Minutes—approved
President coming, not here.
Staff director coming, not here.
Reports from districts
Rashad Brown—November 7 after DA—happy hour with pride committee at Suspenders around corner
Tom Murphy—RTC—NY—Active calling for Tish James, working on NJ congressional districts. hoping to flip three districts, hopeful for Menendez. Phone banking, bus trips for canvassing, In FL, for governor and Senate candidates. Active for Stacy Abrams in GA. Luncheon Nov. 20.
Serbia Silva—Were three tragedies in one school, but staff is appreciative of union support.
LeRoy Barr—Thanks for turnout, 1400 at Teacher Union Day. Congratulations to honorees, don’t forget to vote yes on prop 1. DA on November 7th, actual strike day, hoping to commemorate it, celebrating 100% attendance, Next EB November 19.
Michael Mulgrew—Thanks everyone for Teacher Union Day, award winners, thanks staff. Tomorrow is huge day. Working hard all over, Lots of phone banking. Don’t take it for granted. Thousands of colleagues working in two different states. This is a great thing we can do, due to dedication of retirees. Amazing what they’ve been doing. Will see what happens tomorrow, looking at Congress Senate and NY Senate.
NYSUT working with us. Keeping the eye on the prize and being as strategic as possible. Not all about President, all about us getting our work done. Making sure we can get out vote. We need to focus on work now. Many of these will come down to small number of votes. Our hard work can turn NY Senate seats.
Contract ratified by 87%. Count finished Sunday morning. Got all ballots counted. Meeting tomorrow with chancellor. Trying to finalize timeline. Operational things about collaborative workplace. Retaliation and harassment language, Bronx plan chancellor wants.
More to evaluation than just number 2. Goal is to try and come up with agreement to change culture of school system around evaluation. Will require planning and training. No final agreement, but will meet tomorrow. Hopes to have news at DA. Thanks everyone, let’s keep fingers crossed and have good night tomorrow.
Questions
Arthur Goldstein—I think I’m speaking for tens of thousands of teachers here. We’ve just passed a contract for teachers that features fewer observations. I believe the large margin of victory has a lot to do with that.
I also recall hearing that a few of the DOE’s favorite parts of this contract will be placed into effect before next year. Cooperation is a two way street.
Since the DOE agrees fewer observations are necessary, and since we also agree that fewer observations are necessary, we should enact fewer observations immediately. It’s early November, and there’s no reason we can’t do this.
Can we work toward this? If you need help I volunteer.
Schoor—We’ll put you in charge of that committee.
Goldstein--Thank you Howard. Let me write that down.
Jonathan Halabi—I hope anti harassment is up for early enactment. My school is in leased site, like several others. We have a standard operating procedure issue—principal cannot discard things. We have broken things everywhere. It can’t just be us. What’s the resource for the union.
Schoor—We will contact DOE on your behalf.
Serbia Silva—Health and Safety facility—there is dropbox for principal in portal to request dumpster.
Halabi—Can we get divisional turnout contract numbers?
Schoor—We will, last election was 77%, this is up. Norm was with us on Friday.
Norm Scott—Great lunch
Schoor—We waited, but they didn’t start counting until Saturday. Happy we stayed and counted all ballots. Same amount of votes but higher yes vote by 10%.
Halabi—Would like to hear about how we support OT and PT.
Schoor—We will work with them and meet with each chapter. Optimistic about turning it around. That is strength of union that individual chapters vote. May be a risk but gives voice to chapters. We surveyed functional chapters and met with them. Met with DOE and them on several conditions. Got what we could, were no givebacks. Approval numbers showed this.
Kate Martin—Are we setting something up to make sure paras aren’t being suspended without pay? With some shady things that happen, will we keep track of any sudden spikes in that or retaliatory pieces that may occur?
Ellen Procida—We’re well aware of possibilities. Have been in discussions to prevent and monitor them.
Schoor—Answer is yes, and we are also watching those out on suspension.
Martin—Should we give CLs a heads up?
Schoor—We can do that.
Legislative report—Paul Egan—Eagles neither won nor lost, but Washington did. More importantly Chelsea won.
There are also politics going on. Please get out and vote. People have won by very small margins. Your vote matters. Get everyone out, all your family members and kids. Things are looking good. Anna Kaplan in Nassau will be close, but if absentee ballots are indicative, she will do well. Will be close. James Goren looking good. But don’t sit at home. Anything can change if you don’t show up. In 22nd it will rain. If young people turn out, 8,000 new voters, Golden will lose. if we win this, it’s all over for GOP. Brooks is necessary hold, in tight race but may squeak it out. If all goes right, could be four pickups. Could be five. Opportunities elsewhere.
Resolution to support striking Marriott workers—
Janella Hinds—Supports. Many of us have spent time in hotels. None of the work can happen without those who assure space is clean, safe, food served. Marriott refuses to bargain in good faith with 7,000 workers. Important we stand together.
Tom Murphy—Spoke with head of hotel workers, said he would rather have us in than out—How would it affect us in Brooklyn?
Hinds—No one on strike in NY.
Passes unanimously
Resolution to unite with orgs against toxic political atmosphere
Anthony Harmon—Some people are guilty but all of us are responsible We need to stand in solidarity with orgs speaking out. Please support as is.
Jonathan Halabi—Glad it came forward. Offers amendment.
UFT stands…against toxic political atmosphere—substitute hate speech including provocative rhetoric of President Trump which has contributed to the toxic political atmosphere…
Halabi—We have responsibility to stand against this but also to name those responsible, including hate monger in chief. We know where it comes from.
Stuart Kaplan—I understand where you’re coming from, but rising against it. Not first time these things have happened. Happened before and after Trump. Don’’t want to give him the attention. Want to educate one another this talk is unacceptable. Don’t want to say he’s the cause of it. He’s not. People have spread this talk before.
Question called.
Vote on Amendment
Fails
Main motion
Passes
We are adjourned 6:45
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