Archives For July 2012

 Movement of Rank & File Educators

The social justice caucus of the UFT

“Our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions”

MORE

 

Weekly Update #18 – 07.31.12

[email protected]

MORE Events this week

 

MORE Thursday Summer Series Continues

Thursday, August 2, 5PM

MORE Summer Series – Don’t miss the Third Session:
“Each one, Teach one:” MORE Messaging and Outreach
LOLITA Bar – located at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take the F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.

This is a chance to learn about MORE, meet other union members who are down for a different UFT and to enjoy some cheap happy hour drinks and good conversation.

The event is scheduled from 5-8. We will start with a brief intro to MORE.
Followed by some hands on organizing practice!

How DO you talk to your colleagues about these important issues? What do you say when they ask tough questions? What can you ask them to do to be involved?
The UFT has not had to do any actual organizing for decades. If we want to build a strong, democratic union where members are educated and ready to take action, we need to organize and have many conversations with our co-workers. If we want a mobilized base that can fight collectively for better working and learning conditions . .

WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER?

We will close by making sure that everyone knows how to get and stay involved in the ongoing work of MORE and we’ll have plenty of time to schmooze and enjoy a beverage.
Hope to see you all Thursday! Feel free to bring friends!

Tues, July 31: MORE Election Committee

Join the election committee and help choose the MORE slate for top 11 officer positions for the 2013 elections. Next meeting: August 27. Email Kit Wainer for more information: [email protected]

Weds, Aug. 1, 3PM MORE Chicago support group

Solidarity work with the Chicago Teachers Union who are preparing for a possible strike. We will meet at Valent and Cook at 75 Fifth Avenue, between 13th and 14th Street.

 

Our friends in CORE, the caucus that won the elections in 2010 in Chicago, were very excited at the AFT convention in Detroit to hear that MORE has formed.

Our friends from Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) published this letter and handed this out at AFT union convention today right before VP Biden’s address to the audience. Same struggle-same fight!

http://lockerz.com/s/229414159

 

MORE Members Make News

Mike Schirtzer letter posted on Diane Ravitch blog

Diane Ravitch, pro-public education advocate and prolific blogger posted a letter from MORE member and NYC teacher Mike Schirtzer who explains the harmful effects of budget cuts on our schools and the future of our country.


Are Charter Schools A Good Idea:
Julie Cavanagh and KIPP Co-founder Mike Feinberg present the case against and for charter schools in the August edition of Costco Connections.

GEM/MORE’s Julie Cavanagh  and KIPP’s Mike Feinberg on Charters

The Costco Connection August 2012, a monthly with a circulation of over 8 million. The Costco Connection is one of the most widely read monthly publications in the US, an award winning publication that has six times the circulation of its closest competitor.

MORE Support for Verizon Workers

A year ago, educators and striking Verizon workers made a common cause against the Mayor’s Panel for Educational Policy, which approved a contract for the telecom company despite stealing millions of dollars from the Department of Education. Teachers and other UFT members railed at the board inside, and also joined the picket lines during the two week strike.

See a video of Julie Cavanagh speaking at the Aug. 2011 PEP meeting.

Today, Verizon workers again need our help. After having returned to the work in hopes of negotiating a fair contract, the Communication Workers of America have now asked for Federal mediation. Another walkout is a strong possibility, and we need to stand ready to support our brothers and sisters in CWA and IBEW.  Not only are Verizon workers the fathers and mothers of our students, but they are victims of the same corporate greed that has beggared public coffers by evading taxes and created a digital divide in communities we serve

Now, we have a chance to take a stand again against rampant corporate greed. Verizon and the Big Cable companies have reached a deal that includes marketing agreements to sell each other’s products through a quadruple play, allowing a unregulated monopoly, which destroys jobs and hurts consumers. The FCC and Department of Justice are reviewing the deal right now. Call Governor Cuomo and Senators Schumer and Gillibrand to urge them to fight the deal, particularly the marketing agreements.

Leave a message urging them to oppose the Verizon Wireless and Cable Company deal.
Call Governor Cuomo now at 518-473-5442 / Senator Schumer at 212-486-4430 / Senator Gillibrand at 212-688-6262
Reply to this email if you would like information on further solidarity actions. We in MORE will be looking to show our solidarity on the picket lines in the event of a strike (like we did during the ConEd lockout), and will be looking for help in leafletting NYC Verizon stores to alert customers about the conflict.

MORE Members @AFT Convention

 

MORE members Gloria Brandman, Lisa North and Norm Scott attended the AFT convention in Detroit July 26-30.

 

Norm covered the event at Ed Notes. Here are the links.

@AFT – Chicago Teachers Protest RTTT During/After …

Video @AFT Special – Solidarity Resolution – Mulgr…

@AFT – Chicago Teachers Show Displeasure at Uncond…

Breaking @AFT – Before Biden Speech: STOP RACE TO …

RAVITCH ROCKS @AFTConv12

@AFT Share My Lesson = No Speeches

@AFT: NYC/Chicago Showdown Over Moratorium on Cha…

@AFT: Stephen Sawchuck on Unity Caucus and Leo Cas…

@AFT 11PM Friday UPDATE – A Walk and Talk With Ran…

@AFT – Friday July 27 11:30AM – Solution Driven Un…

@AFT – Friday July 27 10AM Report

@AFT Convention: Thursday July 26

MORE Members at SOS

MORE members will be joining members of Change the Stakes, GEM’s high stakes testing committe, at Save Our Schools events in Washington DC Aug. 3-5.

Register for SOS People’s Education Conference

Change the Stakes

Are you interested in working in the battle to reframe the debate on high stakes testing? Join Change the Stakes at its next meeting, Friday, August 17, 5PM at CUNY, 5th Ave and 34th St. Room 5414 (bring id.) Many MORE members are involved in CTS along with NYC parents. MORE will be funneling its high stakes testing work through CTS.

MORE Summer Series

Learn about MORE this summer: Can YOU imagine a transformed UFT?


Come to our Thursday Night Summer Series at:
LOLITA Bar – located at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take the F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.

5pm-8pm

Each “listen & learn” discussion will be preceded by a brief membership meeting at which all are welcome, and followed by happy hour socializing & schmoozing

 

Third Session: Thursday, August 2, 5PM

“Each one, Teach one:” MORE Messaging and Outreach

 

Fourth Session: Thursday, August 16, 5PM

Growing into the Fall: Launching our Fall Campaign

Session added (LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED: Thursday, August 23, 6:30-6:30 PM

 

Supporting the Chicago Teachers Union in their struggle

 

Lessons from CORE’s history and organizing model, background to the current struggle in Chicago, lessons we can learn from how CTU has prepared for a strike, support for CTU’s contract demands since we are facing many of the same issues here in NYC.

 

Save the date!

We are planning a meeting on August 23rd at 6: 30 p.m. in NYC to help build solidarity and educate teachers and union activists in NYC about the issues they’re facing and the importance of this struggle for the labor movement as a whole and the fight for public education in particular.

 

For more information or to RSVP, please email:[email protected]

Join the MORE Chapter Leader and Delegate Meet-up group listserve.

 

Send an email to [email protected] and ask to be added to the chapter leader listserve (not the same as MORE Discussion).

 

Join MORE!

 

And please take a moment to check out our website at morecaucusnyc.org.

 

Spread the word–help build MORE!

Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/MOREcaucusNYC

Follow us on Twitter: @morecaucusnyc

Check out MORE’s website: MOREcaucusNYC.org

 

Email us at: [email protected]

 

We want to hear from you! Check out MORE’s online discussion forum to get the latest news and goings on, and to join in the conversation.

 Movement of Rank & File Educators

The social justice caucus of the UFT

“Our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions”

MORE

[email protected]

 

MORE Summer Series – Don’t miss the Third Session: Thursday, August 2, 5PM

“Each one, Teach one:” MORE Messaging and Outreach

LOLITA Bar – located at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take B to Grand St., F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.
5pm-8pm

The presentation will be preceded by a report on the work MORE is doing and hopes to to. Please consider getting involved with MORE. We need volunteers to expand the work of MORE. MORE is not just about being an alternative to Unity Caucus but about building a movement that can help serve the needs of UFT members and support their work in the communities they serve by making all of us a force inside and outside the union.

 

Last week, at session 2 on UFT elections, 10 more members joined MORE.

MORE Members act out this summer

 

MORE members Gloria Brandman, Lisa North and Norm Scott are at the AFT convention in Detroit July 26-30. They will send reports.

 

MORE members will be joining members of the Change the Stakes, GEM’s high stakes testing committe, at Save Our Schools events in Washington DC Aug. 3-5.

Register for SOS People’s Education Conference

 

MORE Summer Series

Learn about MORE this summer: Can YOU imagine a transformed UFT?


Come to our Thursday Night Summer Series at:
LOLITA Bar – located at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take the F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.

5pm-8pm

Each “listen & learn” discussion will be preceded by a brief membership meeting at which all are welcome, and followed by happy hour socializing & schmoozing

 

Third Session: Thursday, August 2, 5PM

“Each one, Teach one:” MORE Messaging and Outreach

 

Fourth Session: Thursday, August 16, 5PM

Growing into the Fall: Launching our Fall Campaign

Session added (LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED: Thursday, August 23, 6:30-6:30 PM

 

Supporting the Chicago Teachers Union in their struggle

 

Lessons from CORE’s history and organizing model, background to the current struggle in Chicago, lessons we can learn from how CTU has prepared for a strike, support for CTU’s contract demands since we are facing many of the same issues here in NYC.

 

SEE DIANE RAVITCH ON CHICAGO TEACHERS:

 

As you may recall, Mayor Rahm Emanuel in Chicago has demanded that teachers teach a longer school day without additional compensation.

For that and other reasons (including rising class size), the Chicago Teachers Union took a strong stand in opposition. It took a strike vote, and 98% of those voting gave their approval, which was unexpected and unprecedented. The CTU held a rally, and 10,000 members turned out.

Mayor Emanuel accepted a deal that met the CTU’s demands. Its members will not have to work longer hours without pay. The school day will be extended, as he wants, and the teachers who provide the extra time will be selected from the pool of veteran teachers who were laid off.

This was a stunning victory for the CTU. It shows what happens when a union is resolute and united, and its demands are just.

 

Details: Chicago Teachers Union Wins This One

 

Join the MORE Chapter Leader and Delegate Meet-up group listserve.

 

Send an email to [email protected] and ask to be added to the chapter leader listserve (not the same as MORE Discussion).

 

Join MORE!

 

And please take a moment to check out our website at morecaucusnyc.org.

 

Spread the word–help build MORE!

Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/MOREcaucusNYC

Follow us on Twitter: @morecaucusnyc

Check out MORE’s website: MOREcaucusNYC.org

 

Email us at: [email protected]

 

We want to hear from you! Check out MORE’s online discussion forum to get the latest news and goings on, and to join in the conversation.

 Movement of Rank & File Educators

The social justice caucus of the UFT

“Our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions”

MORE

 

Weekly Update #16 – 07.18.12

[email protected]

MORE Summer Series – Don’t miss the Second Session: Thursday, July 19, 5PM

Using the UFT elections to build a new movement with Kit Wainer


LOLITA Bar – located at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take B to Grand St., F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.
5pm-8pm

The presentation will be preceded by a report on the work MORE is doing and hopes to to. Please consider getting involved with MORE. We need volunteers to expand the work of MORE. MORE is not just about being an alternative to Unity Caucus but about building a movement that can help serve the needs of UFT members and support their work in the communities they serve by making all of us a force inside and outside the union.

 

Last week, session 1 on union history attracted 60 people.

 

Videos from session 1

UFT History Through 1968 With Michael Fiorillo

UFT Caucus History Since 1968 – Norm Scott

Read the Gotham Schools report on the MORE summer event (link below)

MORE in the News

GOTHAM SCHOOLS REPORTS ON MORE SUMMER SERIES, JULY 12

Teachers union faction wants to shake up electoral status quo


Longtime teachers union members Norm Scott (left) and Michael Fiorillo give a brief history lesson to potential MORE members Thursday. (Rachel Mromidas, Gotham Schools).

In These Times Reports

Dissident Caucus Aims to Give NYC Teachers Union M.O.R.E.

In These Times

MORE at the Con Ed Picket Line
Members of New York’s Movement of Rank-and-File Educators (MORE) turned out to support striking Con Ed workers in early July. Founded this year, MORE plans to challenge the reign of the Unity caucus in next year’s union elections.   (Photo via Facebook)

Upcoming MORE Committee Meetings

Next MORE Planning Committee Meeting

 

Monday, July 23 , 2:30 PM: RSVP to Kit Wainer  [email protected]

Next MORE Election Committee Meeting

Tuesday, July 31, 2:30 PM, at Karavas restaurant, 164 West 4th Street

New York, NY 10014

Minutes of previous meetings are available at MORE Google Docs. Email us if you don’t have access

MORE Members act out this summer

 

MORE members will be at the AFT convention in Detroit July 26-30.

MORE members at Save Our Schools in Washington DC Aug. 3-5.

Register for SOS People’s Education Conference

 

MORE Summer Series

Learn about MORE this summer: Can YOU imagine a transformed UFT?


Come to our Thursday Night Summer Series at:
LOLITA Bar – located at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take the F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.

5pm-8pm

Each “listen & learn” discussion will be preceded by a brief membership meeting at which all are welcome, and followed by happy hour socializing & schmoozing

 

Second Session: Thursday, July 19, 5PM

Using the UFT elections to build a new movement, with Kit Wainer

 

Third Session: Thursday, August 2, 5PM

“Each one, Teach one:” MORE Messaging and Outreach

 

Fourth Session: Thursday, August 16, 5PM

Growing into the Fall: Launching our Fall Campaign

 

Join the MORE Chapter Leader and Delegate Meet-up group listserve.

 

There are already vibrant discussions going on dealing with the issues of tenure extension, end of year grievances, harassment and other issues. Plug in. Send an email to [email protected] and ask to be added to the chapter leader listserve (not the same as MORE Discussion).

 

If you haven’t already, join MORE! And please take a moment to check out our website at morecaucusnyc.org.

 

Spread the word–help build MORE!

Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/MOREcaucusNYC

Follow us on Twitter: @morecaucusnyc

Check out MORE’s website: MOREcaucusNYC.org

 

Email us at: [email protected]

 

We want to hear from you! Check out MORE’s online discussion forum to get the latest news and goings on, and to join in the conversation.

Christine Rubino
On Monday many NYC teacher blogs organized the publication of Christine Rubino’s story.

A a 14 year teacher with a spotless record, she was terminated over a Facebook posting in poor taste after a 3020a hearing.
Here union attorney told her to resign as she couldn’t win. She fired him and spent her own money on a lawyer and then had the ruling overturned by a judge (Jaffe) who ordered the hearing officer who terminated her (in a real slap-down) to give her a lesser penalty. Instead of being chastened the hearing officer penaized Christine with a 2 year suspension without pay. She has 3 children and has already lost her house.

Here are a few comments from Christine thanking the bloggers, who are organizing a defense fund for her (DONATE HERE).

I want to thank you for sticking by be..and seeing me through this whole mess. It is quite a crazy story, and I think each of you have really put a unique spin on this story…your writings are a reflection from just us talking, emailing, or texting…I know some of you have spent hours reading some of the paperwork. They amount to a whole entire 2 ft by 4ft file cabinet.

I have already put in a motion to Judge Jaffe…jumping on my old article 75… We are pleading to her in the next month or so…yes..I go…stand in the courtroom…minus the shackles and wail like a baby. I don’t mean to..but just happens. We are asking for her to consider how harsh this new penalty is,

When I appeared the first time, she wanted to know, if I was arrested for a crime. When, my lawyer told her no…she said..I was a character in the book 1984…and that, that scared her. She also stated to the DOE…that this is not the right punishment for me and sometimes, they should learn to have compassion. She looked at me…and this is when I cried hysterically…she said…”THE NYC Board of Education should be thanking you for your 14 years of service. She then, stated-if she could…do anything for me legally she would try to find something…but I am doubtful….ahhhh more tears…so…this puts me back into the same position…What a long drawn out game..with my family as the pawns..

Your support and your stories will help shine a light on the injustices many people face or have faced. We are all in this together…and it’s true…at any moment-you can be gone! Sad!!

Christine

MORE Members Support Con Ed Workers on Picket Line - "Teachers Support ConEd Workers"

MORE Teachers Support ConEd Workers 7/5/12

** Please share on Facebook **

We have seen our union, the UFT, under attack from the union-busters from Mayor Bloomberg on down. We in the Movement of Rank and File Educators will continue to stand with our brothers and sisters at Con Ed as they face the same kinds of attacks on their pensions and job security that we do. As educators, we want to teach our students the most fundamental lesson of the labor movement – that an injury to one is an injury to all. As we try to rebuild our union, we must demonstrate this lesson to our coworkers and communities as well.

Please join us by supporting the march and rally on Tuesday, July 17 in support of 8,500 members of Local 1-2 of the Utility Workers Union of America who were locked out by Con Edison. We will assemble at their picket line at 4:00 pm at 4 Irving Place (4/5/6 to Union Square) and march to Union Square for a massive rally which is scheduled to begin at 5:30 pm. Please bring a sign showing MORE’s support for the locked workers and their families.

 

** Please share on Facebook **

 

Also this week… Come to

MORE Summer Series: Learn about MORE this summer

Can YOU imagine a transformed UFT?

Come to our Thursday Night Summer Series at:
LOLITA Bar – located at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take the F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.

5pm-8pm

Each “listen & learn” discussion will be preceded by a brief membership meeting at which all are welcome, and followed by happy hour socializing & schmoozing

Second Session: Thursday, July 19, 5PM

Union Elections- Nuts & Bolts- How do you do it anyway?

After much discussion and hard work, we have three beautiful logo/tshirt designs to choose from (thank you to our wonderful artists!).

Please help us choose which is best, and picking which color scheme to use, by using the polls below.

Comment below to tell us what you think!

Version 1

Version 2

Version 3

 Movement of Rank & File Educators

The social justice caucus of the UFT

“Our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions”

MORE


Weekly Update #15 – 07.11.12

[email protected]


Hey Movement of Rank and file Educators,

If you are travelling or doing a staycation or working, make the most of your summer: Rest up for the battles ahead.


MORE THIS WEEK

MORE Election Committee Meeting
Thursday, July 12, 2:30 PM, at Karavas restaurant, 164 West 4th Street

New York, NY 10014


MORE Election Summer Series

First Session: Thursday, July 12, 5PM

The Roots of MORE:  The UFT, Then and Now – Historical perspective of caucuses in the UFT over the past half century. With Michael Fiorillo and Norm Scott.


LOLITA Bar – located at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take the F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.

5pm-8pm

Each “listen & learn” discussion will be preceded by a brief membership meeting at which all are welcome, and followed by happy hour socializing & schmoozing


MORE joins Con Ed Workers on picket lines


“They gave us a hero’s welcome. About 1000 workers were there cheering us and thanking us for the solidarity. On both sides there were picket lines… they all got so excited to see us chanting ‘teacher, teacher.’ Loud whistles, noise makers… the crowd went nuts. We got thumbs-up, high fives, people thanked us…. We all agreed that we have not felt so appreciated as educators in a long time.”

 

READ ALL ABOUT IT ON THE BLOG.

READ OUR FULL STATEMENT HERE.


MORE Members act out this summer

Join MORE members at the AFT convention in Detroit July 26-29.

Join MORE members at Save Our Schools in Washington DC Aug. 3-5

Contact [email protected]

MORE Summer Series

Learn about MORE this summer: Can YOU imagine a transformed UFT?


Come to our Thursday Night Summer Series at:
LOLITA Bar – located at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take the F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.

 

5pm-8pm

Each “listen & learn” discussion will be preceded by a brief membership meeting at which all are welcome, and followed by happy hour socializing & schmoozing

First Session: Thursday, July 12, 5PM

The Roots of MORE:  The UFT, Then and Now – Historical perspective of caucuses in the UFT over the past half century. With Michael Fiorillo and Norm Scott.


If you plan to attend July 12, or even if you don’t, we urge you to check out the videos on the historical roots of the UFT presented by Michael Fiorillo and Peter Lamphere at the State of the Union conference (Feb. 4. 2012).

Michael: Teacher unions up to 1968 (22 minutes): https://vimeo.com/45094559

Peter: Post 1968 (15 minutes):  https://vimeo.com/45094560

Both videos plus the Q&A (1 hour):  https://vimeo.com/45094713

 

Second Session: Thursday, July 19, 5PM

Union Elections- Nuts & Bolts- How do you do it anyway?


Third Session: Thursday, August 2, 5PM

“Each one, Teach one:” MORE Messaging and Outreach


Fourth Session: Thursday, August 16, 5PM

Growing into the Fall: Launching our Fall Campaign


Steering/Planning Committee Meetings This Summer

There will be meetings before each event of the summer series.


Join the MORE Chapter Leader and Delegate Meet-up group listserve.


There are already vibrant discussions going on dealing with the issues of tenure extension, end of year grievances, harassment and other issues. Plug in. Send an email to [email protected] and ask to be added to the chapter leader listserve (not the same as MORE Discussion).


If you haven’t already, join MORE! And please take a moment to check out our website at morecaucusnyc.org.


Spread the word–help build MORE!

Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/MOREcaucusNYC

Follow us on Twitter: @morecaucusnyc

Check out MORE’s website: MOREcaucusNYC.org


Email us at: [email protected]


We want to hear from you! Check out MORE’s online discussion forum to get the latest news and goings on, and to join in the conversation.


From Mike Klonsky on the new teacher contract in Cleveland


The new law overrides the union’s contract and discards previous board-union agreements governing teacher pay and layoffs, does away with tenure, lengthens the school day and year without accompanying compensation, evaluates and pays teachers based largely on student test scores, and pushes the biggest move yet towards privately managed charter schools along the lines of the Philadelphia model. The new law is also an affront to parents, requiring them to attend meetings under penalty of law. It will take badly-needed funds away from neighborhood public schools and line the pockets of politically connected consultants.

The worst part of this mess is that it was supported by the Democrats and by the AFT and the Cleveland Teacher Union –not only supported, but hailed as “a model of collaboration” for the entire nation. The last time we heard that kind of talk from state union bureaucrats was here in Illinois after the passage of the anti-union SB-7 bill.

Read more at:  Cleveland’s corporate reform bill signed by Kasich
Klonsky follow up with:

There’s no fix without fight in Cleveland

Union leaders, including Weingarten from the AFT signed off on this without any real Chicago-style mobilization of city teachers and community supporters. No line in the sand has been drawn — yet. ….. what’s repulsive is the sight of union leaders hailing these plans as a national models of collaboration. It’s one thing to lose a fight to a more powerful (at least for now) foe. It’s quite another to call that defeat a victory….

More follow-up and comment on Ed Notes

In preparation for the first MORE Summer Series event about the history of the UFT, check out these great videos from the February State of the Union conference.

All we ask is that you Tweet or post to Facebook – and we’ll give you the videos for free.  Click here to get the videos and tell all your friends about it.

Come to our Thursday Night Summer Series at:

 LOLITA Bar - located at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take the F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.
5pm-8pm

Each “listen & learn” discussion will be preceded by a brief membership meeting at which all are welcome, and followed by happy hour socializing & schmoozing

July 12 

The Roots of MORE:  The UFT, Then and Now – Historical perspective of caucuses in the UFT over the past half century.

Please join MORE for a second visit Saturday, July 7 at noon to the Union Square picket line (meetup across the street from Whole Foods)!

“They gave us a hero’s welcome. About 1000 workers were there cheering us and thanking us for the solidarity. On both sides there were picket lines… they all got so excited to see us chanting ‘teacher, teacher.’ Loud whistles, noise makers… the crowd went nuts. We got thumbs-up, high fives, people thanked us…. We all agreed that we have not felt so appreciated as educators in a long time.”

 Movement of Rank and File Educators on picket line supporting Con Ed workers.

MORE picket supporting Con Ed workers

MORE folks showed up to the picket line today with hand made signs and were warmly received! When the picket captain saw us he rounded us up and marched us up Irving Place between the two picket lines on each sidewalk. About 1000 workers were there cheering us and thanking us for the solidarity.

We decided before leaving to congregate again this Saturday at noon (in front of Whole Foods again) and march over together, hopefully in bigger numbers! Come! These workers are risking so much, they just got their health care axed and they need our support…
——-

We walked from Whole Foods to 4 Irving Pl, Con Ed HQ- They gave us a hero’s welcome. The UAUW Local 1-2 marshals who were organizing the lines (probably union delegate/reps) marched us on to streets. On both sides there were picket lines, they all got so excited to see us chanting teacher, teacher. Loud whistles, noise makers. the crowd went nuts.We got thumbs, high fives, people thanked us, we were actually embarrassed actually felt bad there were so few of us. Every press photographer came and took photos of us.

The most active labor organization in support of local 1-2 has been TWU Local 100.They showed up at the rallies, very active on Twitter to show up at the picket. They’re led by former opposition groups.

The new caucus of the UFT, Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE), will be joining the picket lines with locked-out Local 1-2 Utility Workers of Con Edison Thursday July 5th at 1:00pm. We picket with our union brothers and sisters because their fight is our fight. The Utility Workers are the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters of many of our own students. As teachers we must be active role models in the community defending the families of our students.

MORE teachers can not stand idly by while our friends continue to have their retirement and healthcare demolished. We can not and will not watch the attack on workers continue while board members and stock holders who contribute nothing continue to get wealthier on the backs of unions. We will refuse to allow union busting to continue, the loss of benefits and wages is further erosion of the living standards of the American worker which in turn is the eventual destruction of this great country

Take a second to sign the NY State AFL Petition in support of the Con Ed workers as well…

Meet at 1:00 pm at The Whole Foods across from Union Square Park on E14th st off of Broadway
We will walk over to Picket Line together at 4 Irving Place New York, NY Con Edison Headquarters

Hi All,

If the idea of a different UFT intrigues you. . .if you can imagine a union that stands up to the attacks on us and our students. . . having a say in what OUR union does with OUR dues money. . . . if you want a union that recognizes the racism and inequity in our school system and organizes us to fight against it. . . a union that actually helps you organize at your school when problems arise. . . 


Members from NYCoRE, GEM, Teachers Unite, ICE and TJC (the last two were the caucuses in the UFT already fighting for change) began meeting a couple of years ago with the goal of combining our group’s strengths in order to transform OUR union. This winter MORE, Movement Of Rank and file Educators, was born.
Check us out HERE.

AND DEFINITELY. . .


Come to our Thursday Night Summer Series at:      
 LOLITA Bar - located at 266 Broome Street (Between Grand & Delancey Streets) NYC, take the F to Delancey St. or the J, M, Z to Essex St.
MORE in the SUMMER

5pm-8pm

Each “listen & learn” discussion will be preceded by a brief membership meeting at which all are welcome, and followed by happy hour socializing & schmoozing

July 12 

The Roots of MORE:  The UFT, Then and Now – Historical perspective of caucuses in the UFT over the past half century.

July 19 –

Union Elections- Nuts & Bolts- How do you do it anyway?

August 2 –

“Each one, Teach one:” MORE Messaging and Outreach

August 16 –

Growing into the Fall: Launching our Fall Campaign