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This evening's Executive Board meeting demonstrated the extent that our Union's leadership will go to suppress dissension in our Union. Perhaps more reflective of the strain of leading our Union down a path that does not have our members' interests paramount or the ineffectiveness of dealing with members who seriously question the direction that our Union is taking, Randi was in rare form. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The demonstration of the strength of a leader is marked by their ability to deal with conflict. When dealing with ICE and the High School Executive Board representatives our leader has exposed not only her ineffectiveness but the ineffectiveness of the Union in general.
A motion had been made to permit the Executive Board to modify, change or add political endorsements for City Council, Borough President or District Attorney in the upcoming election without the Delegate Assembly's approval. While this was explained that the motion was "routine" it is clearly violative of our Union's Constitution. Our Constitution requires that the Executive Board's resolutions be referred and approved or disapproved by the Delegate Assembly. Since this is a Constitutional provision in order to permit such resolutions to be approved without referral to the Delegate Assembly it requires a constitutional amendment.
Now, my objection, on constitutional grounds, to this resolution may seem trivial by those who don't care about our Constitution or the involvement of our membership in important Union decisions. But to anyone with just a cursory understanding of our Union and Unions in general this is an extremely important point.
The Executive Board, with the exception of the High School Representative seats, were voted on by the membership in total. Therefore the vast majority of the Executive Board represents the majority of the membership of the Union as a whole. It doesn't represent the specific divisions of our Union. The Delegate Assembly, touted as the supreme decision maker, is representative of the rank and file in the schools. While there is no division voting in the Delegate Assembly there is at least a potential for difference and discussion. At the Executive Board it is rare (probably unheard of) that someone other than the High School Representatives says anything in opposition to what is put out by the leadership. The Delegate Assembly, while not a bastion of union democracy, at least has had some lively debate about important issues. (Remember the longer day, longer year debate and tying the hands).
When I moved to declare the motion out of order due to its clear unconstitutionality, logic that would have made Lewis Carroll proud spewed out. One retort was "How can it be unconstitutional if the D.A. is going to approve it?" (I guess that means the D.A. can pass resolutions violative of our constitution with impunity. That gives Supreme Body a higher meaning.) Another retort was "Well, it's too inconvenient to call back the D.A. in the summer."
During her President's Report Randi exploded into a tirade about how the caucuses were destroying the functioning of the Union and that she was getting tired of us. And then it got personal. She attacked me for raising inconsequential issues just to follow ICE's agenda to disrupt the normal functioning of the Union. She wanted me to pledge not to distribute caucus literature at any summer D.A. Yeah, right.
While I did have an opportunity to respond and I did pledge to continue the fight and support union democracy. Randi's comments about union democracy were pathetic. She stated she was proud to be a trade unionist first and a democrat next. Randi was in grade school when our Union was fighting to be recognized. Her claim to be a trade unionist first and democrat second is a complete denial of this struggle. Public sector unions have the power to collect dues from all within a bargaining unit. In accepting exclusive representation and bargaining agent responsibilities they have been required
to accept the democratic principals of responsible unionism. The UFT is not a fiefdom. It is becoming more distant from its membership than ever before. When you rely upon television ads and publicity stunts to sway your own membership and the public instead of providing the kind of support and organization that our members desperately need you end up with an apathetic membership ill prepared for the types of actions that are necessary to secure respect in the schools and a decent contract.They are scared. Not of ICE or TJC but of our members. They know that our members will not accept an inadequate contract and they are afraid they will not be able to contain their anger much longer.
The Executive Board also dealt with an issue which has been kicking around since April 2004; the role of small schools and the breakup of the large comprehensive high schools. In April 2004 the Delegate Assembly authorized a task force to look into the issues that these schools present. They issued their report, all 22 pages, which was given to the Executive Board a couple of minutes prior to the meeting. The arrogance. This issue is one that should be fully discussed. Like the Charter School issue our Union should be encouraging discussion among the membership about the issue. But despite our efforts to put the vote off the Unity boys and girls fell into line and
approved the resolution.Even the salmon was soggy.
Contact Jeff Kaufman: jeffkaufman@ice-uft.org
