Sympathies to NYC UFT Teachers on Sell Out-Give Back Contract

Teachers, you are in for one serious, perilous L-O-N-G haul. Those of you retiring in the very near future, you're YES vote took care of yourselves. Those of you who will be left and voted NO, you have my sympathies. It is sad that for what wasn't even a cost of living increase you lost so very much.

Rather than bemoaning your losses, I just wish you all the best in your awakening- which will come sooner than you imagine.

If the vote honestly was 65% for the contract then to those aye votes- good for you! You are getting exactly what you deserve. My sympathies go out to those who recognized the death knoll for what it was and are now stuck with a tentative career. I can't help but wonder though, how it passed, when so many of the teachers I spoke to said their schools were voting "NO." I sure hope that there wasn't any hanky-panky with the process. After all, so much was done to prevent accountability for accuracy. Nah, I'm sure it was on the up and up...

The thought that so much was lost, and that UFT leadership cares so little about it's membership that it won't even tell you now -in clear language- what you are in for, makes me question how or if they will stand up for you in your times of need.

Since you have so little you can grieve, there does not seem like much you can hope for. If you are in a subject that Mayor Bloomberg, er uh, Chancellor Klein, deems "fluffy", and get excessed, I sure wish you luck in landing a new job with the Board before you are terminated for good- remember, they do not have to place you any more. It is your problem to find a position.

We all know what subjects these are. These are the subjects that foster self discipline, emotional, physical and creative growth: Music, Physical Education, and the Fine Arts. The seasoned teachers in these fields know exactly what I mean. They have seen themselves or colleagues of theirs, bounced out of schools because another program was in favor at the time. I personally know several of these hard working, dedicated teachers who were bounced around like ping pong balls by the Department (Board) of Education. Under the new contract, these folks would have to scramble around with resumes to try to get another job, (I believe without pay) within 3 months, after which the Department of Education says "Good bye!"

I wish you all great success and luck- yeah, you'll need it!




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