By James Eterno
UFT Delegate and Social Studies Teacher at Middle College High School, Queens. 18 year Chapter Leader Jamaica High School, 1997-2007 UFT Executive Board.
For those who want to witness pseudo-democracy live, the dates of the UFT’s Executive Board and Delegate Assembly meetings are listed below. UFT members can attend as observers.
The dinners at the Executive Board are traditionally quite tasty. (The food at the Brooklyn UFT is excellent if a meeting is moved over to that borough.) The Executive Board meetings start at 6:00 pm and are usually held at 52 Broadway in Manhattan. UFT members can speak once a term during the open mic period for from 1-10 minutes before meetings start but don’t expect much reaction.
Since there are 7 non-Unity Caucus (Michael Mulgrew’s faction of the UFT) endorsed candidates on the 102 members from MORE/New Action, r Executive Board for the first time since 2007, the meetings might actually be somewhat interesting. MORE/New Action won the high school division.
The DA starts at 4:15 pm and those meetings are also usually held at 52 Broadway in Manhattan. Nothing but some fruits and coffee for refreshment normally and I’m not sure if there is anything for visitors up on the 19th floor DA visitors’ section. Every member should witness at least one DA in their career. The President’s Report takes up most of the meeting followed by a report from the Staff Director, a few questions, new motions and some special orders of business (resolutions approved by the leadership) rubber stamped by the Delegates.
The DA is the highest policy-making body in the UFT according to the UFT Constitution but the Department of Labor ruled last year that they don’t make much policy. Voting is done by raising voting cards.
The best parts of the DA are when something logical like not supporting Andrew Cuomo’s reelection comes up and Unity Caucus members are forced to obey their loyalty oath and oppose the motion because the leadership has not approved an anti-Cuomo motion. Many of the Unity Delegates barely raise their cards on these issues. One Unity Chapter Leader told me he just looks up to see how the Staff Director (head of Unity Caucus) votes and he follows.
We thank newly elected Executive Board member Mike Schirtzer from MORE for sending out this list of dates.
Executive Board Dates Delegate Assembly Dates
All on Mondays All on Wednesdays
September 19, 26 September 14 (Citywide Chapter Leaders)
October 17, 24 October 19
November 14, 28 November 9
December 5, 19 December 14
January (2017) 9, 23 January 11
February 6, 27 February 8
March 13, 27 March 22
April 3, 24 April 19
May 8, 22 May 10
June 5, 19 June 14
Originally posted at http://iceuftblog.blogspot.com/
