Mulgrew's Unity Caucus makes up new rules for Para Chapter Elections, without our consent
Mulgrew's Unity Patronage Caucus: Where Union Democracy Goes to Dies
Mulgrew and his UFT Unity patronage entourage continue to make up rules as they go — a la carte. After, losing 2 para seats in last year’s para chapter special election … they simply changed decades of rules for this upcoming chapter election, without consent.
Active functional chapters’ election procedures have never had slates as part of their process. Until yesterday for the para chapter, exclusively.
The only 2 places where slates have been allowed in our UFT elections has been in general elections and retiree chapter elections. In fact, this is stipulated in the retiree chapter’s bylaws. (The issues with winner-take-all election slates is worth noting, but at another time)
Notice that in the new para chapter election rules, the Unity bosses have even required a minimum amount of persons for a para slate to be implemented. All in an effort to win back the 2 seats Unity lost in a direct, fair and democratic election, last year.
This is the same union leadership that hates losing control so much that they changed the rules on the overwhelming OT/PT contract vote at the whim of emails from those upset with the vote — canceling the original vote.
These same technocrats have failed to properly seat the 2nd vice chair of the para committee with the same privileges and compensation as her predecessors after she won the last election. Why even have elections if the non-Unity winners cannot exercise their mandates from the union electorate?
Serious questions to legitimacy
Where is the deliberative vote within this chapter to make a major change to their election rules, Mr. LeRoy Barr and Mr. Mulgrew?
Their bylaws exist.
Where was this major change brought to the UFT Executive Board or the Delegate Assembly for a vote?
In what universe do we continue to allow them to make ad-hoc, draconian decisions for this union and its democratic processes?
There was a time that at the very least a performative vote would be conducted, in a hall filled with patronage and sworn caucus oath keepers.
There are no general by-laws for elections, or for most any other bodies, in this union for ONE reason only: to maintain Unity’s hegemony.
Unity exists for one reason: self-preservation.
This is anti-union.
Unity leadership: Where democracy goes to die.
