Thursday, November 16, 2006

The UFT SUCKS!

Today my school had a meeting with a UFT representative.
It was so frustrating! I hate the UFT.
They are so condescending. Only the DOE
is more condescending. The guy was this
snazzily-dressed bald black dude. We only had 15
minutes for the meeting, and he answered every
question with a 5 minute bullshit response, as if he
were Jesse Jackson or something.

He basically said if we are not ready to strike we
should accept the new contract despite the fact that
the political winds have changed in our favor. In
other words, there is nothing in between. I was on the fence
before and now I am completely against the new
contract. The UFT is trying to scare us. I hate it
when they do that! There needs to be a whole new
paradigm for union negotiations--everyone should be
treated like an adult.

Anyway, I spoke my mind. I asked him to please phrase
his answers in 100 words or less because we have to
teach in 3 minutes. I am tired of the UFT trying to
tell us all the other teachers in the school district
are for this contract--using the isolation of our
profession against us, and resorting to thinly veiled
scare tactics. It is so disgusting.

He said that perhaps Bloomberg will seek higher
office, and that is why he wants to settle now. We
think it's because the city is supposed to get
billions of dollars in March and they don't want to
have to use that money to negotiate with. Or maybe
Randi Weingarten will seek a cabinet post or
something. I guess it does't really matter anyway. I
can't really see myself staying in this profession
forever, if another couple of years.

Over 200 people at the DOE are making more than
180,000 dollars per year.