BAD PRODUCE AND THE CLEAN UP CREW
A JACK HAMMER EXCLUSIVE
When life gives you lemons ... you throw them away and go get yourself something good to drink. Good advice. Unity's leadership consists of a mountain of lemons that have been inefficient and ineffectual at protecting our interests (Think about the $200,000 to finance a documentary about the UFT charter school, or the millions wasted on writing curriculum -- paid for with our union dues! Not to mention the abomination of a contract they negotiated). Well, recently Unity has unleashed its minions on us. Unity hacks and lackeys have been given a mission. They have become the "clean up crew" and have been sent out to do some damage control. With elections for chapter leaders and delegates coming up they are suddenly concerned about the fallout from the contract. They have invested lots of time and energy into trying to convince us that Unity is actually doing something for us. A Unity hack in the form of a Vice Pres. was sent to my school to explain to us how we really don't understand what Unity is doing for us. It only seems like they aren't doing much for us, but they really are -- we just don't understand it, so we should take their word for it. When asked by a fellow UTPer why the District Reps. can't be elected by the membership the reply was something along the lines of how the membership would elect people that were incompetent, and Randi knows what's best for us, so we should just let her appoint DR's because its just better that way. Not too insulting! Common sense tells us that a "representative" should be elected by and accountable to the people they represent, but I guess thats a concept the Unity hack couldn't grasp. Why these people are paid six figure salaries, and receive double pensions (paid for from our union dues) is beyond me. Imagine a politician arguing that the American Pres. should appoint all the members of congress because "he knows better." Not very democratic is it?
I have a radical idea ... instead of Unity wasting so much time and energy trying to convince us that they are doing so much for us, why don't they put this kind of time and energy into actually doing something for us! If these people were working to benefit us, instead of coming to our schools to explain why we should be electing Unity chapter leaders and delegates things could be different. If they got the job done they wouldn't need a clean up crew to do damage control. I think its clear that Unity only cares about Unity, and not the rank and file members, why else would they be showing up to tell us how great they are right at election time. If they were really doing such a great job their record would speak for itself. They are worried that we may replace some Unity chapter leaders and delegates, so they send out the tentacles to mop up the mess. Lets throw out these lemons. Vote out every Unity chapter leader and delegate. Lets break Unity's dictatorial stranglehold on this union. A more democratic union, with more than one voice to represent the membership can only be good. We have a chance to create a more militant, more democratic UFT. If we don't do it now it will be more of the same for many years.
When life gives you lemons ... you throw them away and go get yourself something good to drink. Good advice. Unity's leadership consists of a mountain of lemons that have been inefficient and ineffectual at protecting our interests (Think about the $200,000 to finance a documentary about the UFT charter school, or the millions wasted on writing curriculum -- paid for with our union dues! Not to mention the abomination of a contract they negotiated). Well, recently Unity has unleashed its minions on us. Unity hacks and lackeys have been given a mission. They have become the "clean up crew" and have been sent out to do some damage control. With elections for chapter leaders and delegates coming up they are suddenly concerned about the fallout from the contract. They have invested lots of time and energy into trying to convince us that Unity is actually doing something for us. A Unity hack in the form of a Vice Pres. was sent to my school to explain to us how we really don't understand what Unity is doing for us. It only seems like they aren't doing much for us, but they really are -- we just don't understand it, so we should take their word for it. When asked by a fellow UTPer why the District Reps. can't be elected by the membership the reply was something along the lines of how the membership would elect people that were incompetent, and Randi knows what's best for us, so we should just let her appoint DR's because its just better that way. Not too insulting! Common sense tells us that a "representative" should be elected by and accountable to the people they represent, but I guess thats a concept the Unity hack couldn't grasp. Why these people are paid six figure salaries, and receive double pensions (paid for from our union dues) is beyond me. Imagine a politician arguing that the American Pres. should appoint all the members of congress because "he knows better." Not very democratic is it?
I have a radical idea ... instead of Unity wasting so much time and energy trying to convince us that they are doing so much for us, why don't they put this kind of time and energy into actually doing something for us! If these people were working to benefit us, instead of coming to our schools to explain why we should be electing Unity chapter leaders and delegates things could be different. If they got the job done they wouldn't need a clean up crew to do damage control. I think its clear that Unity only cares about Unity, and not the rank and file members, why else would they be showing up to tell us how great they are right at election time. If they were really doing such a great job their record would speak for itself. They are worried that we may replace some Unity chapter leaders and delegates, so they send out the tentacles to mop up the mess. Lets throw out these lemons. Vote out every Unity chapter leader and delegate. Lets break Unity's dictatorial stranglehold on this union. A more democratic union, with more than one voice to represent the membership can only be good. We have a chance to create a more militant, more democratic UFT. If we don't do it now it will be more of the same for many years.
posted by A Strong, Proud UTP Member at 4/27/2006 10:21:00 PM
10 Comments:
In addition to the clean-up crew there seems to be a use of the rubber room and U-observations against people who have been critical of Unity. The UFT is not all that much out of favor as they pretend.
Distortion and lies- A typical UTP response to Unity's attempt to include you in meaningful and constructive dialogue. You react to everything like spoiled children throwing a temper tantrum.
We may be "spoiled children" but each and every one of us has their own set of tools and we ain't afraid to use 'em, okay tough guy?
How do you engage in "meaningful and constructive dialogue" with a group of people who only exist to server themselves at our expense? Unity obviously has a "protect our own" policy. So we have to break their power base, and make sure our union protects all dues paying members. If thats throwing a "temper tantrum" then hell yeah, we're throwing a temer tantrum! I wonder if Unity is working in conjuction with the CSA and the DOE to make sure we get U-ratings.
If that was Unity's attempt to include us in meaningful and contructive dialogue they have a long way to go! The VP would not answer a question w/o asking another question. His constant rolling of eyes as questions were asked was pitiful.He got tired of answering questions that were already asked at the session before and said we should have been there. Sorry, I had a class to teach.
The final outcome was everyhting we said was wrong and everything he said was correct. Nice dialogue.
This is how I know that Unity IS the problem: I've gone to the DA (the contract proposal one, for example), with a long time Unity friend and CL. He was on a tirade about how bad the proposal was, especially giving up the line on letters in file, and how it was a danger to all the members. BUT when the time came, he raised his card and voted YES. YES YES YES.
That's what it means to be Unity.
Screw the members. Unity comes first.
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