Why Do We Need a Vibrant Opposition?

Checks and balances are key to a democracy.

We need a vibrant opposition not only in RTC, but in UFT as a whole. Unity battles that concept, tooth and nail. We are here, as a matter of fact, to fight that.

A year ago, we were elected, and we had a mandate. I’d thought I was part of Retiree Advocate, but quickly learned otherwise. A dozen people in RA ran on a ticket with me, stressing a very popular issue, and giving less importance to their personal issues. Since being elected, they’ve reversed their priorities.

I’ve given a lot of thought to what we need to do if we wish to hold onto the RTC or win the next officer election. It’s possible if we work together and craft a message that will resonate. It’s not really happening now. Some things are apparent, and must be addressed sooner rather than later.

1. We were elected specifically to battle Unity’s plan to diminish our health insurance.

This is key, and those Retiree Advocate members who are paid to sit at 52 Broadway, doing Whatever It Is they do there, have forgotten that. They are indulging their own political desires, virtue signaling, and ignoring those of us who elected them. I was very interested in running with them, as I thought I could help keep members informed, but I have no interest in working at UFT answering phones and email. Others can do that as well or better than I can, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.

As for keeping members informed, we’re far from where we should be. For example, the other day there was a rally to support 1096. Rather than pull out all the stops, as far as I can tell, a few emails were sent to members of the Executive Board, and SOME elected delegates. Maybe half a dozen of us showed up.

This was a failure, and it wasn’t our first. We failed to petition to support 1096, and we failed to file an amicus brief for Bentkowski. I lobbied for both in the RTC Executive Board. The self-appointed Retiree Advocate leaders, amazingly, did not deem it important, and quashed it. I pursued, and continue to pursue these efforts in collaboration with Marianne Pizzitola and NYC Retirees. If you contribute to them, they’ll put you on their email list and you’ll get a lot of info RTC does not bother to provide.

2. Unity is not fighting for us.

We specifically, and overwhelmingly voted to support 1096. Unity, against our express wishes, actively lobbies against us. This is intolerable, and demonstrates in no uncertain terms that representing us is not a priority for them.

3. Unity has lied to us over and over.

You know the saying—Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. Unity sold us a bill of goods with the Medicare Advantage plan, not once, but twice. We didn’t buy it. Mulgrew said all of our doctors would take it. When we asked them, they told us it wasn’t true.

Mulgrew walked it back, but didn’t really correct himself. Now he wants us to believe that every doctor will take the new plan he hatched with his BFFs at the MLC. Maybe he’s right, but all we have is his word. We know how good that is.

I’m ashamed to admit it, but I supported the 2014 contract. It appeared ordinary, something that would give us a boost just at or near cost of living. It was only years later that I learned about Appendix B, and its enabling Medicare Advantage for us. Mulgrew assured us that there would be no increased co-pays and no extreme changes in health care. That was a lie, and we all know it.

4. We need to see the fine print.

Given the experience we share, we would be remiss not to demand to see the entire contract. We would be not only remiss, but also kind of foolish to accept Mulgrew and Unity at their word, ever, let alone at such a crucial juncture. For them to stand up, in front of God and everybody, and say that only members of Unity’s hand-picked health committee can see redacted versions of the contract, is outrageous.

It’s clear that Unity excluded ABC from this committee because they knew we’d ask questions. It’s clear that Unity dominated the committee with people who depend on patronage to keep their nice gigs in clean offices. It’s further clear that Mulgrew is firing anyone who dares question his authority.

There are neither checks nor balances in this committee.

5. Retiree Advocate is failing to stand up for us.

There are five Retiree Advocate members of the health committee. Four of them showed up to this crucial meeting. While I heard varying stories, there was a vote, there was no vote, and whatever, what I last heard is that there was a vote, and all of them voted yes. That makes them complicit, and that makes them just another unimportant part of the rubber stamp health committee.

We deserve better, and we voted for better. If it’s too much for Unity to share the actual contract with us, we should know better than to allow them to get away with it. We voted for change, and what we’re getting is more of the same. People who lie need to be challenged, forced to level with us. Unity, repeatedly, has proven unworthy of our trust, and Retiree Advocate is failing to advocate for retirees, let alone in-service members.

The ridiculous, convoluted process to get a hundred bucks in copays is nothing more than excessive paperwork, precisely what we fought against as active members. Unity placed hoops for us to jump through and treats us like criminals. Rather than demand improvements, RA’s Bennett Fischer, on this page, defended this process and falsely claimed it was no more cumbersome than other SHIP processes. If we wanted someone to defend Unity’s campaign shenanigans, we’d have voted for Tom Murphy.

6. Retiree Advocate organizes for other unions, but not for us.

It’s fine to go to meetings and listen to how Retiree Advocate organized for this or that cause. I have no issue with it. It bothers me, though, to hear how proud they are that Unity organized some similar committee. Being an example for Unity is nothing to boast about. You won’t see Unity, for example, at demonstrations for 1096, or against Mulgrew’s anti-union, arbitrary and capricious firings.

In fact, you’re unlikely to see much of Retiree Advocate there, either. I saw two of them the other day and the NYC Retirees event. Another, I’m told, was busy at a Zoom meeting, organizing stuff for that political committee of theirs. Given how important 1096 is, if I were that member, I’d have not only cancelled that meeting, but also dragged each and every participant to the demonstration.

Retiree Advocate is failing to step up where we need them to.

7. Unity snookers Retiree Advocate.

When we, ABC, made an issue of the re-amortization plan, RA’s Bennett Fischer accompanied Michael Mulgrew to Florida, and praised the trustees who specifically flagged our posts and insinuated we were liars. He praised their presentation. He further pushed through a resolution saying we opposed the program at this time. In conversations with Bennett, I was unable to convey the fact that opposing it at this time suggested we may not oppose it at any other time.

I’m told Unity would not have passed it without this language. The reason for this language should be obvious to anyone.

I don’t know precisely why the resolution RA introduced about health changes was modified from going to rank and file, as Daniel Alicea suggested in the petition, to the Delegate Assembly. That weakened it considerably, as the DA continues to act as Unity’s rubber stamp. I suspect Unity asked for those changes. If not, it means Retiree Advocate fell down even though no one pushed them.

We can do better. The fact is Unity only allows resolutions to come to the floor when they approve them. That’s why the misguided co-pay resolution hasn’t come to the floor. I wrote the first draft of this resolution for the RTC. Unless it is seriously modified, it will have no appeal for rank and file members, who pay more in co-pays than we do, and are unaware we pay not only premiums for pharmacy, but also a lot more in drug co-pays.

8. ABC is real opposition.

We’re ready and willing to fight Unity. We will not take them at their word. That’s why they’re so intent on shutting us out. That’s why none of our members were selected for the health committee. And let’s be honest—it’s dominated by Unity, so even if we voted no it would pass.

The day after the election, I reached out to the two people I deem to control Retiree Advocate. I said we needed to find a way to work together. Months later, though three other RA members have approached me and expressed interest, I’ve received a direct response from neither of the two.

This suggests to me that they’re interested in virtue signaling, appearing important at RTC meetings, and continuing to exercise the very little actual power they have. However, I’m perfectly willing to be proven wrong.

I’m real opposition, and I’m here every day.