It seems that DC 37 has set the bargain for us all. Thank you DC 37! But is it all for naught?

As per James Eterno's blog and The City DC 37 agreed raises of:

May 26, 2021: 3.00% 

May 26, 2022: 3.00% 

May 26, 2023: 3.00% 

May 26, 2024: 3.00% 

May 26, 2025: 3.25% 

May 26, 2026: 0%

As well as a $3,000 dollar signing bonus. Nice pattern. Are DC 37 members getting retro, and if so, will it be in one lump sum or spread out over 20 years? 

Several things have crossed my mind. Yes, inflation is high, but it is on its way down. So for now, at least for me, I have a wait and see. Of course we have Mike Mulgrew has our leader so he might think us getting less would be a great deal. 

As for the bonus, hey I am all for a bonus. But not for $3k. I want at least double. But Mulgrew is our leader. We're screwed. 

But the devil is in the details. We still don't know about healthcare. That is the most important part. I'm still of the mind that we have it pretty good as far as healthcare in comparison to our counterparts in the rest of the state. But I saw also saw this on James' blog and it is somewhat disconcerting. 

The unions owe the city $1 billion? Other than voting Mulgrew out what can be done? I have said it before put the burden on new and newer teachers. Also, combine all the welfare plans into one. Yes, the number of patronage jobs will be affected but I'm sure there are savings to be found. Heck, even Arthur put this idea about combining the Welfare Funds together...

I don't believe a consolidated Welfare Fund would be any less efficient than the one we already have. It would surely be a hell of an improvement over screwing our retirees.

But, we have Mike Mulgrew leading us. From behind. 

My predictions for the new contract?

We'll get 2 percent raise per year for the first four years, and then 2.1 percent for the fifth year. 

Instead of a $3k bonus like DC 37 received we will get a coupons worth $19.99 in savings to Applebee's that will only be valid on Mondays and Tuesdays.

We'll get retro but the payouts will be stretched through 2031. The rules will be the same but if you turn 65 before the retro is fully paid you are out of luck. 

Teachers will no longer receive letters to file. Instead teachers will be summarily executed. However, the families of the executed teachers shall receive full benefits. The union will say, "Hey, at least your next of kin will be getting paid."

DC 37 has no settled. The proverbial ball is now in Mulgrew's court to totally fuck it up.

My two cents on this health care thingy. Yes, it has been a while since I have last blogged, but I have

been doing a lot of contemplation. 

 Here's my two cents: Mulgrew is full of shit and we are being played. 

Let me explain.

On October 29 we all received a shrill email from Uncle Mike  telling us that the health care premiums sky is falling...

"The city has dropped a bombshell that puts our premium-free health care in jeopardy. The city’s Office of Labor Relations sent a letter to the head of the Municipal Labor Committee giving the unions notice of its intent to enroll all Medicare‑eligible city retirees in a NYC Medicare Advantage plan and eliminate all other retiree health plans, including GHI SeniorCare. If the unions don’t go along with it, the city has threatened annual health care premiums of roughly $1,500 for all in‑service municipal employees."

Seems like blackmail.

In fact, official UFT Spokesperson Brian Gibbons has shared Mulgrew's the sky is falling shrillery (Which he has been doing ad nauseam on Twitter) (Click photo to enlarge)) ..

The city code that the city wants changed in which Mulgrew is the lead enabler is 12-126. I am not going to go into the details of it. Jonathan Halabi has a great analysis of it on his blog. Check it out here. 

What I will do is opine about Mulgrew's email. 

Mulgrew is full of shit.Trust me, the city did not threaten $1,500 premiums in a vacuum. Mulgrew is in on it. They (The City, Mulgrew, and DC 37) know they are fighting a losing battle to change the code. What better way for the Three Stooges, er, I meant the the three most powerful representatives of the MLC to get the code changed? Fear. Real fear. They know they can't fight the retirees, but now the in service members are being threatened with higher premiums. Members who have 20, 30, 40 years until retirement. Members who can't think that far down the road. 

Our union president who is supposed to be there for the rank and file through thick and thin. Who is supposed to have OUR INTERESTS at the forefront, is yet again is selling us out. Yeah, I know I am preaching to the choir. But this time he is conspiring with the City to use deception, lies, and subterfuge. There is no way, no how Mulgrew and the UFT should be trusted right now with our health care.

What he does not understand is that actually putting the lives of each and every UFT member, and all union members of New York City is serious jeopardy. 

It's once thing to consistently sell us out with our careers. But to toy with peoples lives. Deciding who will live and who will die. Mulgrew went to far this time.

With DC 37 caving into the City and setting a pattern with a 7.42% raise over 44 months that's what it looks like UFT members will get once we get a new contract.

The Crack Team has gotten together and is willing to endorse such a pay raise but the support is conditional. Conditional upon what The Crack Team wants in return. This shall be known as The Crack Team's contract demands.

All ATRs must be placed. Not force placed, but rather intelligently placed. Each to the best of their abilities and each to a school in which the ATR can thrive and work in an environment that is conducive to the growth of said ATR and the school's students.

End Fair Student Funding. Mulgrew has said that the UFT cannot bargain budgetary demands. The Crack Team calls bullocks! When there is a will there is a way.

Bye-Bye Monday PD. A complete waste of time. There is no real professional development occurring.  I'd much rather watch hours upon hours of Kathy Griffin.

ATRs must be observed and rated as per diem substitutes are. In lieu of all ATRs being placed, ATRs must be treated as the DOE sees us. As nothing more than substitutes. Treat us the same way.

End Field Supervisors. If the above is impractical than do away with the field supervisors. Create with the UFT a truly transparent and fair method of observing and rating the ATRs. However the guiding philosophy must still be Teaching for the 21st Century.

Two observations per year for tenured teachers. I'm getting tired of meeting teachers from all over New York State and looking at their faces as I share with them we have 4 observations.

Bye-Bye Danielson. 'Nough said.

Discipline must be scaffolded. The contract states a "Counseling Memo." How often is a counseling memo used? All discipline at the school level should and must begin with a counseling memo. Too much mundane bullshit is settled with a letter to the file.

Clearly define what one needs to attain tenure. Too often now newb teachers are left in the lurch with subjective decisions on whether or not they will receive tenure.

All letters to file can be grieved. This was an injustice was this ended. Not being able to grieve all letters to the file just gave principals the ability to pile on the mundane crud.

Ability to face your accuser. Principals testifying by telephone? So much is missed when one can't see body language.

Principals held accountable. It is time that these principals are treated and subjected to the same methods as teachers are. Principals who are sued should stop being indemnified.

Bye Bye lawyers. Better uses for these lowest of pond scum can be put to better use by keeping the Trumps out of prison.

Bye bye 75% of the dead weight at Tweed and 65 Court St. McDonald's has been using computers to place orders. Stop and Shop has more self check out registers than manned ones. It's all the same.

Supply all ATRs with M&M's. Once a month all ATRs receive a bowl of M&M's, but there is a caveat. No bowl shall contain blue M&M's (Thanks to Van Halen for that idea).

If these demands are enacted (And any others I have missed) The Crack Team can live with the shitty raise.

I am or was agnostic about parental leave. Kind of the way how I feel about inter league play in MLB. If the Yankees never played the Reds (except in the World Series) again I couldn't care less. I mean heck, my wife is 55. Her child bearing days are over. But we have it and I am happy for those who plan to take advantage of it. I would have much rather have had family leave, but let's take it step by step.

My biggest concern about parental leave was how much it would cost me and others in my past their child bearing years cohort. Having the contract extended another 73 days plus full salary for six weeks is not bad. Look at what DC 37 gave up for family leave. Yes, DC 37 will get up to 10 weeks, but only up to 55% of their salary. Plus, they will have .13% deducted from each pay check.

Having said that, we got the better deal and it could have been worse if it were not for Mulgrew.

A very very good source has shared with The Crack Team here at SBSB that the city was originally demanding a deduction from our check of .5%. After confirming with my 17 year old son, .5% is more than .13%. Mulgrew held his ground that there would be no deduction.

Plus, the timing of the announcement last week was no coincidence. Mayor De Blasio was about to fly down to Texas to show solidarity with the parents and children being separated but he was about to be shamed by the UFT for showing more concern for the children down in Texas than the unborn children of NYC teachers.

I'll give credit where credit is due. Let's hope this holding firm is a pattern in the upcoming contract negotiations.

It's been some time since I took the UFT and it's "leadership" to task, but now is as good as time as any.

I was looking forward (As are all of us) to my retro pay coming up in a few weeks. Even better, I was going to get a double retro check due to me being suspended (But technically "on leave") when teachers got their first checks in October 2015.

I was told, specifically, by several within the UFT that I was to get TWO payments with the upcoming retro check. Yes, more taxes will be taken out, but a double check would be nice.

So about last week I was reading Arthur Goldstein's blog and saw something that raised an eyebrow. Those who were on leave or whatever in October 2015 will not be getting a double check.

I checked with a good person within the UFT and I received confirmation.

Then a few days later Chaz the Blogger called me up to share the news.

Then I told my wife. YIKES!

Yeah, it is true. Anyone considered on leave when the first retro checks came out in 2015 this year's check will be considered their first payment and next years the 2nd and so on and those of us affected by this inanity will have to wait until October 2021 to be made full.

According to my sources the UFT never shared this part of the agreement with the rank and file. It is deeply embedded in some super duper double secret part of the MOU.

The UFT does it to us again. Just for the f*&*ing seat at the table. Just to f*&*ing acquiesce to the f*&*ing city once again.

"NO! You can't get your retro all at once, we might bankrupt the city. There are too many UFT members. You are not entitled to retro," goes the gibberish from 52 Broadway.

BULLSHIT!!!!

It takes two parties to agree to no retro. It takes one party to cower like a scared UFT President Dunsel to give into the city this f*&*ing ridiculous, moronic retro schedule!

DC 37 has as many members if not more than the UFT and they got their retro checks in one lump sum. So did the cops, the firefighters, the sanitation workers, the shit cleaners, and everyone except the UFT thanks to President Dunsel.

Who the f*&* came up with this idea of paying us over the course of 5 years? And worse, if you are terminated, quit, or die you get nothing! Bupkus! You are then royally f*&*ed!

So come 2021 when I get that last check, my son will be starting his junior year in college, the Jets will still be without a quarterback (I'm not a Jets fan), mass murders will increase, Trump will be in a mental hospital, and the UFT offices, thanks to Janus, will be down to a 250 sq ft office storefront. Now located next to Sizzler's on Tremont Ave in the Bronx with President Dunsel sitting a high school desk.

I swear when I tell friends who are members of other unions how the UFT operates they just don't believe it. This shit can't be made up!

It is time, with Janus on the horizon, that the UFT starts to heed the wants and needs of the rank and file.