The MLC was to thoroughly assess the sustained benefits of consolidating all of the welfare funds ( ~100) with an eye towards substantially reducing administrative costs, operating costs such as rent, leveraging huge purchasing powers to effect positive improvements in benefits and ultimately enormous sustained material saving that would absolutely negate the need to screw elderly, infirm and disabled retirees forevermore- period, exclamation point.
Will you be joining Marianne soon on one of our Friday Night Updates? Would love to hear and see you and Bennett on there with her! I so enjoy reading Union Matters.
Well, I know a Unity email went out right after I crowned Mulgrew, criticizing the post. That's why I followed up immediately. I'd been planning to wait. I'm still working out details of how to adapt the story, but I'm getting there. I also have to ask Dan Alicea for a family-friendly graphic. He did the last two, and his work is brilliant.
Could King in waiting Sir Leroy Barr explain to the serfs why his Highness,King Mulgrew, agreed to give the City 600 million dollars a year forever for a three year contract. His Heinous (I mean Highness) has never lowered himself to explain this deal to his subjects.
First, I don't know whether LeRoy is next in line for succession. It doesn't matter who it is because it's the same machine regardless. More importantly, I absolutely agree that Unity has nothing to say to our prime issues. They make cute comments, insult us, accuse us of consorting with the enemy for affiliating with those who support our cause, and absolutely avoid the issue. They believe Mulgrew's stunt at AFT somehow meant something. Well, it did not. We need actions, not words, and Unity has provided absolutely nothing of substance.
Thanks for your kind words. The revolt began with last year's election and shall continue with the next. And King Mulgrew shall return, probably next week.
Been away for a few days and just read this AMAZING piece you've written! I'm in awe with how you keep doing such a damn good job getting the truth across through parody. Thank you, Arthur -and additional cheers to Dan for his ongoing hilarious graphics!
I thought Mulgrew supported Med disadvantage as a trade off to settle a contract under the Di Blasio administration that was left over from Bloomberg. A sizable amount of back pay just got larger as time went on but the real sticking point was that Bloomberg refused to settle unless the UFT give up city wide seniority in license area. By sacrificing retiree medicare the city would be eligible for Federal $ which sweetened the deal for Di Blasio who did not require that the union give up seniority. It was a terrible tradeoff but all this personal satire directed at Mulgrew and Barr is a distraction from the immediate challenge posed by the exploding cost of health care, which is the rock, pressing both UFT retirees and active members against a hard place, the Taylor law, which makes it illegal to strike. What changes by removing Adams or Mulgrew and Barr? What is the way out of this situation? It is hoped that a replacement for Adams would drop the appeals and leave the retirees in Medicare. The city, under a new mayor, can now plead poverty at the bargaining table and demand that active members pay more for benefits or receive less in salary increments etc etc. Isn't this what Mulgrew was trying to avoid by selling out the retirees? The federal government (under both Dem and Repub admins?) is incentivizing the privatization of medicare for government employees. Local governments, that are unable to print money, use it as a bargaining chip in contract negotiations. Adams has now been elevated in the ongoing satire to "Emperor" lording over the King Mulgrew, what does that make the Biden-Harris Justice department and the FBI who seem poised to depose "Emperor" Adams? I urge our talented court jesters to climb further up the bean stalk in search of even bigger bosses to mock. In the meantime I hope that serious consideration of the actual challenges we face are addressed and the large majority of members, active and retired, can come to some understanding of how we can bust out of this cage that our handlers have constructed around us.
The MLC was to thoroughly assess the benefits of consolidating ~100 disparate welfare funds to achieve substantial, recurring l, administrative, operating, and capital expense savings; and to leverage enormous purchasing power to achieve unprecedented favorable welfare benefits for all. The magnitude of recurring saving is unparalleled and the only thing standing in the way of accomplishing this outcome, even in a phased fashion, is the unwillingness of individual union leaders to think outside of the narrow confines of their current models. The MLC fails to provide transparency and accountability to the human beings they are supposed to represent. Instead they implement programs that harm the physical, mental and emotional well-being of those that literally have no voice in the decision making process, elderly, infirm and disabled retirees.
UFT Unitiy members and in particular those that have signed pledges to be faithful to MM need to take a long look in the mirror as ask themselves, what is to become of their personal legacy and how do want their creator to judge them when they reach the preverbal fork in the road. Honesty, integrity, respect for others are the traits everyone should promote .
AWESOME Mr.Goldstein there are more peasants then lords and barrens , let the peasant revolt begin and bring forth reform !!! Job well done
Thanks for your kind words.
The MLC was to thoroughly assess the sustained benefits of consolidating all of the welfare funds ( ~100) with an eye towards substantially reducing administrative costs, operating costs such as rent, leveraging huge purchasing powers to effect positive improvements in benefits and ultimately enormous sustained material saving that would absolutely negate the need to screw elderly, infirm and disabled retirees forevermore- period, exclamation point.
Yes absolutely. They could, for example. consolidate the Welfare Funds. Of course, that means fewer patronage jobs. It's about values.
Well done
Sir Arthur Goldstein
Knight of the Union Reform Table
Thank you Ben. Alas, I am a lowly commoner, like yourself. But times are changing.
As the Queen mother of Weingarten watches in despair as her rival the maiden Pizzitola of
Staten Island stirs the Queen’s subjects to dethrone the King and his lackeys.
Alas, it is so. The fact is Marianne is doing the job we pay Mulgrew and his Unity aristocrats to do.
Will you be joining Marianne soon on one of our Friday Night Updates? Would love to hear and see you and Bennett on there with her! I so enjoy reading Union Matters.
I will if she invites me.
I’m sure she will when she gets a chance to breathe. She has been extremely busy as of late. I’m so glad you will say yes when she does. ❤️🌼
Ah, you can still write it. I am sure this one will get under his skin.
Well, I know a Unity email went out right after I crowned Mulgrew, criticizing the post. That's why I followed up immediately. I'd been planning to wait. I'm still working out details of how to adapt the story, but I'm getting there. I also have to ask Dan Alicea for a family-friendly graphic. He did the last two, and his work is brilliant.
This is great! I know it’s serious but I had to laugh while reading it that is how perfectly accurate this is! Thank you for publishing it!
Thanks for your kind words, Kathy!
🤣 Arthur, you're a genius!
I'm not, but thanks for your kind words!
Could King in waiting Sir Leroy Barr explain to the serfs why his Highness,King Mulgrew, agreed to give the City 600 million dollars a year forever for a three year contract. His Heinous (I mean Highness) has never lowered himself to explain this deal to his subjects.
First, I don't know whether LeRoy is next in line for succession. It doesn't matter who it is because it's the same machine regardless. More importantly, I absolutely agree that Unity has nothing to say to our prime issues. They make cute comments, insult us, accuse us of consorting with the enemy for affiliating with those who support our cause, and absolutely avoid the issue. They believe Mulgrew's stunt at AFT somehow meant something. Well, it did not. We need actions, not words, and Unity has provided absolutely nothing of substance.
Well done!
Thank you Herb!
Mr Goldstein!!!! You are a true hero!!! Absolutely let the revolt begin and count me in!!!!
Thanks for your kind words. The revolt began with last year's election and shall continue with the next. And King Mulgrew shall return, probably next week.
This is no Game of Thrones but The Game of a fool. This Emperor is now as naked as a new born babe.
I almost wish you hadn't said that, because I have been seriously considering Mulgrew's New Clothes as Chapter 3 of this Saga.
Been away for a few days and just read this AMAZING piece you've written! I'm in awe with how you keep doing such a damn good job getting the truth across through parody. Thank you, Arthur -and additional cheers to Dan for his ongoing hilarious graphics!
Thanks. Yes, these would not be remotely as effective without these great creations.
I thought Mulgrew supported Med disadvantage as a trade off to settle a contract under the Di Blasio administration that was left over from Bloomberg. A sizable amount of back pay just got larger as time went on but the real sticking point was that Bloomberg refused to settle unless the UFT give up city wide seniority in license area. By sacrificing retiree medicare the city would be eligible for Federal $ which sweetened the deal for Di Blasio who did not require that the union give up seniority. It was a terrible tradeoff but all this personal satire directed at Mulgrew and Barr is a distraction from the immediate challenge posed by the exploding cost of health care, which is the rock, pressing both UFT retirees and active members against a hard place, the Taylor law, which makes it illegal to strike. What changes by removing Adams or Mulgrew and Barr? What is the way out of this situation? It is hoped that a replacement for Adams would drop the appeals and leave the retirees in Medicare. The city, under a new mayor, can now plead poverty at the bargaining table and demand that active members pay more for benefits or receive less in salary increments etc etc. Isn't this what Mulgrew was trying to avoid by selling out the retirees? The federal government (under both Dem and Repub admins?) is incentivizing the privatization of medicare for government employees. Local governments, that are unable to print money, use it as a bargaining chip in contract negotiations. Adams has now been elevated in the ongoing satire to "Emperor" lording over the King Mulgrew, what does that make the Biden-Harris Justice department and the FBI who seem poised to depose "Emperor" Adams? I urge our talented court jesters to climb further up the bean stalk in search of even bigger bosses to mock. In the meantime I hope that serious consideration of the actual challenges we face are addressed and the large majority of members, active and retired, can come to some understanding of how we can bust out of this cage that our handlers have constructed around us.
We get it but satire is an art and the point is that Mulgrew treats his membership with contempt.
The MLC was to thoroughly assess the benefits of consolidating ~100 disparate welfare funds to achieve substantial, recurring l, administrative, operating, and capital expense savings; and to leverage enormous purchasing power to achieve unprecedented favorable welfare benefits for all. The magnitude of recurring saving is unparalleled and the only thing standing in the way of accomplishing this outcome, even in a phased fashion, is the unwillingness of individual union leaders to think outside of the narrow confines of their current models. The MLC fails to provide transparency and accountability to the human beings they are supposed to represent. Instead they implement programs that harm the physical, mental and emotional well-being of those that literally have no voice in the decision making process, elderly, infirm and disabled retirees.
UFT Unitiy members and in particular those that have signed pledges to be faithful to MM need to take a long look in the mirror as ask themselves, what is to become of their personal legacy and how do want their creator to judge them when they reach the preverbal fork in the road. Honesty, integrity, respect for others are the traits everyone should promote .
Good points MW, but when your job depends on following party line, they're exceedingly tough to follow.