...according to Elizabeth Green of The New York Sun. Sure, Randi Weingarten withdrew the 28 million bucks of UFT pension money (as reality-based educator wrote this morning), in view of the non-union workers involved. But it appears the construction workers may have wanted more (See pamphlet at left--click for a clearer view) .
Thus, the construction workers have threatened to protest en masse at Ms. Weingarten's 50th birthday party. It appears Ms. Weingarten's people are negotiating furiously to preclude this humiliating prospect.
But it kinda makes you wonder. Why, when it's time to negotiate teacher contracts, do they just go to PERB and say, "Give away whatever you feel like and don't worry about whether it meets cost of living or not"? Clearly such negotiations are of considerably less importance than those that may impact upon this birthday party.
I guess, though, if it were my party, I wouldn't want it sullied by these embarrassing pamphlets.
On the other hand, if I were a union prez, I'd have made damn sure the project used only union labor before committing 28 million bucks of my members' pension funds. In fact, I might have gone so far as to dedicate pension funds to paying pensions.
But that's just me.
Update: The UFT and the construction workers are still negotiating, but agreed at the last moment that Ms. Weingarten's birthday party would not be picketed. Thank goodness our leadership can take action when vital interests are at stake.
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