Wednesday, October 12, 2005
UFT Spin Guys Come Around For A Propaganda Session
Two bigwigs from the UFT came to spin the tentative contract agreement to teachers at my school today.
They arrived to a crowd that was already feeling negative toward the contract.
They left a crowd that was completely hostile to the contract and even more hostile to these two UFT bigwigs.
These two union fellows, decked out in their expensive suits, oily smiles and shimmering pinkie rings, lied, deceived and filibustered their way through the meeting. They tried to spin the contract as a wonderful "improvement" over the PERB report, they tried selling the 25/55 pension provision as "almost a done deal," they told us the extra 10 minutes in the contract that will be added to the 20 minutes from the last contract won't be "used as a sixth class", and they explained that the changes to Circular6R won't really amount to pottyroom and lunchroom duty for teachers.
They told one teacher that she must be wrong when she explained that whenever she needed her union for something, nobody at the hotlines ever answered their phones or returned calls. They told another teacher to shut up when he tried to object to the claim that Randi got more money in this contract deal than had been contained in the PERB report (in actuality, the contract contains one extra year for the extra 3% added).
Members started leaving the meeting after about 15 minutes of the spin. People were shaking their heads, cursing under their breaths, and saying things like "And we pay the salaries of these clowns out of our union dues?" in the elevator on the way out.
No one was convinced by the UFT spinners. The few fence-sitters at the meeting left saying they were now voting against the contract.
The spinners from the UFT had accomplished a remarkable feat at my school. They had brought together a disparate group of people who had different feelings about the contract and the UFT and had turned everyone against both the contract and the union leadership.
If the spinners going to the rest of the schools around the city are as unconvincing and clumsy as the two goons who showed up at my school, the contract should be rejected by the rank-and-file rather easily.
And make no mistake about these two guys being goons. One guy, looking like a steroid case with his muscles bursting through his expensive, union-bought suit, played "bad cop" to the other guy's "good cop". They both had that vague "Teamster" look that made you wonder if they were teachers or mobsters. Neither man has been in a classroom any time recently and neither one will have to work under the new contract provisions.
They spent a lot of time bullying people at this meeting and making ridiculous arguments that had people rolling their eyes and muttering in disgust. They fooled no one and while I left the meeting feeling even more confident that the contract will go down to defeat in my school 75% -25% or 80% - 20%, I did feel frustrated that these union guys were supposed to be on my side working to help me.
The reality, which was plain to see for everybody at this meeting, was that these guys from the union were only are their own side, out to perpetuate their own union positions and patronage perks.
The good news is, the teachers at this meeting left feeling so angry and pissed off about both the contract and the job the current union leadership is doing that when somebody said "When is the next presidential election being held so we can vote Weingarten out of office?" nearly everyone perked up to hear the answer.
They arrived to a crowd that was already feeling negative toward the contract.
They left a crowd that was completely hostile to the contract and even more hostile to these two UFT bigwigs.
These two union fellows, decked out in their expensive suits, oily smiles and shimmering pinkie rings, lied, deceived and filibustered their way through the meeting. They tried to spin the contract as a wonderful "improvement" over the PERB report, they tried selling the 25/55 pension provision as "almost a done deal," they told us the extra 10 minutes in the contract that will be added to the 20 minutes from the last contract won't be "used as a sixth class", and they explained that the changes to Circular6R won't really amount to pottyroom and lunchroom duty for teachers.
They told one teacher that she must be wrong when she explained that whenever she needed her union for something, nobody at the hotlines ever answered their phones or returned calls. They told another teacher to shut up when he tried to object to the claim that Randi got more money in this contract deal than had been contained in the PERB report (in actuality, the contract contains one extra year for the extra 3% added).
Members started leaving the meeting after about 15 minutes of the spin. People were shaking their heads, cursing under their breaths, and saying things like "And we pay the salaries of these clowns out of our union dues?" in the elevator on the way out.
No one was convinced by the UFT spinners. The few fence-sitters at the meeting left saying they were now voting against the contract.
The spinners from the UFT had accomplished a remarkable feat at my school. They had brought together a disparate group of people who had different feelings about the contract and the UFT and had turned everyone against both the contract and the union leadership.
If the spinners going to the rest of the schools around the city are as unconvincing and clumsy as the two goons who showed up at my school, the contract should be rejected by the rank-and-file rather easily.
And make no mistake about these two guys being goons. One guy, looking like a steroid case with his muscles bursting through his expensive, union-bought suit, played "bad cop" to the other guy's "good cop". They both had that vague "Teamster" look that made you wonder if they were teachers or mobsters. Neither man has been in a classroom any time recently and neither one will have to work under the new contract provisions.
They spent a lot of time bullying people at this meeting and making ridiculous arguments that had people rolling their eyes and muttering in disgust. They fooled no one and while I left the meeting feeling even more confident that the contract will go down to defeat in my school 75% -25% or 80% - 20%, I did feel frustrated that these union guys were supposed to be on my side working to help me.
The reality, which was plain to see for everybody at this meeting, was that these guys from the union were only are their own side, out to perpetuate their own union positions and patronage perks.
The good news is, the teachers at this meeting left feeling so angry and pissed off about both the contract and the job the current union leadership is doing that when somebody said "When is the next presidential election being held so we can vote Weingarten out of office?" nearly everyone perked up to hear the answer.
Comments:
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Amen. Fortunately, in my school, 80% of the teachers and ALL of the paras oppose this piece of doo contract. I am spreading the word, as are my chapter's members, to all teachers whom we come in contact with, to spread the word: VOTE NO!
BTW, does anyone have a link to the opt out of COPE forms, members of my chapter wish to join the COPE mutiny.
I will not myself and do not recommend anyone opt out of COPE. Despite our problems with the UFT, their political action is generally on the side of the angels.
Union opponents are far worse.
Union opponents are far worse.
Ralph Boncy said...
Two spinners came to my Middle School as well and got an ear full. Teachers need to get together to defeat this garbage. Did you all know that Randi sat on Bloomberg's transition team when he got elected in 2001? If you don't believe me check her Bio on the UFT "lie" site.
Two spinners came to my Middle School as well and got an ear full. Teachers need to get together to defeat this garbage. Did you all know that Randi sat on Bloomberg's transition team when he got elected in 2001? If you don't believe me check her Bio on the UFT "lie" site.
# posted by 
: 2:34 PM
: 2:34 PM
The DA is a farce. We need to have this investigated. Retirees were handed voting cards at the door w/o their credential checked. Did you all see Randi's comment to the Post on Thurs. that she wanted to "wait and see how teachers would react" to the lost of our rights to grieve letters to our files before having the city review it.
Whose side is this "creep" on?
Whose side is this "creep" on?
# posted by : 2:42 PM
: 2:42 PM
Glad to hear the spinners got an earful at your middle school too, Ralph.
I hope Randi's Spinners are getting earfuls at schools all over the city.
We're getting another UFT bigwig coming by on Monday for another meeting at my school. I guess somebody must have figured the last meeting went so poorly that they need to send someone else to undo the damage.
No matter, if this guy's coming to spin lies, tell half-truths, and soft-pedal the harsh provisions of the new contract, we'll set him straight. I was proud to be a part of the core group of opponents who rebutted the last two bullshit artists the UFT sent and we'll repeat the performance Monday if we have to.
I am sick of being lied to by my union.
I hope Randi's Spinners are getting earfuls at schools all over the city.
We're getting another UFT bigwig coming by on Monday for another meeting at my school. I guess somebody must have figured the last meeting went so poorly that they need to send someone else to undo the damage.
No matter, if this guy's coming to spin lies, tell half-truths, and soft-pedal the harsh provisions of the new contract, we'll set him straight. I was proud to be a part of the core group of opponents who rebutted the last two bullshit artists the UFT sent and we'll repeat the performance Monday if we have to.
I am sick of being lied to by my union.
mr. farkas is coming to my school tomorrow for a spin session, i hope he's got a flak jacket. i teach in a queens middle school with about 100 teachers and paras, all the paras are against the contract, the secretaries are agaisnt it and the only teachers that are for it are the ones that may retire in the next rwo years.
our chapter leader told us that the district rep called her and kept her on the phone for an hour browbeating her, trying to convince her to convince us that the contract is good. even our principal thinks it's a piece of caa caa.
i have never seen a bunch of teachers so mad, SHEEPS NO MORE!!!!! i have also never seen the union try so hard to get a contract passed.
alan houston knew when it was time to retire, do you randi?
our chapter leader told us that the district rep called her and kept her on the phone for an hour browbeating her, trying to convince her to convince us that the contract is good. even our principal thinks it's a piece of caa caa.
i have never seen a bunch of teachers so mad, SHEEPS NO MORE!!!!! i have also never seen the union try so hard to get a contract passed.
alan houston knew when it was time to retire, do you randi?
# posted by : 4:31 PM
: 4:31 PM
I want to echo nyc educator on the COPE opt-out movement. I don't disagree with the idea of COPE but do disagree with the way the union leadership uses it. Opting out is not the answer. We should be fighting for establishing better and more effective policies rather than opting out. Of course with the current union top-down leadership making changes in policy is just about impossible. The next step is obvious: help build a democratic, progresssive and effective opposition movement. That does not necessarily mean you have to join any of the current groups. Form your own and get out there and organize.
# posted by : 6:38 PM
: 6:38 PM
mr. farkas came to my queen middle school yesterday, with back-up, gave us what seemed to be the same pat rehearshed sales pitch and refused to answer any questions. this insensed the teachers and paras who tried to be quiet and polite, but we were treated worse than an annoying dog would be treated. he was pompus, arrogant and condesending, telling us that if we don't like the contract we can all go teach on the island. blantantly lying and avoiding anything that resembled an answer to a straight forward question. the "fact" sheet they gave out was so full of lies and mis-information, it was like listening to nixon at a press conference. VOTE NO, STOP BEING SHEEP, WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THIS JUNCK, WE ARE EDUCATED!!!!!
# posted by : 7:55 PM
: 7:55 PM
I too am making the rounds at my school, but I fear it is an uphill battle. Why? Simple, lots of old timers scaring new teachers and fellows and trying to bully the contract through. There was one old timer who said to me and I quote " I don't care about these new teachers, I care about my oil payments, and I stand to make $6,000 in retroactive pay." Its sad because these are the teachers that should be leaving a legacy for the newcomers, but instead are simply leaving, and figure screw anyone who gets in their way or disagrees.
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# posted by : 8:37 PM
: 8:37 PM << Home
