, or his mind, when it suited him. I found him to be a creepy opportunist.
Yes going after unions publicly was popular. But privately he knew, at least in my view, that government controlled the union leaders by guaranteeing their salaries via the mandatory check-off prior to the Janus decision. I support the Janus decision. If the union wants my money then make me want to pay.
Yes coming together without politics seems to be the logical way to vote out Unity and its inferior leaders. Uniting is not the same as Unity. A clear understanding is what you have written here and I hope all teachers will see the value in reading and subscribing to Union Matters. You are a true Crusader for all those you represented and currently represent. My one sadness was in learning through Marianne and our Organization that Bennett Fisher (whom we all gave the benefit of the doubt to with our original support) is now a regrettable decision since he chose loyalty with Lynn W. over his fellow Unionists. Both he and Lynn are now debunked by Marianne as she has called them out on their disinformation. If there is one thing I have learned over the past 4 years is that Marianne is a force of nature and her honesty is her armor. I trust her and I don’t trust easily. I also trust you because your honesty is also your armor. Thank you for your writing truth to power always.
If Unity faces more than one opponent, they're likely going to win. Please try to get all anti Mulgrew members to unify this one time. As a coalition, we can win, split we will lose.
That is my fear also. If ABC and ARISE both run against Unity, UNITY may win again. Also, I fear many things in their platform will turn off some teachers. We need to only focus only on the needs of retirees and teachers. We need a true unified slate that is non-political. I am very nervous because I truly want Unity out.
Another big question about Unity stepping into ABC. Please clarify how Paul Egan happened to speak on tonight’s webinar. It is of grave concern that the former and ousted Unity Political Director is in anyway aligned with or part of ABC. https://iceuftblog.blogspot.com/2019/03/unitys-paul-egan-out-from-sex-scandal.html
Paul is a friend. He's no longer Unity. I'm proud to work with him. That story about him is neither substantiated nor true. Here's another story about him, and I wrote it. https://nyceducator.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-paul-egan-story-or-lack-thereof.html
The writing is on the wall. Arthur, misjudgments have been made before, now is not the time to make them again. What is the reason that Unity wanted him out, assuming that none of this is true.
https://nypost.com/2011/02/16/uft-honcho-under-fire-after-he-continues-food-fight-with-albany-eatery/
Paul Egan has a reputation and that reputation follows him. Not a good look or plan for a platform that wants to free itself of Unity.
I read about all that. Wrote about it too. And the fact is, I had a long discussion with the writer of the second story. A lot of it was in the comments of the blog I linked to. You can't see them because my domain, nyceducator.com was blocked and the comments are no longer visible.
Curiously, that happened very shortly after UFT lawyers threatened me with civil and criminal penalties for exercising my first amendment rights and parodying Michael Mulgrew. I guess I'll never know whether or not the same lawyers sent a cease and desist to Blogger, causing me to come here, where my readership has exploded.
Anyone can write whatever they like, but I know Paul Egan. I didn't know him when the first story appeared and I jumped on the bandwagon, writing something pretty awful indeed. However, knowing him now, I buy neither story. I'm proud to work with him, and I stand by him.
Sorry if you're disappointed, but that's where I am.
I’m willing to move on to the more pressing issue of ABC apparently working or intending to work with Unity patronage job holders or former patronage job holders.
This choice is asking in service and retirees to trust those who carried the torch for Mulgrew. They can say that they were lied to but they did not make any effort to look into the deadly problems that there are with Medicare Advantage on their own initiative. We both know someone else who swallowed Mulgrew’s hook without questioning it and this was not the first time.
The question of patronage jobs and atypical use of funding has not been addressed by the ABC platform.
These are serious and pertinent questions that must be answered to move forward with integrity. Thank you.
I respect those questions. Honestly, while I was never a member, and while I never held a union job, I aligned with Unity after being tossed out of a caucus. I worked hard to try to reform CR Part 154, which hurts my ESL students by depriving them of instruction. With ever-diminishing support from Unity, we failed utterly in that endeavor.
When I first heard about MA, being run by GHI/ Emblem, I was unconcerned. I'd had cancer and GHI was pretty good to me. Then, of course, they dropped out and I was less sanguine about Aetna.
As I learned more about MA I pulled away from Unity. I don't remember exactly when I dropped them completely, but I do recall Mulgrew's email stating we had to either amend 12-126 to screw the retirees, or pay $1500 premiums.
https://nyceducator.blogspot.com/2022/10/uft-if-we-dont-surrender-we-will-lose.html
Well, it wasn't amended, and we aren't paying premiums. The next month, I was invited to a meeting with Mike Sill and two or three Unity women who I knew and liked.
https://nyceducator.blogspot.com/2022/11/i-meet-with-uft-to-discuss-healthcare.html
This was to pull me back into the fold. As I recall, they showed up with no solid argument, and expected to somehow persuade me on that basis. But having spoken with several retirees, probably Norm Scott being one, I was persuaded that MA was inferior.
I can't speak for friends who were or are in Unity, but I presume they'll speak for themselves.
Good luck to ABC and good luck to ASPIRE! I am not in UFT anyone but I always wish oppo all the best.
Thanks, Art. We shared the same approach to Chapter Leadership. Unity worked hard to undermine our chapter’s efforts (Murry Bergtruam HS) to fend off closer principals’ arbitrary U ratings of senior members and members that filed Special Ed complaints re IEP violations with NY State (all sustained, BTW). I am interested in an ABC - ARISE debate but more so a coalition to defeat Unity in the election.
Yes Arthur, I sat with you at the Queens Chapter Leader Meetings. It was a meeting we controlled because we had a strong cadre of opposition chapter leaders and there was no caucus crap at those meetings. We were all comrades whose main concern was to protect our members including their right to make professional teaching decisions in their classrooms; a right that has been lost.
And we won major battles in those days.
Also, as a leftist, unlike you, I didn’t back off from those in-school political differences-including issues of war and race.
I took the Bernie Sanders strategy and told people that I was a socialist, who opposes Bloomberg and war and I will support you down the line.
I won each chapter election by a landslide in a politically conservative school.
Today we face a number of overlapping national crises and being in the New York City public schools-each crises will make its way into the classroom, our halls and into teachers lounges. Politics will happen whether you want it or not.
But for working teachers, those in the schools, progressive humanist classroom reform must happen and it must be driven by young dedicated teachers. Everyone recognizes that these systems which have been imposed on teacher and student have failed.
Teachers in many schools face isolation, overwork, and daily debilitating stress that is not acceptable in a functioning school system.
If ‘bread and butter’ means ignoring these issues, it’s not enough.
Right now, ASPIRE seems closer than ABC.
And Sister Lydia Howrilka, we need your mind and heart now too.
Always, with Love and Solidarity.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Sam.