News have leaked out that Mayor Bloomberg wants to shortchange teachers by giving them the same truncated raises that Chancellor Joel Klein gave his people. That is two 2% raises for the first $70,000 in salary and 0% for any salary above $70,000. This is despite the fact that the teachers are the last major union that falls under the "City pattern" of two 4% raises with no "givebacks" and an existing budget that has those raises in it.
News Channel 4 reported that Mayor Bloomberg's proposed budget includes the two 2% raises for teachers and administrators and if the teachers union does not agree, Mayor moneybags threatened to layoff up to 2,500 teachers.
My union's response should be the following' The UFT will only accept the "City pattern" that requires two 4% raises with no "givebacks" the same terms given to all other unions. Mayor Bloomberg's proposed budget is "dead on arrival" when it comes to the teachers and any variation from the "City pattern" will be consistent with agreements made with all other unions in the last round of negotiations".
By the way as for laying off 2,500 teachers? Go right ahead and layoff the inexpensive and untenured teachers that you and Chancellor Joel Klein wants to keep. Civil service law requires that layoffs are based upon citywide seniority and no whining by you and Chancellor Joel Klein can change that fact. If you really want to save money the union suggests the following procedures be followed.
First, no more secret exemptions for principals who refuse to hire highly qualified ATRs. All vacancies must be filled by ATRs before "newbie teachers" are allowed into the school system.
Second, scrap the 600 million dollar AIRS system that does not work.
Third, eliminate the high priced no-bid consultant services that are of little or no value to the school system. Do you remember this one? Even the New York City Public School Parent blog's tongue-in-check GBN news article on the hiring of the hypnotherapist is not far from the truth.
Finally, bring transparency back to the secretive world of Tweed and let John Liu's staff oversee the DOE finances to ensure the classroom is getting their fair share of funds.
Bloomberg and Klein wants to destroy our union. Therefore, it is time for the union to take the fight to them and make them feel the pain for messing with the 800 pound gorilla. Michael Mulgrew, this is the time for you to show me that you are a mensch and not a wuss.
9 comments:
I read in gothamschools.org that it would be 8,500 teachers may be axed.
That larger figure was a hollow threat that Bloomboy used when he first heard about the Albany budgetary stinker.
Hey, Chaz, I have this warm feeling that Mulgrew have uncuffed his shirt and have shown his bareknuckles and yet, I am afraid do not like the history behind those who put him in power.
When it comes to a new contract and vote, I hope that the Union membership will give Bloomboy what he deserves.
If he is allowed to influence Albany and pass a poison pill legislation to practically rid of seniority and job protection, the two major core components of any self respecting Union, then, the Union might as well use our dues to organize a mayor farewell party for it as a relevant fraternal labor organization.
You can see how Obama's TURN THE SYSTEM PRIVATE money will be accepted and used as "raises" - only we'll have to work 9 hour days, 48 weeks years and give up any work protections to get an extra couple of percentage points.
Screw it. After the election, i figured there would be no raise for a couple of years. I'm willing to live with that - I'd rather no raise than all the givebacks Bloomberg would want for 2% (and actually less if you make over $70,000)
I agree with Reality Educator. I knew that he would renege on the promised raise as soon as the election was over.
I wonder what the union leadership was thinking when they decided to stay out of mayoral politics... It goes back to the fable of the Scorpion and the Bull when they were ready to cross a river. Scorpion asks the Bull for a ride and Bull wonder out loud whether Scorpion can be trusted...Scorpion convinces the Bull that it will die if he does this along with the Bull, therefore that it would not do it. Bull is convinced and when they are in the middle of the river, Scorpion stings. While the Bull is sinking and the Scorpion also, Bull asks why it did it? Scorpion says, because it is a Scorpion.
The trick of the game was that the leadership should have questioned the reliability of the mayor's character when he reneged on the promise of not run for a 3rd term, but they were dumb enough to actually trust a Scorpion?
I'll wait with you, too. I will not prostitute my rights for a lousy 2%. Let BloomKlein rot in their seats waiting for us to give in to his pittance of a salary raise.
Let's hope that the other members will wait, too.
There is NO WAY I will go along with a 2% raise with givebacks. I, like many other teachers would rather sit this out than to have any givebacks. This would be a slippery slope to loosing what little job protections we still have left. I am also one of those teachers who earns more than $70,000 and it is plainly insulting that I am being punished for working so many years for this city.
But havn't contract negotiations officially declared at an "impasse" by Mulgrew?
How is it that the contract is suddenly being negotiated in the press by Bloomberg?
Isn't it going to PERB.
After reading Michael Mulgrew's response to Mayor Bloomberg's speech. He sounds more like a wuss.
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