When Mutual Consent Is Not Mutual When It Comes To The ATR.

I keep hearing from "Unity" how they negotiated a wonderful contract back in June 2014 that also made the ATRs a "second class citizen".  To "Unity" leadership it was how they saved the ATRs their jobs and afforded the ATRs an opportunity to fill vacancies that could eventually lead to permanent appointments.  However, the truth is so very different.  First, it was then UFT Vice President, Michael Mendel, who proposed to the DOE the ATR rotation system that the DOE eagerly embraced it making the ATRs a "stranger in a strange land" as they rotate from school to school without a bathroom key, a place to store their belongings, and in many cases no place to park their car.  To add to the ATR misery, the UFT allowed the DOE to assign field supervisors assassins to unfairly give ATRs "U" ratings when teaching in a classroom where they do not know the students, have no ownership of their grade, little support from the school administration,and have no clue if they have an IEP or their academic abilities.  The UFT leadership encouraged the DOE to assign these field assassins to thin the ATR herd and the first few ATRs are in the process of awaiting their 3020-a termination decisions presently.

For elementary and middle school teachers, the UFT leadership also agreed to allow the DOE to assign these teachers to temporary provisional assignments outside their district and the DOE has made liberal use of this UFT concession by arbitrarily assigning many of these teachers from one district in the borough to a less desirable school in another school district despite the fact that there are ATRs available within the district.  Some of these ATRs who find themselves in temporary provisional assignments, lasting 6 to 12 weeks travel for two hours or more and affect child care, parking issues, and after school activities such as coaching and tutoring for per session pay.  Despite these major issues, the UFT leadership has refused to address these problems or file for any travel hardships on behalf of the ATRs.  Its almost as if the UFT leadership is in cahoots with the DOE in encouraging the ATRs to be abused and to resign or retire in frustration.

That brings me to the "Mutual Consent" that the DOE proudly proclaims as a success.  The Mutual Consent provision is only advantages to Principals as they can take or reject the ATR.  However, the ATR cannot refuse a placement even when it is not a "good fit" as long as the Principal insist that the ATR take the position.  .To me Mutual Consent means both the Principal and ATR agree not a one-sided decision by the Principal.  Where is the UFT leadership on this abuse of the Mutual Consent provision?  They tell the ATR its just too bad and must take the position, if offered.

A Foil request by Solidarity showed that there are actually 2,197 ATRs without a permanent position not the 1,083 that the DOE and UFT claim.  The 1,083 are ATRs still in rotation and not provisionally assigned.  The only ATRs offered permanent positions are newly excessed untenured ATRs, because they cost less.  As for the veteran ATRs?  They are only offered temporary provisional or provisional assignments which end no later than June 28th and will find themselves in the ATR pool the next school year.  How many of these provisionally placed ATRs were forced placed?  I bet, the majority as there is no Mutual Consent when it comes to being an ATR as you cannot refuse a placement without negative consequences.

With the UFT leadership as our alleged protectors the ATRs must realize that they care little about us except to collect our $1,300 yearly dues to fuel their patronage mill, while schools continue to hire untested "newbies" and untenured teachers as the UFT leadership twiddle their collective thumbs and eagerly collect their $1,300 annual dues from them while keeping the ATRs without a permanent placement which is just fine with them.