As of 2:30pm today UFT HAS announced NO DEAL on evaluations. The rally outside the DA is directed against the junk science teacher eval schemes that are being foisted upon us, and demands that the rank and file have a say in a ratification of any agreement. It calls for our union to end the self destructive “collaboration” with union hating corporate “reformers” and politicians in both political parties. It is our union even when it is wrong. The rally is not against the UFT leadership.
Since there wasn’t an agreement it signals an intensification of the anti union campaign and we have to be prepared to join in the defense of our union even while we challenge its leaders in the upcoming election. No agreement means that Bloomberg and his cronies feel they can better advance their anti union/privatization program by smearing the UFT for forfeiting the increased state aid money. However, it will also represent a recognition by the union leadership of the limits of what they can sell to an angry UFT rank and file.
We demand a decent contract, decent working and learning conditions and an end to the mayoral dictatorship which former UFT President Weingarten helped to put in place. We are calling for the UFT leadership to mobilize the rank and file members, organize the membership and join the growing movement against the corporate takeover of public education.
I do not believe we have to join in the defense of our union while challenging the leadership. Being politically correct and staying silent at crucial junctures in the
deformer onslaughthas not gotten us anywhere for the past three
years, and gives more confidence to the UFT that they do not have to fight to
defend our jobs. If MORE is going to be the true defender of teachers, then it
needs to be truthful all the time. The media still does not report how disconnected
we feel from our union. Let’s keep on telling it like it is.