30 Comments

I agree that the COLA resolution is meaningless. Why? It needs legislation and support from the political world. It is like having a resolution that all classes be well equipped and have small class sizes. He needs to be asked next month if he thinks that more realistic resolutions should be items we directly control? In addition, now that he is committed to helping us if we lose the court case, tell us exactly how he plans to do so? His answer will be that he will have to form a committee to study different alternatives.

Expand full comment

Yes to all. The COLA resolution is "Look at This, Not That," a go-to of theirs. They think we are imbeciles and will thusly forget they sold us out. As for fighting after we lose in court, well, where do you go once you've lost in the highest court in the land? It's tough to conceive of just how stupid they think we are.

Expand full comment

Oye vay. I sat through this unbearably, overbearing B.S. spewing I am your problem solving saviour soliloquey. I must have lost my hearing when he admitted these problems, with easy solutions, have been present and getting worse under his administration. I hear you are recovering. Get well soon . love the graphic.

Expand full comment

Thanks. You seem to have heard just what I did. Daniel Alicea created the graphic.

Expand full comment

How do you feel? I hope you’re doing better.

Expand full comment

Well, I ended up losing an appendix. Not the worst thing, but it takes time to recover. Thanks for asking!

Expand full comment

When mine came out at 11 years old, it was 5 days in the hospital.

Expand full comment

I have a question for you. I was virtual also, and the first time in years that I’ve attended one of these things. We were sent a resolution about doing hybrid meetings this current year. That didn’t make it into the meeting when that resolution was pushed to be first. Since we couldn’t vote on it, will future meetings this current year be hybrid? or do we have to schlep into to the city every month? PS: I LOVED hearing all the New York accents again. I’ve been in northern Westchester way too long…..

Expand full comment

Yeah the hybrid thing will continue until and unless it's changed. The question is how many will be allowed in the building.

Expand full comment

I don’t see that in the resolution sent around. It seemed it needed a vote to continue, as the whereas clause before it was not open-ended. What am I missing?

Expand full comment

I think I got it in an email from LeRoy Barr. There's a link to see it. It was important to leadership to get that feel-good COLA thing out there. Nothing else mattered.

Expand full comment

Don’t kill me for writing again but does “hybrid” mean some people in the room and some people in another room? or does it mean some people in the building and some people home like us? Maybe that’s my confusion. Please can you clarify, because the resolution wasn’t clear on that

Expand full comment

Hybrid means some people in the hall and others listening from home. I support this model, and would not have been able to attend otherwise. It promotes more participation. My only objection, possibly, is limiting the number allowed in the hall.

Expand full comment

Ah hah, that’s what I thought. I saw the link they sent around and the wording was very specific, that hybrid was allowed last academic year and they wanted that vote now to have it extended. I don’t think it’s at all clear what happens now. They did not bring it to a vote.

Expand full comment

And here’s another question for you. That question on raising COLA seemed a fine thing to do, since there are so many in the union in that do no live comfortable in retirement. But I don’t know the politics behind it. Since Marian called the question before an opposite opinion (against it) could be expressed, can you tell me what might be the objection to doing something about COLA?

Expand full comment

I have no objection to it at all, nor do I see why anyone would. It's mom and apple pie. What bothers me is that it was a rather obvious attempt to change the subject from their screwing us on health care.

Expand full comment

But in good faith, we HAD to vote FOR it. Would anyone have voted against it for political strategy reasons? There were nay votes. I don’t understand those.

Expand full comment

Sorry, ipad typos: “….who do not live comfortably in retirement.” (but you knew what I meant)

Expand full comment

The COLA item was a patronizing attempt of mollifying the retirees.

If the UFT is going to lobby, the UFT should lobby the New York State Legislature and the New York City Council to pass bills preserving traditional Medicare and Medicare supplement insurance for retirees.

The UFT should be using phone banks to campaign for candidates who will support that legislation.

Instead of sending buses to Lehigh Valley,

the UFT should be transporting members to Albany and Manhattan to voice their support for that legislation.

And what the UFT is doing to preserve the of the in-service health plan was worthy of an

Expand full comment

Agreed on COLA. They picked this moment so as to undermine RTC, who they did not notify. And Mulgrew went on and one so as to preclude anything else from happening, His outright lies about MA were outrageous. Even Aetna admitted it would deny care, in court.

Expand full comment

And what the UFT is doing to preserve the health care plan and improve the diminished dental plan.

Expand full comment

What leadership is doing is absolutely nothing. However, UFT members, particularly RTC, are working in conjunction with NYC Retirees to preserve our health care.

Expand full comment

Shouldn’t have given up 12/23 to get 3 years of calendars. Is there any chance it will be off?

Expand full comment

Kim, there is certainly a chance this will be resolved. It was resolved last time, I believe in 2019.

Expand full comment

Thanks. Arthur, do you still have Twitter? I used to follow you there but can’t find you now

Expand full comment

I'm on Twitter @TeacherArthurG.

Expand full comment

I feel like there’s something weird with your account there- we mutually follow each other, I search and you don’t come up at all, I put in the whole username and an old tweet pops up from someone else and that’s how I found your account. As opposed to other accounts that I follow, when I write them in they auto populate

Expand full comment

YES. I forgot to write that up. They screwed that up as well.

Expand full comment

I’m sorry, the calendars (Kim’s comment) or what I was asking about the hybrid meetings for the rest of the year?

Expand full comment

There is a limit of 400 in the room, due to Covid restrictions. I understand that resulted in retirees being denied admission to the union hall this evening. I have mixed feelings on that. While I believe health is a priority, I simply do not trust Unity. Would they continue this just to keep RTC out of the hall? I would not put it past them.

Expand full comment
Error