We will hopefully be making this a part of the opposition platform in the 2007 UFT election as it was for ICE in 2004. We need a constitutional amendment to change back to divisional voting for vice presidents as opposed to the current at large fiasco.
To get an amendment you need 10% of the membership to sign a petition (very difficult to achieve as there are around 150,000 UFT members), or 10% of the Delegate Assembly (This can be done as there are around 3,000 delegates and there are probably well over 300 who are independent and some are in opposition groups. We need them to show up, however.) The other alternative is for 1/3 of the Executive Board to propose it (Not likely with Unity in control).
Once the amendment is proposed, The Exec Bd and DA need to approve it by a 2/3 vote for the amendment to pass. Once again this is highly unlikely while Unity still rules. However, if a majority of the DA or Executive Board approves, then the amendment goes to the membership in a referendum where it needs a majority vote.
It's not an easy process but it can be done if enough delegates or members want real reform.
So...uh.....not being in NYC, what's an academic VP?
Our union has a president, and a vice president for each section of the union. I work in an academic high school. There are also middle schools, elementary schools, and I suppose there are specialized or vocational high schools.
Because the academic high schools once failed to endorse the monopoly party, they changed the rules making it virtually impossible for us to select our own leadership.
Still looking for an issue to make into a cause, after that little 90% vote in favor of the last contract? Boy are we scraping the bottom.
Just for the record, Michael Shulman won the High School Vice Presidency back in the early 1980s. The change in the election of vice-presidents took place 15 years later. Even with great leaps of ICE logic for which you are so well known, there is a slight problem in the chain of causation here.
The notion that the executive branch should be elected together, in order to provide a minimal unity for governing, is hardly an anti-democratic one. It is the logic, for example, for electing the president and vice-president as part of a single slate in the US. All that the UFT did was adopt a similar system.
In the union's legislative bodies, the Executive Board and the Delegate Assembly, where each segment of the union is accorded representatives on a proportional basis, each union group elects its own representatives directly.
Just for the record, before buying him off, Unity tied Shulman up for months in court, did not allow him to sit, and precluded high school teachers of their democratically elected representation.
As to the 93 constitutional power-grab, it was flagrantly anti-democratic. And it is you, in fact, who deliberately strains logic. The presidential election is not comparable, and your inherent assumption that high school teachers do not have different priorities than middle or elementary teachers is preposterous.
Were there a single VP, your argument might have merit. However, since VPs are assigned to particular areas, your argument is ridiculous, and does indeed "scrape the bottom."
What Unity did is far more analogous to opening the US Senate to a countrywide vote, assuming, for example, New Yorkers and North Dakotans share the same interests. And Unity pulled this fast one in 93, when they had complete control and no opposition.
This was a direct response to a 91 vote where Unity failed to win a majority of middle or high school teachers, and pulled through only with the votes of functional chapters.
Your reference to "ICE logic" is gratuitous, and your argument, as usual, is without merit.
Most of the executive board is elected at large, just like the 11 officers. There are 78 members on the executive board plus the 11 officers.
Six executive board members are elected by the high school teachers, five by the middle school teachers, eleven by the elementary school teachers and fourteen by the non teaching chapters of the UFT (functionals) including the retirees.
The remaining 42 seats are atlarge (elected by every member including retirees).
Add to that the 11 officers who are elected at large who also vote on the Executive Board and you end up with a legislative body that has 89 total votes with 53, a clear majority, elected at large by everyone.
It is very easy for the high schools where there is the most opposition to Unity to be ignored if the leadership chooses to do so and we have virtually no recourse.
just read in the ny times that randi weingarten can't do fractions....
and obviously can't deal with factions, either.
Spinner,
Is that your real name? Because you are doing a great job at spinning the facts. And to compare this to the Pres. and VP of the US is low, unless Randi in fact sees herself in the same light.
If you know anything about our government, we have checks and balances and therefore vote for those who represent us in the Congress.
That's the type of representative government we need. Not the dictatorship you support.
And for the record, I do not look to ICE, but did support New Action before the sellout.
My, my, aren't we a bit touchy?
Maybe James Eterno can explain what percentage of the high school teachers voting actually voted for ICE last time?
Hint: it was closer to 10% than to 50%.
He was elected only because of New Action's tactical blunders.
Of course, it is an interesting concept of democracy that can must so much outrage at the fact that there are officers and Executive Board members elected by... gasp... everyone.
should have been "muster"
Mr. Spinner,
It's not particularly persuasive to make one argument one day, and then alter it to suit the circumstances of the next.
You've avoided most of the very direct responses to your comment, and I'm afraid that your obfuscation does not constitute argument. Your interpretation of representative democracy, however, is interesting.
Do you feel the entire country should help NY choose its Senators, Mr. Spinner? Personally, I could imagine informed voters getting "a bit touchy" over such an arrangement.
Spinner,
Randi's miscalculations, not New Action's. You are right about one thing. Unity got almost 60% of the vote in the high schools but none of the 6 seats. Randi's tactical blunder because she was so desperate to not have New Action run against her that she sacrificed the interests of your caucus. Everytime you have to listen to Kaufman/Eterno at Ex bd meetings you know who to blame as Unity could have had the whole enchilada. Just one sample of her astute decision-making that has made things so "great' for teachers in the schools.
Now while you talk about how few HS votes ICE got and your 90% vote on the contract, why won't you let the high school teachers elect their own VP if you are so sure that high school teachers support you? Scaredy cat!
Let's make a deal. Show us how confident you are and support high school VP's elected by division instead of coming up with bogus political science arguments.
And you have your facts wrong about Shulman's election. He was elected in '85 but a bogus Unity protest of an election they ran themselves delayed his being seated till '86 and after a number of close votes Unity waited till the one time New Action lost in '93 and changed the rules on a snowy day at the DA in January 1994. They dragged all Unity people out by threatening them with the loss of their part-time jobs if they didn't show.
I'll be posting the full story on my blog later.
The fact that Randi changed the rules show how little democracy there is.
If Unity feels they could win their candidates as the Spinner claims, then why not run a fair election--I mean the way it used to be before Unity saw they were in trouble?
Actually, NYCEducator the Senate is one of the most undemocratic institutions in our system of government. The people of the state of Wyoming have the same representation of the people of the state of California, despite the fact that there are 70 Californians for every one Wyomingian. It is so marvelous that you chose that example because it shows just how little this is about democratic principle, and how much it is about political advantage. I know that you would love a system like the Senate, ICE having as much support as Wyoming and Randi having as much support as California.
You guys should get your stories straight, BTW. If this change happened a decade ago Norman says, in agreement with my timeline, Randi wasn't President. It took place when Sandi Feldman was president.
Yes Spinner. We're sure Randi was slaving away teaching a full schedule in a school- for 6 months - maybe those 6 months when the change was made. Give us a break. Randi was the next president chosen in the early 90's or even before as everyone knew. Specious to act like she had nothing to do with making this change. Think she voted against it at the adcom, exec bd meeting and DA in '94? The records are probably available. Why not check it out and report back to us.
Do I detect a note of exasperation at how well your argument has gone here, Norm?
Don't worry -- there's always some other historical issue you can pull up decades later. Why not go back to the 68 Strike? To the founding of the UFT? To the Guild's split from the Teachers Union? To the founding of the AFL?
Unity runs a patronage empire and can easily buy people off. It is amazing that the opposition won in the high schools so many times. Blowing off the high school teachers is all that Unity could do.
Mr. Spinner if you are so democratic then why don't you support proportional representation: win 20 % of the vote and get 20 % of the seats?
I'm afraid, Mr. Spinner, obfuscation does not constitute argument.
As it happens, I am aware of how the US Senate works. I appreciate that you do not approve of this institution. I understand there is a House of Representatives specifically to counter those aspects you find troubling, so perhaps you can take some solace in that.
However, I asked a very simple question, which you failed to answer.
Do you feel the entire country should help NY choose its Senators, Mr. Spinner? Do you feel the entire state or country should choose my congressional representative?
If that's how you feel, kindly say so. If not, kindly explain why not.
The fact that the rules were changed to promote Unity candidates speaks volumes against Mr. Spinner's spin.
Exasperation Spinner? I love your specious arguments. You do more to expose Unity than if you remain silent. And you are a good punching bag for all of us to practice on.
You expose yourself and Unity by never responding to the facts other than raising another bogus issue. You were the one who recalled that Randi wasn't president in '94 and when I pointed to the fact she was in essence the assistant president you talk about the '68 strike. Why not deny that she only taught full-time for 6 months?
Those who don't learn from history are bound to repeat it. With Unity policies leading back to working conditions for teachers almost as bad as those in the early 60's if not worse, you should look at history at how the union organized in the first place since we're practically at that stage again. I know how you can respond Spinner. Tell people how I am retired and have no right to comment on anything going on in the schools.
I posted the full history on my blog:
http://ednotesonline.blogspot.co...ory-
lesson.html
What I think is that the entire country should join New York in electing the Vice President, just as the entire UFT joins together to elect UFT vice-presidents.
As for the Senate, I think we would be a far more democratic country if we simply did away with it, and had unicameral, one person, one vote legislature, not unlike most parliamentary systems -- and the UFT Delegate Assembly and Executive Board, for that matter.
Of course, Randi was not a UFT Vice President in 1994, or at any time for that matter. She was, for a time, UFT Assistant Secretary, but she wasn't elected to that office until several years later. But Norman's revisionist history always has very little to do with facts.
Good point, Mr. Spinner. And as the Vice President of the United States represents the entire country, I agree in this case. Of course, that's not the case in our discussion, and I'm afraid obfuscation does not constitute argument. In fact, the Vice President for Academic High Schools is supposed to represent the interests of Academic High Schools. A logical person would determine that's exactly why they're called Vice Presidents for Academic High Schools.
Frankly, Mr. Spinner, it's disappointing you resort to pretending not to understand this. I understood and acknowledged your opinion about the Senate. You do not approve of the US Senate. I get it.
This notwithstanding, Senators and Congrespersons represent portions of the electorate, just as the VP of Academic High Schools is supposed to represent a portion of the UFT, to wit, academic high schools. You have stated repeatedly that people who do not share our interests should decide who represents us. So naturally, I wonder whether your philosophy applies to everyone, or only UFT members.
Therefore, do you feel the entire country should help NY choose its Senators, Mr. Spinner? Do you feel the entire state or country should choose my congressional representative?
If that's how you feel, kindly say so. If not, kindly explain why not.
Spinner
More obfuscation on your part. Randi may have been "elected" Assistant Secty and that was before 1994 (remember how Unity dumped the popular George Fesko for her causing all sorts of resentment in Unity) but from the early 90's she was the heir apparent to Feldman and was treated as so.
So if you are trying to tell us that Randi had absolutely nothing to do with the machinations that ended divisional elections of VP's you are doing the revisionism. Are you telling us she was on the fence or didn't support the change in 1994? It would be so easy to go back to the old system. All she has to do is propose it. And do you know what? If she did so you would do immediate backflips and argue how that was now the better system as all Unity justifies whatever comes from the top. Totally Orwellian behavior.
Spinner has yet to make an agrument that would support his position mainly because he can't. But really he doesn't have to because the rules are on Unity's side.
What the summer survey didn't ask--and it didn't ask many relevant questions--is Do you think Randi is doing a good job? However, Randi knew the answer and played her trump card well with this new, advanced contract that offered dollars instead of sense. That was the greatest selling point even if cost of living was not included. It didn't have to be because most teachers today are not financially savvy. And unfortunately new teachers to not look upon older teachers as allies.
Randi was aware of that too. (The PBA is doing something similar, but in the opposite way, by making sure the contract isn't announced until after their union elections.)
Randi does not have to worry about the Spring elections since not one worthy opposition candidate has stepped forward.
What I don't think is strategic (and I have stated this many, many times) is the venom used by bloggers and comments (sometimes me) when writing about Unity.
Today's younger teachers are turned off by it since it comes across as sour grapes, and they are the votes the opposition should be attracting since they are now making up the majority. The way to do this is to write in a logical fashion without showing personal disdain.
The worst mistake ICE and others made this year was trying to convince people to vote NO when all indicators showed the vote was going the other way and in big numbers. And the fact that our present contract passed was a greater indicator to try a new approach. That's when they should have focused on the issues of Randi as a future leader. Randi is an astute business leader and politician where the others seem to play on emotions. (Look at the way a member of ICE responded to me when I tried to show how Unity turns ICE CCs on a dime)
First rule of marketing: Know your market and meet their needs--not yours)What was NA needs? Turned out it was power and not fair representation. I wouldn't be surprised if my new CC was offered a little something too.
Someone has to put their hat in the ring today and start a campagin that is worthy of any political candidate running for office. That takes savvy--and Randi, unfortunately, has it. To think she is surrounded just by former teachers in naive.
Do you really think Leo is the last word on strategy, or some big-bucks marketing/legal expert?
I do not agree that it was a mistake to oppose the contract because it was a lost cause. If we opposed the 2005 contract, supporting an extension of a contract that was awful would be the wrong message.
Opposing it was part of the process of trying to create a new opposition, which has to be built from scratch in the wake of New Action's sell-out.
The 7600+ people who voted against this contract are part of that base. If we assume that a portion of the 90% who voted for the 2006 contract compared to the 60% who voted for the 2005 contract will still be opposed to Unity then that base will expand.
Right now this is the audience, not that amorphous group out there. To activate enough of this potential base in their schools to reach their staffs with information on a regular basis is the key. Then they have to do the work at the school level. Maybe they will run for delegate and chapter leader at some point though as pointed out even people who are anti-Unity often get turned around in the cauldron of chapter leader training and the high degree of attention that Unity pays to recruit new chapter leaders into Unity.
ICE and TJC together got a little over 5000 votes or about 12% of the vote in the election 3 years ago. New Action still got around 3500 or 7%, reduced from around 22% 6 years ago. We assume much of this came from people who automatically voted New Action thinking of it as the old opposition while many were confused about the addition of 2 more slates with TJC and ICE on the ballot. Reaching that group is another goal.
Randi got about 24% of the "active" UFT members 3 years ago. Around 70,000 active members did not vote. That's 70%. That is another goal -- to reach them and get them to vote.
She got about 85% of the retiree vote. Almost 50% of the retirees voted, roughly 15,000 votes. Reaching 52,000 retirees is almost impossible for the opposition, the election ad in the NY Teacher being just about the only way.
If one views this election as an end-all instead of just a part of the building/organizing process then these numbers look foolish. And impossible.
The only way is to build an infrastructure and reach into very school building. Even on this last contract, people watching the vote counts saw clusters of NO votes from certain schools. Someone called me from a large high school and said they went 75% NO because there were people there raising issues. The fact thay this school may be in danger of closing could also have had an impact as this new contract puts people in even more danger.
To attack Randi's leadership alone is not a long-term strategy. What if she announced Michelle Boden was going to be the next president? The policies would not change and Unity would still exert the same controls. The Unity machine is the issue.
Randi is surrounded by high priced consultants including Howard Wolfson, who basically works for Hillary. When we check the LM-2 I believe it will show $3 million for consultants. What are they consulting on? Unity devotes serious amount of time and effort to what is still a fairly insignificant opposition. There is no way for the opposition to compete on this level. That is just unrealistic.
It takes school to school organizing on the basic level. The opposition to Unity is still very small and fragmented. A this point there are not a lot of people willing to spend the time necessary to accomplish this. And there may never be.
The UTP group came out of nowhere -- many of them have taught for years.
Look what NYC Educator has accomplished with this blog. That he is also increasingly active in his school will also have a major impact at the local level. This happened fairly suddenly after many years of teaching. There may be others out there.
I call them the "bombs." When there are 500 to 1000 effective "bombs" out there, Unity will be in real trouble.
How to tie this all together is part of any organizing process. If one looks ahead, at some point the "opposition" may be something other than ICE or TJC though they may be part of it. This happened in LA.
It figures you'd be the one to respond to my post. And since I have very little respect for you as someone with great persuasive skills and boring writing skills (I was there when you spoke at the DA and handed out your Eddie Notes) I will just say that you are wrong because if you really believed in what you were saying, you would have started what you now list long ago, and with the right message. However it is still the elementary school vote that carries these elections, and they have yet to hear the message.
Oh, let's elect ICE people!!! Been there---done that, and now she is all UNITY.
Now you post that Randi has consultants? Duh!! Don't you think that Randi knows the contract vote doesn't reflect her election vote? And to that end, she is not finished.
The only thing you got right was that NYC Ed makes a difference. I think the fact that he has great writing skills and speaks to more than "VOTE NO" has much to do with it. It is only unfortunate that he is not a candidate.
I work hard to keep what I write boring. Since UFT leaders and many Unity Caucus members read every word I write, my intention is to bore them to death. And you didn't think I had a winning strategy.
No, I think you are someone who uses ideas I have posted for over a year as his own, and then refuses to see other good ideas when they slap him in the face.
How many years has ICE been around????
You have a self-defeating attitude because you refuse to believe that good strategy can help or is it because you refuse to spend a dime on your cause?
I am glad that someone is reading you, but that doesn't necessarily mean they take what you write seriously. But I personally have to wonder why anyone would respond negatively to any constructive critisim as you do with me who btw supports the ouster of Unity. It's like reading Edwize all over again.
Schoolgal, Norman, boys and girls, behave yourselves.
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