Saturday, December 27, 2008

What I Would Like The Union To Work On For 2009



We all have New Year's resolutions. Some are kept, some are wishful thinking. Here are the ones I would like the union to try to keep. I have found that our current union leaders have been unresponsive to the rank and file and have abandoned the reassigned teacher. Further, their lack of democratic transparency has resulted in secret agreements with the DOE that either had no input from or went against the wishes of the teachers affected by the agreement. Examples of this are the 2005 contract, the rubber room and ATR agreements. However, here is what I would like the union to do for the teachers in 2009.
  • A new contract that have no givebacks whatsoever. Even if it a two-year 4% first year and 0% second year raise. Under no circumstances, no pension or health benefit givebacks!
  • Any negotiated agreement that must include teachers affected by the negotiations.
  • An agreement that all ATRs will be placed in their subject area before a Principal can hire a new teacher.
  • Allow classroom teachers to determine the best method to teach their students. " Let teachers teach".
  • Allow teacher discretion on how to discipline disruptive students without the threat of the teacher being removed. In other words. Give back teacher rights in the Chancellor's Regulations.
  • Have an independent investigative process for Chapter Leaders and Administrator accusations that are paid for by both sides. Not the unfair and biased OSI and SCI investigations that assume teacher guilt and administrator innocence. Teacher removals should also be determined by this same investigative process.
  • Limit SCI investigations to felony issues such as stealing of funds and serious sexual misconduct.
  • Lower class sizes to the average in the rest of New York State.
  • Give us back the right to grieve Letters To The File.
The bottom line is it is time for the union to fight for our due process rights and a safe environment in the classroom for the teacher.

5 comments:

NYC Educator said...

Well, you won't get any argument from me. But Ms. Weingarten's very public stance in DC,that everything's on the table except tenure, coupled with her unwavering support for a charter school boss that offers neither tenure nor seniority rights, does not strongly suggest she shares your position.

This, of course, is not to mention her unwillingness to oppose mayoral control, or even Joel Klein as a possible Secretary of Ed. It appears Ms. Weingarten is precisely what anti-teacher, anti-tenure, anti-labor Rod Paige fancies her--a new kind of union leader who doesn't particularly worry about working conditions for those she ostensibly represents.

Chaz said...

nyc educator:

I can dream can't I?

NYC Educator said...

Of course you can. I apologize for raining on your parade.

ed notes online said...

No one dreams anymore in the UFT. They just have nightmares.

Anonymous said...

there is only one way to have a strong union, bring back Albert Shanker from the dead; if not the union will continue what it is--DEAD.