King Mulgrew Deigns to Speak to Us

Tap dances around issue of mayoral endorsement, essentially tells us nothing.

It’s pretty remarkable that Michael Mulgrew did a mayoral survey and got little over one percent of membership to respond. That’s how out of touch he is, that’s how disaffected membership is, and the pitiful voting response in the officer election was reflective of that.

He continues to promote cynicism and bitterness by ignoring our priorities, specifically Intro 1096. You’d think it didn’t exist, to hear him today. Surely the questions he chose to answer were carefully tailored to the message, such as it is, he chose to give—largely that we may endorse, but it has nothing to do with me, the UFT President. That’s what passes for leadership with Michael Mulgrew.

Mulgrew saw fit to do two town halls today. One was for the retirees, and the second was for all. That was interesting because lately he’s been excluding retirees from his town halls, although allowing us to pay dues (or double dues in the case of those of us still in schools).

Also interesting was the fact, confirmed by Bennett Fischer yesterday, that neither Mulgrew nor any of his Unity ducklings saw fit to consult or even inform the RTC chapter leader he was holding this forum. Mulgrew has shown, again, he has no regard for our elected leaders (let alone common courtesy).

Personally, I expect a ceremony to anoint Zohran Mamdani as the UFT-endorsed candidate, to be rubber-stamped tomorrow at the delegate assembly. While we have had no actual input in this decision, Mulgrew can now claim it’s all in the hands of the DA and he had nothing to do with it. I wrote on Saturday, this is a done deal and the NY Post knew about it before we did. Tomorrow, we will find out whether or not that’s correct. I’d bet it is.

There are reasons to be hesitant about Mamdani. The biggest one, as far as I’m concerned, is his alliance not with unions, but with union bosses like Mulgrew. If you’re a retiree, and not part of the Unity cult, you know that Mulgrew does not have our interests at heart. He’d have gladly dumped us all into an inferior Medicare Advantage Plan, or introduced charges that would be unaffordable for most city retirees to retain real Medicare.

Mulgrew and Unity want to keep their stranglehold over retiree health care, as well as their ability to use us as a bargaining chip in contract negotiations. Talk is cheap, and they can’t be trusted. Their rationale for opposing Intro 1096, which would protect us, is patently false. He did not utter a peep about it in his lecture today. We need to continue resisting and fighting them—including Mulgrew and Unity.

My notes today are not as objective as usual. I commented on what he did and did not say. The endorsement of Mamdani is clearly the “elephant in the room” for Mulgrew, and he’s terrified. However, a big issue for me and many retirees is also Intro 1096. Our chapter overwhelmingly endorsed this bill.

Mulgrew and Unity have been lobbying against our stated interests I’m also told on good authority his statement about Senior Care exploding is a lie. Regardless, we represent a very small portion of the health care budget, and we were the first ones he saw fit to sell out.

3:05—Mulgrew shows up. Says the press doesn’t tell “us” what to do. Says tomorrow we will consider “whether” to do an endorsement. Says he prioritizes city council and other races. Says won 40 of 42 endorsements for city council. Calls it successful, though not really so for retirees. as 1096 is flailing.

Mulgrew speaks, instead, of the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which contains a voucher programs. He’s right about that.

Mayoral race—Mulgrew says only difference is we endorsed in primaries in past. Said issue then was education. Says our candidates lost last two times. Said we had to decide whether we’d do an endorsement in general, and question must be answered by DA.

Says we asked candidates to spend day in schools, put up video. Says fewer than 2300 responded to survey. Retiree chapter overwhelmingly supported Cuomo and Stringer, in service, Mamdani and Stringer. Says he wasn’t happy with volume of responses, not up to press to decide what we do. Criticizes press, says they disapprove of pensions and health care.

Says “decision was made” not to endorse, brought it back to Delegate Assembly. Was “all over the place.” Says we are taking it under consideration tomorrow. Says City Council has been okay over four years but could do much better. Speaks of Trump and state budget cuts. Says education came in only fourth this time, protection from Trump, affordability and city quality was important. Claims health care is important to him.

Says he has list of why mayor shouldn’t be in control of our system—odd because he hasn’t opposed it much. Says he has to fix Tier 6. Says respect check legislation and fixing what’s wrong with pattern bargaining—yet Mulgrew is what’s wrong with it.

Claims he prioritizes members, profession and livelihoods, despite the fact that he ignored our elected leader—seems to be building up to rationale for supporting Mamdani. Says his job is to vet candidates and see who’s in best condition to improve our livelihoods and profession.

Generously offers us right to vote for whom we wish. Says there’s never been a perfect candidate. Oddly, he’s pushed people as such, and repeatedly. Says we’ve had tough time on health care last three or four years, which is true because he caused this trouble.

Mulgrew speaks of people leaving profession. Says people don’t want to work until 63, tough to attract teachers, says we will discuss.

Says there are two candidates—current mayor and Mamdani. Says he will respect process. Says there were very loud opinions on Cuomo and Mamdani. Claims DA made decision to not endorse. Says there is a lot of ugliness going on behind the scenes against one candidate.

Says we need a partner to fix Tier 6, says we need a partner to keep premium-free health care. Yet retiree health care is vastly less expensive than in-service.

Says he will deal with elephant in room. Seems to be trying to deny NY Post report we will endorse Mamdani. Claims questions are reflective rather than pre-selected.

Mulgrew says DA will decide whether or not we endorse. Says we must engage in politics.

UFT position on antisemitism on Mamdani’s campaign—Mulgrew said members think he’s antisemitic and anti-Israel, asked him for clarification, says he’s been doing it. This, evidently, rather than health care, is what Mulgrew calls elephant in room.

Claims candidates said they wouldn’t support Medicare Advantage—however our question is about 1096.

Question on “big, beautiful bill.” Says Albany takes hit. Says mayor and governor working together would be good. Speaks of Medicaid cuts, vouchers.

Health care—Any senior health plan changes? Mulgrew says two best things with deBlasio was preK and city and MLC dealing with overwhelming cost and inflation, I suppose about health. Says Senior Care cost half a billion had never been over 100 million. Speaks of hospitals and networks, which do not relate to Senior Care.