Why we must stand by UNITY in these most trying Times!
"Unity has led our Union through thick and thin, always keeping us safe and moving us forward. I implore not only to vote for Unity in the upcoming election but to join them, have your voice hear"
Jeff Zahler is a retired middle school educator. He has served as Queens District Representative and UFT Director of Staff.
For those of you who do not know me, I started teaching in 1968 in a middle school in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. In that same year, at the invitation of my District Representative and President Al Shanker I went to my first Unity Caucus meeting. Somewhat to my surprise the issues of the day were put before us and the discussion was lively and freewheeling. All who got up to speak, spoke their mind regardless of who you were. Every one listened intently and came to their own conclusions - a vote was taken and the majority ruled - true democracy.
Issues over the years have been repetitive – and under the Unity Leadership of Al Shanker, Sandy Feldman, Randi Weingarten and Michael Mulgrew things have always moved forward. My starting salary was $6850 a year. Just look where the top salary has gone to. It did not just happen - Unity worked hard to make things better:
Duty-free lunch, prep, paid parental leave, remote time at all school levels, class size reduction, paperwork reduction,
Premium-free quality health insurance, building repair, a pension plan (that has made me say many times “it took me 50 years to know I had a good job”),
Teacher’s choice, basic instructional supplies,
Fixing Tier 6: Final Average Salary is now the same as in Tier 4, while additional improvements continue to be fought for,
The list of improvements goes on and on – not only for the pedagogical staff but for the kids that we teach. You have heard it said many times – what is good for teachers is good for kids. As President Mulgrew says “It is all about the work.” I would say as Mulgrew well understands, the work depends on the members who support that work who in no small measure drive the engine forward.
We know as members that some things are possible and some are not in a given moment. We would like them to happen and Unity works tirelessly to make them happen. Some problems go away, solutions are found and some never leave. Health care is one of those problems. Yes, a lawsuit was taken and the court gave us a continuation of our current plan and most were glad (and still are) but the judge did not give us this plan. However, a door is left open and we should be concerned as to what comes through that door. I am confident that Michael Mulgrew will work tirelessly to ensure what we get is the best possible. Unity is the only internal political party that I am confident will work to that end.
At a recent RTC meeting a speaker talked about a NYS universal health care package – it scared me to death but the new RTC leadership embraced this new idea, so much so that they favored it over our current plan. They did so without the due diligence, the research, well thought-out discussion, or even a list of pros and cons. I have known many of these people for a long time, most of them have a far-left view and change their parties name when their political stance is revealed.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but where do you put your trust? Unity has led our Union through thick and thin, always keeping us safe and moving us forward. I implore not only to vote for Unity in the upcoming election but to join them, have your voice heard as I did those many years ago! Vote for the Unity Caucus in the upcoming election doing so will protect your right and benefits.
Watch Michael testify at city council on how the percentage raises found in pattern bargaining create a pay and equity for Paraprofessionals
Michael Mulgrew speaks to the equity and pay gap faced by paraprofessionals and the need to reform pattern bargaining
“Number one we have to solve the problem with the paras and number two we need to change the practices of collective bargaining because this should never be happening to any low wage workers no matter what union they are in in the city of New York”
- UFT President Michael Mulgrew