Retro coming next week, & again UFT's double-dipping on the dues

Just to remind folks: NYC held out against giving teachers a contract after Randi Weingarten's 2005 epic giveback contract.  Costs of NYC living climbed in the years since that contract ran out, but the new 2014 contract stretched out the raise slowly. Plus, the retro pay, the raise we should have gotten was illogically spread out --to 2020!
So, of course, yet again, the Tier VI teachers will scratch their heads and wonder what this retro talk is.

Each time we have been given a retro payment the UFT has dipped in for dues once for the twice a month paycheck, and a second time for the giving us the retro. The union claims that this was for the work of negotiating the contract. But the UFT needs to be rewarded multiple times for this?

Be forewarned: next week you will get a retro payment, your next to last retro payment. (The last will come in 2020.) But you will see dues taken out twice -yet again!

Some goals to pose in the ATR meetings at the UFT borough offices

Some goals to pose to Amy Arundell and the UFT in the ATR meetings at the borough offices on September 9 (Manhattan and Queens), September 11 (Staten Island) and September 12 (Bronx). The Brooklyn meeting was held on September 8.

1. Points We Want to Make

• Was the return to the previous way of funding teachers’ salaries, so as to remove the “roadblock” of higher salary costs from principals’ consideration when hiring, a part of the contract negotiation? Why not?
• Last school year, some ATR members were observed by their field supervisors, out of license. Why did the UFT allow this?

• Recommend that next school year, the DOE arranges for all current ATR members, to collectively meet, to have a day of professional development. At the same event, allow the UFT to hold its annual UFT meeting for ATRs that is currently held borough-wide, after working hours.
• Demand protection from physical harm from students and consequences for their actions, if it does occur.

2) Questions to ask at the UFT’s ATR Meetings

• Considering that a significant number of students are reading below grade level, what is the UFT doing to urge the DOE to put librarians back in schools and reading teachers back in the classrooms?
• Why were many members of the ATR, who applied on the “Open Market System,” not given interviews?
• How many members of the ATR were appointed to positions prior to the beginning of the school year?
• Explain who pays ATR members’ salaries if hired provisionally versus being appointed. How long does the DOE pay/contribute to their salaries once in these positions?
• What plans are underway, by the DOE, to create opportunities/new programs for ATR members with Art, Music and CTE Trade licenses?
• What happens to ATR teachers who were U-rated last school year?
• Why didn’t the UFT respond to the repeated lies and/or attacks on members of the ATR pool by the media (“Crain's,” the “NY Daily News,” the “NY Post,” “WNYC,” the “NY Times” and the “Wall Street Journal”) and Chancellor Farina?
• Why is the UFT “turning a blind eye” in many cases to ATR members’ complaints of harassment by school administrators or ATR field supervisors?
• If ATR members are terminated after 3020a hearings, for unprofessional behavior, do the members lose their entire pension minus the years they contributed?
• Despite repeated requests for a definition of “unprofessional behavior” on the part of ATR members, which could result in an expedited 3020a hearing and ultimately, termination, why is the UFT’s answer vague or nil? Stating that the arbitrators will be able to recognize such behavior is not considered an adequate response, according to the ATR pool. How may the ATR avoid such problematic practices if they don’t know what they are? Why are ATR members singled out for disparate treatment, while the remaining membership is not?
• According to chancellor there will be no forced placement. Then explain how ATR members, who do not accept a position in their license area and in their borough, are to be considered as resigning?

3) Goals

• The UFT should allow ACRs and ATRs to have borough-level elected representatives with Delegate Assembly voting rights, as our number at approximately 1,000 is comparable to the number of UFT members in many districts.
• The UFT should facilitate the creation of new positions for borough representatives dedicated to the ATR pool.
• Due to that fact that the following incidents happen quite frequently, instead of putting the onus on ATR members to complain to Chapter Leaders or UFT representatives, the UFT should inform school administrators to:
  • stop assigning ATR teachers to do clerical tasks.
  • stop assigning multiple periods of cafeteria, hall and bathroom duty.
  • inform School Safety that ATR members do not have to scan.
  • insist that schools provide bathroom, classroom and elevator keys.
• The UFT should insist that the DOE puts in writing, in explicit detail, a list of the unprofessional behaviors that principals can use to return ATR members back in rotation, and that could result in an expedited hearing and ultimately, their termination.

Quick responses to hokey arguments for the UFT contract's "protections" for ATRs

Once upon a time there was a rep that promoted the UFT's 2014 contract, and said:

On ATR’s:   Double the protection a regular classroom has.  Yes, now it takes TWO principals documenting problematic behavior to bring someone on 3020a charges.  Yes, they will get a hearing in front of a neutral arbitrator.  Yes,  the DOE will have to prove their case.   Yes, the UFT will provide them with an attorney free of charge.   

Yes, they will now be sent to schools in their district and borough, where there are vacancies in their license area. Yes, the open market transfer period has been extended.  Yes,  they will have the option of taking a severance package if they resign.  Yes, there is NO AUTOMATIC DISMISSAL. 

The UFT said the ATRs would be protected.  They have been protected.  

To which an ATR responded:

I'm sorry you have bought into this.  We will have a ONE day hearing.  That is not protection.  Are you kidding?  What about calling witnesses?  What is unprofessional conduct?  Have you seen a list?  No, no one has?  
This has created a 2nd class of teacher?   Why?  ATRs are not worse teachers, they are not ATRs due to something on their part.  Their school was closed because of Bloomberg.  Why are they being hunted down like dogs?    Being sent to schools in their borough???   Do you know how large Queens is?  And I have no choice if I want to accept a job?  I can't get to schools in Astoria or L.I.C.  There is no parking, but I may have to take the job.  The only jobs left will be the jobs that no one else wants.   
PLEASE DON'T SUGAR COAT THIS CRAP FOR US.  ATRs ARE NOT STUPID. 

ATRs: Leaflet the delegates @ Wed's DA: Vote No on the UFT contract

ACRs/ATRs, other excesseed UFT members:
Leaflet the special UFT Delegate Assembly (special location) at the NY Hilton in Midtown:
1335 Ave of the Americas (west side of 6th Ave between 53rd St & 54th St, near E, F, M, N, Q, R line stations)
Wednesday, 5/7, 4 to 6 pm
(The MORE Caucus, which is supporting the ATR cause, is leafletting there as well with their leaflet.)

*Click this link for Web access to the print-ready landscape-formatted leaflet:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b2HI9Rs04WdNWrkKtCRea1VRYGJ0XfAXwDSYU-GDI8o/pub
*Version addressed to UFT delegates:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AwfHzIEKyVHY30kJ3IGihWbed6hrMiN_SA1YmtseosY/pub
*UFT's Pay Raise Schedule drawn out to 2020, plus issue of disparate treatment of ATRs:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qHdwRJF1hAyQgmbKiSlaw3bzrI41UmwBvh1MrmnbOKc/pub
*Drawn-out raise schedule Illustrated in a graphical form:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKR4GtrQKRf5Qtcn-DKS0TaR5Y0Hygbvw1jtbofAuiD97kDHS0nFS4m00w0Ur8H4KVs2mlvaE-HM-hJJMSTc9Qwxag35ry6e7Djn8yXpSdI6XZAH158UMCHVTTTX1yReu9CbmN5CSTrW2A/s1600/AContract4PuttingOffRetro.gif

Fellow UFT members, ask your delegates,

“DELEGATES, CAN YOU AFFORD TO SUPPORT THIS CONTRACT?”

In the new expedited process an ATR's career can be cut short promptly:

The charge from just two principals that he or she is “unprofessional” (which is not spelled out) will end their tenure, without due process.

–--Can we really trust that principals will not create frivolous trumped up charges?

How safe are you from becoming an ATR?

--Is your license the next to be eliminated?

--Is your school losing enrollment?

--Is your school getting a co-location?

--Do you think your principal likes you –now?

And why are we agreeing with merit pay and with putting 200 schools outside of union protection?

Why does 75% of retro pay does not come until October 2018?

"These [ATRs] are good teachers, mostly from closing schools. But rather than create a win-win situation, the system - despite repeated requests - refused to deal with these issues."              --UFT then president Randi Weingarten, April 10, 2008 – How far have we come from then?

Vote NO on the UFT contract! ATR Chapter Committee atrnyc.blogspot.com

THE DOE'S TEACHER RETENTION PLAN: HOLD OFF 3/4 OF RETRO PAYMENT FOR 4-6 YEARS

Here are the true details about the proposed contract as reported by UFT Leadership on May 1, 2014 to the negotiating committee:

Our Pay Raises

Money

These are the raises that we will get on paper (what the press is reporting):

'09 --4%

'10 --4%

'11 --0% ($1,000 signing

bonus credited to 2011)

'12 --0%

'13 --1%

'14 -1%

'15 -1%

'16 --1.5%

'17 --2.5%

'18 --3%

However, the money that is owed to us from previous years will ONLY arrive beginning in the

year 2015. It will work like this:

• 9/1/14- 2% (which includes the raise due 5/1/13 and 5/1/14 at 1% each):

• 5/1/15 - 3% (2% from our leftover raises in '09-'10 plus the 1% in the contract)

• 5/1/16 - 3.5% (2% from our leftover raises in '09-'10 plus the 1.5% in the contract)

• 5/1/17 - 4.5% (2% from our leftover raises in '09-'10 plus the 2.5% in the contract)

• 5/1/18 - 5% (2% from our leftover raises in '09-'10 plus the 3% in the contract)

• We would receive the $1,000 signing bonus sometime early next Fall

Our Retropay

That comes over 5 years and doesn't begin until 2015. We will receive a percentage of what

we are owed in one payment per year:

• 10/1 2015- 12.5% (lump sum)

• 10/1 2016 - Nothing

• 10/1 2017 - 12.5% lump sum

• 10/1 2018 - 25% lump sum

• 10/1 2019 - 25% lump sum

• 10/1 2020 - 25% lump sum

ATRs

Whoever accepts a position at a school, will go right back into the pool if a principal *says* they acted in an unprofessional manner. If an ATR is sent back into the reserve pool twice, then he/she will be fired in a 50 day time frame via a 3020-a hearing that will last no more than 1 day.