The Times They Are A' Changin'
The precipitous drop in temperature indicates that either Hell has frozen over, or that Teachers For A Just Contract have actually stepped out of Bedrock and joined the other opposition groups. No, they haven't done anything so bold as to get their candidate's name out there, or leaflet some schools, or contact the rest of opposition; no, it's a little more basic than that. They have a blog--of sorts. Of course they have 20 articles showing and have more zeros posted than Randi has on her check. Still, it's progress. At this rate, we can expect Kit to be known by everyone in his school by the time Randi kicks his ass in the spring.
Have a cup of coffee and head over to their wildly entertaining site:
www.teachersforajustcontract.org
Have a cup of coffee and head over to their wildly entertaining site:
www.teachersforajustcontract.org
posted by A Strong, Proud UTP Member at 12/20/2006 06:37:00 PM
106 Comments:
I thought you guys supported the ICE/TJC slate, what happened? Have you gone over to the Unity side? Now you seem to be turning on your peers.
Teachers that are honestly interested in changing our union will pay no attention to you. ICE members have a deep concern that goes beyond "teacher interests" and represents a global responsibility to others. Web sites like NYC Educator tackles issues that better the educational experience of our children. The UTP only succeeds in offending the sensibilities of educators everywhere.
I love UTP. Not only do they have an uncanny ability to express the truth, but they're damn funny when they do it . That in itself is a blessing for any NYC Public School Teacher. And that's the truth. I say Max Factor for the Executive Board. And that's the truth. I'm waiting for my two sheds also.
In lieu of two sheds or $750, we suggest two pensions.
Shhhhh. Don’t tell any teachers in New York about this---
Excuse me most honorable critics at UTP:
With great temerity I post here some information about the fact that 50% of the secondary school teachers went out on strike in France on December 18 over having to work longer hours and as a protest against the planned obligation for teachers to teach subjects which are not their specialty (a French teacher being obliged to teach history, for example) and the plan to make teachers teach in schools in different towns.
But why would you be intersted in freak’n France?
Oh, I know. Recent posts will strike a cord in good old Vichy –
I surrender!
Let us know when you are teaching half your day in Hoboken.
The FRENCH!! I heard that school bus loads of German teachers are movin' in and taking over.
Maybe if ICE moves to France then they'd write about issues that effect us for a change for a change.
I'm packin' my bags and heading out toward the western skys.
Goodbye New York. Hello Hoboken.
How would you know about German teachers? Maybe Leo was right.
Seniors in UTP,
Teachers in Mexico have heard you are upset at our friends in ICE for informing teachers in New York about our struggles against bullets, beatings and attacks by federal police. Do not be mad at them, for they know not what they do. We do not wish to disturb you with the news that our teachers have shut down an entire province and caused a crisis in the entire nation, while gathering support from people all over our poor country and from teacher groups around the United States who are picketing Mexican consultates in support of our actions.
We do not wish to disturb the carma of your blog. We know that you and the teachers in New York also take action. That you emerge from your schools once or twice a year wearing multi-color armbands to march around for 10 minutes. The teachers in Mexico standing in the rubble of their barricades destroyed by federal police supported by the Bush administration cheered when they heard of your brave actions.
Some of our teacher friends in New York will be at the Mexican consultate this Friday even though it is the last day of school before the holiday. It is possible that even some people in Unity Caucus might be there. I know, I know, they all must be crazy to actually care about something so passionately. Better to remain sane like you.
Please join the NYC Oaxaca Solidarity Network
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22nd
International Day of Solidarity with The Peoples struggle in OAXACA, MEXICO
• 4:30pm Consulate General of Mexico
27 E. 39th Street between Park & Madison
• 6 PM we will march to
Rockefeller Center
45 Rockefeller Plaza
W. 50th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues
Our Demands are
For the living reappearance of the disappeared,
for the freedom of the detained,
for the exit of the governor Ulises Ruiz and the federal forces from Oaxaca,
for the punishment of those guilty of torture, rape and murder,
for liberty, democracy, and justice for the people of Oaxaca.
We don't give a shit about the French or the Mexican teachers.
We want Unity out.
Unity out.
Unity destroyed.
They are killing us.
So, set your house in order, first.
Fix this first, then we'll send Norm over to save the French (again).
Anybody that is not Unity gets our support: Manson, the Shah, Roger Waters. Anybody.
But the clique known as TJC have done a shitty job in getting the meassage out there. They wanted to carry the ball, right? Now, when they fail, and fall on their face, they have to take the hit.
They suck.
Who needs New Action? Unity has nothing to fear. Nobody knows TJC at all.
The French teachers who went on strike over working more time are a great inspiration. We could learn from them that it isn't hopeless if we had a real union in NYC.
The strike in the secondary schools on December 18 was an unexpected success. 37% of teachers went out on strike according to the ministry of education, and 55% according to the trade unions.
All of the trade unions, even the most right-wing ones, which are satellites of fascist Le Pen, backed the strike.
The minister of education says that the size of the strike was just a complaint by teachers about having to work longer hours (he plans to eliminate the reduction in teaching time accorded to teachers who are responsible for classes that are preparing for the baccalauréat exam).
According to today's Canard enchaîné, the size of the strike is an indication of more than that -- a protest against the planned obligation for teachers to teach subjects which are not their specialty (a French teacher being obliged to teach history, for example) and the plan to make teachers teach in schools in different towns -- half your teaching service in one town, the other half in another town.
The Canard enchaîné says that this reform is just one more in a long line of attacks on the teaching profession. French teachers are the worst paid in Europe according to the right-wing SNALC trade union. About 25,000 teaching jobs have been eliminated in the past three years. Teachers face more and more violence from students. Turnover leads to unstable teaching teams; the best teachers, who can get a job elsewhere, are leaving; the schools lack money, etc.
The Canard enchaîné observes that all this has resulted, over the past ten years, in more and more parents being forced to hire private tutors to teach their children what they don't learn in public school, or if they have the money, sending their children to private (in France, that means Catholic) schools.
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I couldn't care less about French teachers, Mexican teachers, Yugoslavian teachers or anyone else for that matter. I do care about NYC teachers because I see our rights eroding. I think this site has hit the nail on the head. There seems to be no focus or direction coming from ICE or TJC in regard to the spring election.
Yes utp, you MUST be wrong because the sensitive, weepy nerducators that infest our union say so.
Grow a backbone and lets take the fight to Unity.
Viva le France!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What the hell do teachers in France and Mexico have to do with us?? Global responsibilites?? Fuck that. More left wing propaganda. For those of us who aren't liberals, we say... lets worry about what is happening here! Why do these people think they are morally superior to everyone else? Just because they whine about the third world they think they have a "conscience" and of course everyone who doesn't share their concerns is "ignorant". Seems to me they are elitists who have done nothing to improve our conditions. I hope I have offended the sensibilites of educators everywhere, so far they have proven to be good for nothing multi-cultural, politically correct diversity whores.
Snakehead your knowledge of economics, political science and sociology astounds me. I didn't know that France is in the third world.
After reading this blog, it's no wonder that teachers in NYC approve horrible contracts and won't stand up and fight for themselves like they do in France. People probably hear your cynicism and think, "That's the opposition to Randi; I'm staying away from the opposition."
Showing people that in a Western nation like France that teachers went on strike and won because they refused to work a longer day could convince some people to wake up here.
My guess is that Unity will use what you say about the opposition in their literature in the spring. Your attacks do nobody any good except for Unity.
I suggest that you show up at an ICE or TJC meeting and tell them what you think. Certainly not everyone in ICE is left wing and they would welcome the debate.
I like your fighting spirit Snakehead. The way you show up to fight democracy, and specifically, district reps. There you were at the barricades at the Executive Board meeting and the delegate assembly fighting against Unity. And the entire city was flooded with leaflets you put out. Nice to see you put your money where your mouth is.
Of course, the elitists in ICE and TJC do nothing about Unity, year after year, day after day, getting sent to rubber rooms while you lob grenades from the safety of anonymity. Waiting for others to fight your battles for you seems to be a good modus operendi for people who are phony militants.
That TJC has been working at this consistently for 15 years and ICE for 3 years, battling Unity every day is disparaged as you trivialize their work.
TJC reaches into hundreds of schools, contacts they built up after so many years (15) of mainstaking effort. At the rate you are getting your message out, you will equal the work of TJC and ICE in, say, about the year 4006. Keep up the good work.
How would you know what the Snake does?
Although not a Delegate, he has, in fact, been to the DA, handed out flyers, created a web site, deluged his school with ICE/TJC/UTP literature,etc.
It seems his criticism is that ICE, in particular, lacks focus.Anyone that reads ICE-mail knows that is true. And although I support reform of our union, I've removed myself from Ice-mail: there is just too much bs.
The reality is that TJC may reach hundreds of schools (I doubt it), but it Doesn't reach thousands and thousands.
TJC is running the candidate. It's on them to get it done. It's nice that you think you're doing great, but you're doing a rotten job.
All criticisms of TJC and ICE must stop. Any further negative remarks will be deleted.(Just like Unity!)
Do you realize--you heartless ICE bastards--that the snake has to slither to work?
Where is your compassion?
If he was a French or Mexican snake it would be different, wouldn't it?
But he's an American snake, from NYC, so you don't like him.
Hypocrites!
If I had to be in a fox hole with anyone it would be the snakehead. I'd rather have one snakehead watching my back than any or all of the ICE/TJC/Unity weezles put together. He's also one hell of a snappy dresser and a TRUE American hero (in the classical tradition).
What's the matter Icicles- can't take a little truth? It was okay when these lunatics went after Randi and Unity (for good reason) but now that you guys are fumbling the ball and they call you on it you don't like it do you? Are you going to start calling them Nazis too?
Are you going to delete their criticism?
This is more fun than Rosie and the Donald.
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What I'd like to know is where is the ICE/TJC election information. I haven't seen anything in my school. We have received a mailing from the UTP but that was last year - since then nothing.
I can understand the frustration that is growing among teachers that are fed up with the way Unity
has been handling things and want to see some defining action from the ICE/TJC slate.
I don't think that the UTP should unleash the dogs on ICE or TJC either because this only gives ammunition to the Unity supporters.
If the UTP is so angry with the apparent inactivity of
the opposition they should try to find out what's going on rather than deliver their annual "seasons beatings".
There has to be a better way to get the opposition moving.
I think the ICE/TJC supporters in the above posts have made my point. Where do they get these people? The facts stand for all to see, ICE/TJC have dropped the ball. They wasted so much time fighting against a contract that everyone knew would be ratified by a large margin, instead of sticking to the issue at hand. All their energy needed to be directed at the upcoming election in the spring. They had a chance to capitalize on the discontent of the membership, anti-unity sentiment was at an all time high. They had a chance to galvanize their base, to solidify their platform, and attract new people into the opposition. Instead, they squandered every opportunity to gain ground. They should have been pounding on the one important issue of voting Unity out, they should have made their platform and their candidates known. What they chose to do was engage in a pointless and divisive debate over an issue that was a done deal from the start. It cost them time, energy, and ultimately supporters, and in the end the contract was overwhelmingly ratified anyway. They turn people off when they waste time debating positions on the war in Iraq, and discussing political, economic, and social problems overseas. Both ICE and TJC lack focus, they are supposedly union reform caucuses, why don't they just stick to that. Better to do one thing really well, rather than ten things half-assed. I respect that they have been around for years, but in a way that makes this all the more sad... what have they really accomplished in all those years? If their methods and tactics aren't getting them anywhere at what point do they change? I fear it may be too late to rectify the damage that has been done. There are many members who are completely unfamiliar with ICE or TJC - what have they done to change that - as the election is fast approaching. The silence is deafening.
I believe that the information blitz should have started last year. We offered to put up information from ICE/TJC on this web site.
We offered to do Staten Island mailings to schools and to write about the obvious disconnect that exists between the Unity caucus and the members.
We expressed our willingness to help fund raise for the campaign.
What has happened since September? I guess you can figure that out for yourself.
We waited quietly for the information to come- nothing came.
Valuable time that could have been used to continue to point out the horrors of the '06 contract and the obvious Bloomberg/UFT connection did not appear enough- instead a debate over an inconsequential contract that was little more than a smoke screen to mask the real issue became the focus- the real issue was and is the failure of Unity to secure a reasonable contract in the first place.
Go to the LHS RIP to see your union in action.
Hey Max-
Who says anyone has to move to YOUR time table?
Do you think trying to get back some of what we've
lost is "inconsequential"!
ICE/TJC are actually running a slate and taking action and they don't have to answer to you (utp) or anyone else. They are DOING something!
From A Very Proud ICE Member-
ICE will be meeting on December 27th and the election is issue one. You're all invited UTPers. The strongest slate that an opposition group has ever put together is being formed.
To see what is going on in ICE, please check out the ICE blog and forget the ICEMail that anyone who signs up for can post on. ICE mail does not necessarily reflect the views of ICE.
You pretty much see union issues and nothing but union issues on the ICEBLOG.
A slate needs candidates before it can campaign. I'm glad to see that ICE-TJC have formed a coalition and are putting candidates together to run in the election.
It's easy to criticize from the outside. Come on and join the opposition slate UTP. Your ideas are welcome.
Go ICE-TJC in 07!
We were asked, months ago, to run on the slate. We agreed, and the UTP will front 4 or 5 candidates for fodder. Although we have no political ambitions, we agreed to help out in that way. Nothing has changed in that regard. Many of us simply feel that TJC is not doing enough. That's all.
Coal Head what do you want TJC to do? Go to a meeting and tell them how you feel. It's easy to write on the blog but it's harder to actually get involved.
We met them. We offered our help in a variety of ways. We spoke. They remained aloof. No further contact was made.
With ICE, we have had dinner, and we talk constantly. ICE works with us and everyone.
ICE will work with anyone and everyone who will fight against Unity including the French resistance.
You don't like it do you ICE/TJC/Unity? I'm done trying to reach you dildoids. Work your collection of losers and I'll work with mine.
I wish I could understand the last comment but what exactly are dildoids? And, is ICE and TJC being merged with Unity? I don't get it. At least make the insults so that a regular teacher could understand them. Sorry for my lack of knowledge.
I agree with the UTP the opposition has failed!
It's not an insult- they are all cut from the same cloth and wear identical pork pie hats.
A few days ago TJC had comments enabled on their site, but now they are gone. What happened?
No political party should be in power for half a century. None.
Unity has really stuck it to us, and they need to go. It was a foregone conclusion the contract would pass the beaten-down, demoralized rank and file. Not ICE, not TJC, not UTP has the resources to match a well-oiled well-funded political machine like Unity -New Action.
But I will oppose them vigorously, and I will tell everyone I can and do everything I can to spread the word.
I will not lay down and die, as they'd like us all to do. And I will not teach my child or my students to give up their principles. The UFT is our union, and it behooves us to take it back.
I agree completely with NYC educator and believe that knowledge is the working teachers ultimate power. The more aware the rank and file becomes of the way the Unity caucus operates, from the stacked delegate assembly votes to the consistent lack of services they impose on their own dues paying members, the better chances become for constructive change.
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Two comments were deleted because they were posted two times, another was spam.
ICE/TJC are going to get slaughtered in this election. Everyone knows that. Unity will dominate in almost every area. It has been like that for decades, what has really changed? How is this strongest ICE/TJC slate ever when nobody has even heard of the candidates who are running? What has ICE and TJC really accomplished in our union? I would like a serious answer to that, its not an insult or an attack... its a question. Hopefully they won't get all sensitive and whine about how I'm criticizing them and someone will answer the question.
I can't answer that question, nor have I heard anyone saying this is their strongest slate ever. Nor have I said it.
I was always pro-union, but fairly apolitical about the UFT till the 05 contract. Actually, I thought the previous contract was short-sighted, in that we gave up time. I couldn't help but remember all those zeroes we'd taken, and foresaw the distinct possibility of future zeroes, and the possibility we'd eventually be working extra time for nothing.
The 05 contract, though, was a monstrosity. All those givebacks and we didn't even meet inflation. And all those patronabe employees on Edwize pimping it.
It's hard to get the word out. I may have voted for New Action in the last election because I didn't understand who they were until very recently, largely from my blog.
Most teachers don't know that a raise is when you get more money for doing the same job. Most teachers don't know that if the raise fails to meet cost of living, you actually make less money, even though the number appears higher.
Most teachers have no idea what the Unity Caucus is, and most teachers don't understand why High School vice-presidents are voted at large so that the elementary teachers can help us choose.
I do not fault ICE for opposing the contract, and I do not fault myself for opposing it either. I didn't put much energy into it, as I didn't see much point.
As for the general election, we can try and do better, or we can give up. For me, the latter is simply out of the question.
I don't care how much money they have or how many people they've bought. The 05 contract was an atrocity, and I'm reminded of it every day during hall duty. We don't need a union to move us backwards. Klein could do that all by himself.
Leo Casey may indeed be spending an extra hour a week playing Minesweeper at UFT HQ.
But I, for one, am not going to sit on my ass and wait till the Absent Teacher Reserve comes looking for me.
Thanks NYC educator.
I was responding to a post from anonymous dated 12/23/2006 2:33 PM
"The strongest slate that an opposition group has ever put together is being formed."
The post is above just follow the times posted.
I'm still hoping for some answers here.
This is far from the stongest slate ever in the UFT election. In the past there were slates that were much stronger. New Action even won the high school VP once and in the early 90's had 11 members of the Ex bd.
Snakehead makes valid points about ICE/TJC and we are certainly open to criticism. I did want to put a few things in perspective.
When the long-time New Action opposition party openly sold out in 2003 there was a real vacuum. They had a pretty exensive infrastructure that went over to the service of Unity.
Basically, ICE and TJC have tried to build an infrastructure from scratch.
TJC had never run before and was a very small group partly because most opposition people used to go to New Action during the 12 years of TJC. I give them credit for jumping into the breach in 2003 and I feel they did a very good job during fast changing conditions during the 04 election.
ICE emerged from a group of independents who had met through Ed Notes -- the kind of people that would shun any group that would have them -- they came together to fill the part of the breach that TJC wasn't filling for the 04 election. Both groups ran separately as did New Action so there were 4 slates on the ballot, many people were not aware New Action sold out and there was lots of confusion.
ICE and TJC never got a total slate together but did work together on the winnable 6 high school ex bd positions. And they did win over New Action but only because Randi blundered and did not run any Unity high school candidates. Unity actually got almost 60% of the high school vote. Thus they got "stuck" with Kaufman, Eterno, et al.
ICE's problem late 03/early 04 was trying to build a group from scratch while trying to run an election. Somewhat chaotic. I wasn't sure people would even want to continue after the election was over in April 2004. But they did.
Over the past 3 years both ICE and TJC seemed to make progress in outreach using different means. The big advantage this time is that they are running as one slate ICE/TJC so the ballot will have 3 groups -- Unity and New Action (endorsing Randi). That still will confuse some people.
Now as to the valid crticism as to where is the campaign so far, the reality is that there may only be enough bullets for a concentrated 2 month campaign as opposed to a longer time frame. That is reality based on limited manpower and the fact that energy levels seem to be down amongst the rank and file. I spoke to someone today who has been out of touch and she said she it so wiped out from the longer day that more activities seem to just too much. We're hoping that energy levels will rise when we come out of the vacation (the demented core people always have energy but can't do it without the others).
We expect Unity to win by a large margin but hope to win the high schools so those worms from New Action don't get in. In the process we hope to keep building an opposition with the help of people like Snakehead, the rest of the gang in UTP, NYC, etc.
I hope this isn't considered whining but an attempt to explain to Snakehead and Max why things are not going as well as they and we had hoped. We need you guys on board for the election and beyond. We may get our asses kicked but we and UTP and NYC and others will still be standing tall (and together I hope) when it is over.
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, I do appreciate it. I'm still not sure where this leaves us, and where it all goes in the end though.
Snakehead,
The question is whether you are looking short term or long term. If you view things from the perspective of winning and losing an election in the classic sense that is one thing.
But if the election is viewed as a possible building block towards an infrastructure that can ultimately reach into every school in the city as an effecive counterweight to Unity, that is another thing.
I did want to address the left wing issue you raised. Many left people do what they do about Mexico also do things in their own schools and get active in the union as part of their political principles. Thus, you often find a greater percentage of left people in opposition groups.
But it is clear that there is a significant group of people either to the right or who do not want to address issues other than those related to what is going on locally in their schools and union but are also anti-Unity. Only by bringing these 2 forces together can we hope to challenge Unity.
We had and have both forces represented in ICE and there has at times been a tug of war. Some people from both side of the issue have been less involved because they were not happy with one direction or another. We have decided that the only way to work together is to find a balance and that is reflected by what you see on the blog and on the website and what is discussed at meetings. 80 local/20 "other" seems to work.
ICE-mail is not always a true reflection as it is an open forum for many people not active in ICE and can go anywhere and is often dominated by just a few people passionate about their views that are not the views of ICE but their own.
Can we build something that can challenge Unity effectively where people like you feel comfortable working with people who you may not agree with politically? That will be an interesting question.
The fact that this struggle goes on in ICE at times may be part of the answer as to why we have not moved fast enough on the elections. Trying to make ICE as democratic as possible where everyone gets a say and we all try to reach consensus is slooooow. Truly trying not to be Unity. But it is still not clear what structures work effectively as an alternative to strong central top-down leadership.
Having a place where all points of view can be hashed out, where anyone who shows up whether officially part of ICE or not or even from other caucuses may result in a group that is inefficient, prone to delays, longwinded wordiness, etc. But in many ways not a bad place to be for the people actively involved who find some relief from the isolation one can so often feel in teaching. Maybe at times just a self-help group. But as everyone involved so often says, "We are what we are."
Speaking of long-winded, time to stop. GO J-E-T-S
Unity has been running things for 40 years. Unity has the money behind them to mount a strong campaign.
The election is in the spring. All the opposition groups have to work with is their web sites and their desire to expose the truth. I don't think anyone here is saying that the outside issues are without merit- but with such limited resources shouldn't there have been a constant parade of Unity failures. Where aren't there ANY articles from TJC anywhere but on the TJC site?- shouldn't they be putting out information about their candidate and their platform? Don't you think those articles could have been posted on the opposition web sites so they could have been printed and distributed in schools?
I believe this is called "action"- But what has been happening instead? Unity has often been accused of wasting time at the DA debating outside political issues while ignoring the needs of the members-sound familiar?
But this is the way it is so take a guess who will get screwed again.
Great work! Happy Holiday UTP!
Once again truth has come from the madhouse. Thank you UTP.
All the best!
Thanks for the fun reading.
TJC will be out with a piece of campaign literature after the vacation. They have also been putting out leaflets all year in the schools where they have contacts and have asked people to download any literature and distribute it. As someone more in touch with ICE I still feel TJC has done more in terms of getting information into the schools.
I'm glad to hear that TJC is putting out literature after the vacation-they could have waited until some time in July or August. If TJC had reached out to the other groups and individuals that are dissatisfied with Unity then literature could have been placed in schools where you don't have any direct contacts.
I usually don't agree with this web sites overkill approach but I have to admit that most of the time they are dead on target and this criticism is good example. Please get moving ICE/TJC.
It must be the holiday season,I can hear the sound of bones crunching. Thrashing the bs seems to have become a utp tradition.
It looks like ICE/TJC/Unity have become UTP chew toys.
ICE-TJC will be running a very strong opposition slate when one looks at how many chapter leaders, delegates and other union activists are running from across the city.
The opposition won 13 seats in 1991 on the executive board without nearly as many strong candidates from all over the city. Look it up if you like.
Oooooooooh, 13 seats in 1991 you say?? That must have made a huge difference in our union! How many seats on the exec. bd. are held by Unity now? Exactly.
83 Unity 6 TJC-ICE and Unity is not happy with that majority.
So if the opposition manages to gain one more seat everything will be different. Right?
No, change will come about slowly unless teachers wake up.
If Unity wins the high schools, then there is absolutely no hope. It would mean that every part of this union is happy with the status quo.
Let's Go ICE!
ICE/TJC: You gotta listen to the Snake Man - You attacked a contract that the membership liked. Crafted by the membership, ratified by the DA, ratified by the membership 9-1. I agree with the snake: You wasted energy on attacking the contract. You also confused the membership as to what you stand for. If its Union Democracy why go against a contract the membership is for? You do good work. You made a huge mistake. My opinion is leave the issue of this contract alone! Go after the other issues that the members really care about. If not unfortunately you will probably lose the election by close to the 9-1 margin this contract passed by. I hope not. That's the truth.
The truth is the truth. Wake up ICE/TJC.
I have been wondering where the utp has been over the past few months. I did take notice that yours was one of the few voices claiming that the 06 contract issue was nothing to get excited about and served only to distract from the real "sell out" issues represented by the previous two contracts.
I also noticed that on some other web sites you seemed to take some criticism for not automatically supporting a "no" vote.It now appears that many teachers I have spoken with hold with your opinion on this issue. Your clear headed and honest evaluation of the contract debate has gathered more supporters than you realize.
Two Boats -- Two Sheds-- Sorry I got excited I saw a vision of my sheds coming by boat when I read the previous post. It was probably because what the person said was too true. Alas amidst the refined humor of UTP, I see a consensus building over what the main issues the opposition should be fighting for in this upcoming election. Or maybe its not a' building. It could be my two sheds. I'm starting to understand UTP. Maybe I'm blogging too much. That's the truth.
I was thinking about my desire for two boats, two sheds. UTP help me out. I think I might be confused because somebody on this post recommended that I wait for two pensions in lieu of my two sheds or $750.00. Isn't more likely that I could get two boats or two sheds or two coats, than an second pension. I think that I wouldn't get two pensions, because I'm not a District Representative or a member of the Unity Caucus. And since Randi is the UFT president and selects the DR's, and she has only chosen DR's from the Unity Caucus. Instead of allowing them to be elected by the local chapter leaders, who are in the classrooms and in their schools all day long. I'll never get a chance for my two pensions. So I'm sticking to waiting for my two coats. Also since I'm not a Unity member could I ever get a union job when I retire? I'm fed up with a Union Leadership that claims to be democratic and when faced with opposition that would make the union more responsive to its members, changes election laws to ensure more power for the current union leadership, there is no excuse for that.
What happened to the DR voting issue? It seems to have dropped off the screen. The chapter leader at our middle school attends most of the delegate assembly meetings but doesn't keep the chapter informed about anything. Everybody complains about him but he got elected again last year.
Justdatruth is right- we have no real democracy in our union only a union leadership that uses every opportunity to grab more power.
Why didn't the utp run candidates for anything? You MAY have your pair of sheds and you MAY have your pair of pensions but you definitely have a pair of testicles and that is what this union really needs.
ICE/TJC will be putting out information after the holiday break. The information will be available for download and distribution. Happy New Year everyone.
I've noticed that both ICE and TJC are keeping you guys at a distance-is that because they are afraid that any association with the utp would be the kiss of death for their campaign or could it be that you guys tell it like it is without the political posturing?
The utp is the "special needs" wing of the opposition groups.
Dear justdatruth,
We at the UTP strongly suggest that you use your $750 to buy two bags of salt to spread in front of your shed(s)when the really cold weather arrives.
Also, we now believe that VP Mike M. lied to us, as we have not received two pensions as of this date. Of course he is a UNITY guy. 'nough said.
You have hit the nail on the veritable head, JDT. How does one become a DR, Unity caucus member, and thus receive that cornucopia of financial wonder: the double pension?It is truly a riddle wrapped in an enigma.
And Hell NO! You can't get a Unity job writing for NY Teacher (or anything else) after you retire. You are clearly NOT Unity. If you want to be Unity see the UTP site ("Brace Yourself") and use the application there; or, if you're looking to upgrade, use the UTP application. Follow the directions carefully.
Finally, it's not a democracy, it is a miltary dictatorship.
Happy New Year and get your no pension ass to work on Tuesday.
Speaking for ICE, we are not keeping UTP at arms length — our arms are too short. We were hoping to use a forklift.
Finding myself trapped at dinner the other night with a bunch of UTP'ers drinking German beer and toasting Leo Casey, I did everything possible to keep them at arms' length but kept spilling the beer during the toasts.
Hail UTP, some of whom we are proud to say will be running with us in the elections.
Lies! Lies! Lies! We will be running alright- but only from Randi, the DOE, the Unity caucus, our creditors and most of the civilized world -but never for office. We support no one- chaos is our friend.
We have also decided to become an elitist organization like TJC and not associate with anyone including ourselves. Even as I write this entry greater and lesser minds than my own within the UTP are hard at work plotting our own destruction.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
Believe it or not at one time I was actually afraid to come to this site. Now a year later I can't leave-I think it's some kind of addiction.
I wonder if the Betty Ford clinic can help me.
On a serious note, thanks for your honesty and humor.
It's a good thing we didn't have strategists like ICE and TJC running things during World War II because if we did we'd all be in the UTP by now.
Ha! Everyone is UTP: they just don't know it, yet.
We dined with that rapscallion Norm and he passed all the UTP rites of initiation, and he didn't even blush. We're thinking of drafting him in the first round.
More importantly: who will win the hat raffle?
I failed the "pin the 'tale' on the Casey" test. And there are many more tales to tell about those UTP initiation rites. Urp!
HAIL UTP! It seems we have struck a chord with the members of this union who are fed up with business as usual. We are sick and tired of being lied to and manipulated by a bunch of greedy powermongers who work to only benefit themselves. We are also frustrated with an opposition that doesn't have the balls to lay it on the line and fight the battle that has to be fought to save this union. Looks like the lines are being drawn, those who care better hurry up and take a side. The storm is coming, the UTP will rise and strike back against the forces of darkness that have held us in the harshest of slavery for all these years. Well, either that or we'll all have a good laugh, drink a beer, take a nap, then go back to work.
Snakehead,
Now you gave it away about those UTP initiation rites. Having those missing balls reattached was a little tough but all that beer made it relatively painless. Urp! Urp!!
That's what we're here for Norm!
ICE is a bunch of hypocrites. If I wanted to support the Mexican teachers or the Darfur Teachers or whatever, I would go with Casey and UNITY. At least they are upfront about what they are. ICE attacks them, and then goes and does the same thing itself.
Casey is half Mexican and half Darfurian.
Have you read the ICE blog lately? I don't see much on Darfur there.
It's 100% UFT on the ice blog.
I was under the impression that ALL the opposition groups were working together toward a common goal. I was surprised to see that this web site actually broke ranks and began to criticize their allies for lack of action.
While I agree with most of the criticisms expressed on this web site I'm not convinced that expressing them publicly was the best way to accomplish any positive action.
Why is Norm writing on this site now? Could it be possible that he doesn't write enough on his own site (sites)? Is there no way to escape him? I guess he's just a retired guy with WAY too much time on his hands.
Saddam, Norm, "seasons beatings" -the utp is infinitely unpleasant. This holiday season you've hit an all time low.
It may not be pleasant but it's the most honest game in town.
"Infinitely unpleasant" -- I like that. Thats the truth, and its pretty much what we've been shooting for. Sometimes the truth hurts (oh, not as much as jumping on a bike with no seat - but it hurts). If ya can't take the heat then get out of the kitchen. Who's next on the hit list?? We do everything in public... who's next?
Want to escape Norm? Go to Darfur.
If people think there was lack of action by the opposition let 'er rip. We ain't Unity. We're big boys and can take it, especially when there's some germs of truth. Maybe it'll get my ass out of the hammock.
Poor Unity, having to deal with someone with WAY too much time on his hands. I'm often touched by how much you all are concerned about what I do in retirement. Maybe you can get my Tier 1 pension revoked and send me back to work. Meanwhile, I'll leave my hammock for 37 minutes every day in sympathy with all the people you screwed.
Go Norm! Give 'em both barrels! One hammock is nice but I have TWO hammocks- it's all part of the Unity double pension benefits package.
We support the demise of Unity, and we criticize other opposition groups. We do it out front. Otherwise we would be just like Unity.
Read the Unity Caucus application on "Brace Yourself" at the UTP site:
"Express criticism of the caucus policies within the caucus."
Or,
"Support the decisions of the caucus and union leadership...."
We are not Unity elitists. We do not encourage secrecy and support at the cost of the rank and file dues paying member.
But Unity sure does.
Unity first; members second
Hail UTP! Hail UTP! The truth will strengthen this Union. The fire you are stoking under the opposition seems to working. Just da Norm seems to be able to withstand some constructive criticism. There may be hope that some wise and powerful leadership will come from the ICE/TJC coalition. It ain't over till its over.------- Question is will they stick to their ideals and get 10% of the vote in the upcoming elections or will they hear what the various representative opposition voices are saying on this blog, change course and get more votes. Principals versus Practical can they do it? Also while I'm here I'd like to to know if non UTPers can buy raffle tickets at the next DA for the porkpie hat? I wanna be like HARPO.
My mistake in the last post it should have read It's da Norm instead of Just da Norm. Sorry. It must be all the excitement I'm experiencing over the possibility of winning two hats. Also since Klein is going to get at least two pensions when he retires does that mean he is up for election too.
Let's get it straight:
no pensions, one hat, and two sheds.
Go Spitzer GO!
One hat. No pensions. Two Sheds. I get it now. I wasn't selected as DR as opposed to being elected DR. So I don't get my two pensions. However if I got my two pensions that way I couldn't be truly independent. Because I could loose my two pensions if I disasgreed a lot with the person who selected me. Then I couldn't really can't make the best decisions for my chapter leaders, because I might not keep my two pensions. However since I am not a DR I could buy a raffle ticket for the porkpie hat without fear, and I could look like Harpo. Thanks again UTP. Back to next weeks lesson plan and next weeks $750.
Once again the waffle iron has hit the nail on the perverbial head. Why do some people keep insisting the we should act just like the Unity drones? People who really care about this union will put the needs of the membership first. I haven't seen anything indicating that our resident Unity hacks feel this way. A caucus acting as watchdogs to keep people honest is exactly what this union needs. Oh and for the record male snakes actually do have two penises its called "hemipines". Not a bad deal huh?
Spitzer said in a coda to his speech we can reduce class size by lengthening Snakehead's Penis size. (both of them)
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