How Should You Vote on the Proposed UFT Contract?

See the The New Contract :(48 slides) here.

Now that I have your attention: voting on the approval, or rejection of the contract is a highly personnel decision.

Over the next few days the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will be sent to all UFT members, except retirees.

The contract ratification vote will take place in schools with the count by the American Arbitration Association.

The union has always had a number of caucuses, actually political parties, and, vigorous internal debate.

As a delegate I listened to President Mulgrew work his way through the 48 slides, at times tedious, the 500 member Negotiations Committee represented the many, many titles in the union and addressed the issues from the bottom up, the concerns of the folks in the schools.

 Nice unexpected items, where both parents are Department employees both are eligible for parental leave, medical arbitrations, that dragged for months, will be “as expeditiously as possible,” plus many others.

Why did the negotiations move from major obstacles leading to no settlement to suddenly a settlement?   In my view, two years from now Mayor Adams will be up for re-election and probably engaged in a bruising ranked choice voting primary and the lesson of Mayor Dinkins who delayed and delayed negotiating a UFT contract figuring the UFT has no place to go, with Giuliani running as the Republican.  Dinkins alienated teachers,’ when he did negotiate a contract in late August the UFT stood on the sidelines, made no endorsement and Dinkins lost in a close election.

In my opinion Mayor Adams picked up the phone and told the Department Chief Negotiator, “Get it done.” 

At thr Delegate Assembly Mulgrew answered numerous questions,

As 6 pm. the Delegate Assembly adjournment time approached the adjournment time was extended 15 minutes.

Carl Cambria, the UFT Chief Negotiator thanked the 500 member Negotiating Team, and urged a Yes vote to send the contract to the membership and a few other delegates supported a Yes vote.

Mulgrew asked if there was a speaker against a Yes vote.

A leader of an opposition caucus, also a member of the Negotiations Committee and an Executive Board member was hesitant, he wondered if there was fine print not available to the members … “since we haven’t seen the text of the Contract we shouldn’t vote.”

Mulgrew reiterated the full MOI will be available to members before any vote.

The vote to send the tentative agreement to the membership:

Yes:1287 No: 235

The process, building a 500 member Negotiations Team and engaging them in a meaningful way was incredibly complex, and resulted in meaningful changes in the contract that represented the folks in classrooms across the numerous titles and divisions.

Once again, voting is a personnel decision, vote your conscience, but vote.